Senior Administrative Assist - Center for Collections & Research

Cranbrook • Bloomfield Hills, MI

59d

About The Position

Founded by Detroit philanthropists George and Ellen Booth in 1904, Cranbrook Educational Community is one of the world’s leading centers of education, science, and art. Comprised of a graduate Academy of Art, contemporary Art Museum, Center for Collections and Research, House and Gardens, Institute of Science, and more than 1,600 students attending our Pre-K through 12 independent college preparatory Schools, Cranbrook welcomes thousands of visitors and students to its campus each year. Critics have called Cranbrook “the most enchanted and enchanting setting in America” and in 1989 it was designated a National Historic Landmark. The campus is located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, about 20 miles north of downtown Detroit. For more, please visit our website: www.cranbrook.edu . The Senior Administrative Assistant provides diverse support to Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research (the Center) and the Center’s Director, as well as Cranbrook House & Gardens (CHG). Responsibilities include telephone, email, and in-person reception, coordinating activities and tours, event and meeting support, and project support. General clerical and administrative support includes accounting and purchasing, preparation of reports, correspondence, data entry, and filing. The person in this position must have exemplary customer-service skills, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and interact effectively with other Cranbrook Educational Community (CEC) staff, faculty, and students, as well as Trustees and Governors and volunteers. This is a full-time, full-year position. The normal schedule for this position is Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm or 8:30am to 5:00pm. Occasional evening and weekend hours are required to assist with Center and CHG programs and events (hours may be flexed during these weeks when programs or events require work outside of the normal work schedule). The Center’s Senior Administrative Assistant should have an interest in the history of Cranbrook and a desire to share Cranbrook’s story with constituents near and far. They will be attentive to both details and the larger picture, helping to shape how information and communications about the Center and CHG are received and perceived by stakeholders.

Requirements

• High School diploma or GED required; completion of a two-year Associate’s degree or four-year degree strongly preferred.
• A minimum of five years of experience providing administrative support at a senior level required.
• Strong Microsoft Office suite skills (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint/One Drive, Edge, Outlook).
• Experience working with and maintaining a database preferred.
• Website management skills, including the ability to create new pages from templates and update information.
• Experience working with WordPress or Drupal is preferred; training will be provided.
• Ability to assist in the oversight of the Center’s social media.
• Ability to accurately type 60 words per minute.
• Proven proficiency at effective prioritization and multitasking.
• Proven, effective written and verbal communication skills.
• A valid Michigan driver’s license with a satisfactory driving record is required.
• Maintain strict confidentiality related to Center and CHG activities and patrons and Cranbrook’s proprietary and confidential information.

Responsibilities

• General Center/CHG Office Administration
• Greet all visitors to the Center/CHG offices of Cranbrook House.
• Provide front-line communications for the Center/CHG office; answer and return telephone calls and voicemails; process and respond to incoming emails; distribute specific requests to the appropriate staff members.
• Answer general correspondence, including program schedule requests, tour requests, and general information inquiries on the Center and CHG, etc.
• Assist with the coordination of events with the appropriate staff members, including Special Events, Facilities, Advancement, and Cranbrook building managers and staff.
• Maintain multiple calendars and provide Cranbrook departments with updates on details regarding events, programs, tours, and general activities.
• Coordinate mailings and e-blasts, including program announcements, using existing templates and brand standards.
• Update the Center and CHG’s website
• Monitor social media and reply to routine questions and concerns.
• Update and maintain the Center and CHG’s website store inventories and fulfill store orders.
• Work with Cranbrook Event Coordinators on the staffing and security needs for Center and CHG events/meetings.
• Center/CHG Programs and Tours
• Work with the curatorial team on the coordination of all Center and CHG public and private tours, including tours of Cranbrook House and Gardens, Saarinen House, the Frank Lloyd Wright Smith House, the Japanese Garden, campus architectural tours, and VIP tours.
• Manage tour logistics and scheduling, including sending tour packets, posting tours on calendars, scheduling tours with Collections Interpreters and Docents, and coordinating the tours with the appropriate CEC branches.
• Coordinate tour beverage, lunch and/or dinner service, as necessary, with the Cranbrook caterers and/or Cranbrook Event Coordinators.
• Serve as a key member of the Portrait Photography Team, fielding inquiries and providing guest feedback.
• Prepare weekly public tour guest lists during tour season (May to November) and email out tour reminders to all guests in advance of scheduled tours.
• Update web-based ticketing processing systems, establish policies and procedures, and activate/deactivate new programs and tickets.
• Assist with in-person and virtual special events and programs, including on-site registration for in-person events and technological support for virtual programs. This will require working during a late afternoon or evening (approximately once or twice a month) and an occasional weekend day (approximately once or twice a month).
• CHG Membership
• Serve as a key contact with members, including board members and other volunteers, providing information about meetings and programs and responding to general questions and concerns.
• Assistant to Center Director
• Assist with the development and accomplishment of annual goals and objectives.
• Reconcile Director’s purchasing card statement (monthly).
• Work with the Director to prepare staff meeting agendas.
• Attend Center Committee, Center Advisory Groups, and Collections Committee meetings, as well as selected CHG meetings, and prepare related materials, including the preparation of agendas and minutes, and coordinate/operate AV and Zoom requirements.
• Act as Recording Secretary for Center Committee, Center Advisory Groups, and Collections Committee; coordinate distribution of meeting notices, agendas, and minutes, printing documents, as required, and uploading material to Cranbrook’s web-based BoardEffect portal.
• Coordinate travel arrangements for the Director and Center/CHG guests.
• Prepare PowerPoint and digital presentations as necessary.
• Accounting
• Serve as the primary liaison with CEC’s Accounting Department; maintain accounts payable and invoicing for the Center and CHG; process requisitions, purchase orders, invoices, and bills for all operating and restricted accounts.
• Advancement
• Gather information and create formal reports as needed for grants, annual reports, etc.
• Assist with the planning and implementation of key Center and CHG fundraisers.
• Assist the Center’s Director of Development as requested by the Director.

Benefits

• Cranbrook offers competitive compensation and benefits that include medical, dental, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability, and retirement programs with employer contribution.
• We also offer generous paid time off, 11 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays, employee discounts, and a unique environment in an educational setting that values collaboration.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED