Executive Staff Assistant

MSU Careers Details•East Lansing, MI

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The OVP Executive Staff Assistant provides high-level, confidential administrative support to the Vice President, Assistant Vice President, and Office of the Vice President (OVP) leadership. The position is a key point of contact within OCR and across the university, managing executive, administrative, and operational responsibilities that support OVP and OCR effectiveness. The role provides executive support, including managing leadership calendars, scheduling and facilitating meetings, coordinating travel and reimbursements, preparing meeting materials, drafting communications and reports, and documenting meetings. It also manages day-to-day office administration, communications, visitors, office space, budget tracking, HR coordination, reporting data, technology coordination, supplies, and branch web content. The Executive Staff Assistant supports office-wide operations and initiatives by coordinating meetings, retreats, events, logistics, onboarding, training, and collaboration among OCR branch support staff. The position also conducts research and supports special projects, reports, presentations, project coordination, change management, process improvement, and other strategic priorities. The role regularly handles sensitive and confidential information and requires sound judgment and discretion. The schedule is generally standard business hours, Monday through Friday, with occasional evening or weekend work based on operational needs. The work arrangement is primarily in-office, with a minimum expectation of four days per week in the office.

Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired through high school education with coursework in word processing, typing, shorthand, and grammar.
Five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive university work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience maintaining account ledgers and using word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software.
Experience editing and composing correspondence and taking dictation.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing executive-level administrative support to senior leaders in a complex organization.
Experience managing executive calendars, meetings, travel, and confidential communications.
Demonstrated ability to exercise independent sound judgment and handle sensitive and confidential information.
Experience coordinating projects, initiatives, or department-wide operations involving multiple stakeholders.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and collaboration tools.
Experience working in higher education or a similarly complex organizational environment.

Responsibilities

Provide confidential executive support to the Vice President, Assistant Vice President, and other designated OVP leaders.
Manage executive calendars, schedule meetings, resolve conflicts, and support effective use of leadership time.
Coordinate meetings, events, travel arrangements, registrations, itineraries, and reimbursement processes.
Attend meetings with or on behalf of branch leaders and prepare and distribute minutes and action items.
Prepare meeting materials and logistics for interactions with university leadership, external partners, and other stakeholders.
Draft, edit, and distribute executive communications, reports, presentations, and other materials.
Respond to phone calls, emails, and other inquiries from students, administrators, staff, faculty, and the public; greet and direct visitors.
Manage day-to-day branch office operations and maintain office space.
Monitor branch budgets and maintain and reconcile expenditures.
Liaise with the OCR Human Resources Officer on HR functions and recruitment support for OCR executive and branch leadership roles.
Compile, organize, and manage data for annual and other reporting needs.
Coordinate phones, computers, software, inventory, purchasing, and branch supplies.
Maintain branch web content and coordinate with the OCR Communications Manager and subject matter experts to ensure information is accurate, accessible, and current.
Coordinate office-wide meetings, retreats, celebrations, professional development activities, and other departmental events.
Coordinate logistics for office-wide initiatives, including timelines, deliverables, and communications.
Serve as a liaison among OCR branch support staff to facilitate information sharing, project coordination, and action-item follow-up.
Monitor operational priorities and assist leadership with tracking milestones, deadlines, and implementation activities.
Maintain and enhance systems, processes, and administrative tools that support consistent and efficient office operations.
Support onboarding of new staff and office-wide training, orientation, and workforce engagement activities.
Provide backup to other OVP and OCR staff as needed and appropriate.
Conduct research and gather, analyze, synthesize, and summarize information related to office priorities, operations, strategic initiatives, and policy-related projects.
Assist with reports, presentations, briefing materials, project coordination, implementation, and follow-up for assigned initiatives.
Track project progress and provide leadership updates on milestones, risks, and emerging issues.
Assist with operational initiatives, change management, process improvement, and organizational effectiveness efforts.
Perform other duties as assigned.