Senior Administrative Assistant, Department Head's Office

MIT•Cambridge, MA

9h•Onsite

About The Position

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT , Biological Engineering, under minimal supervision, provides diverse, complex, and high-level administrative support for the day-to-day activities and operations of the Department Head’s office; provides calendar management and administrative support for programs, events and projects; serves as a high-level contributor or coordinator of multiple projects; serves as liaison between Department Head office and MIT offices, collaborating institutions, research centers, industry partners; works closely with travel agents in arranging complex domestic and international travel arrangements; administers support for faculty affairs, including faculty searches, faculty appointments, promotion cases and visa applications; plans and coordinates high-profile events, such as meetings, seminars, conferences, and retreats; maintains an open Department Head office and serves as a point of contact for all visitors, faculty, staff, students; performs and assists with other projects and administrative duties as assigned; serves as a contact point between the DH and BE staff, other departments and programs, and the Dean’s office.

Requirements

High School diploma
A minimum of five years of administrative or related experience
Excellent organizational, administrative, resourcefulness, and time-management skills
Ability to research and resolve complex problems
Ability to anticipate, prioritize, and work on multiple projects simultaneously
Strong ability to exercise discretion, patience, diplomacy, and discretion handling confidential information
Keen attention to detail and accuracy in work
Ability to work independently as well as part of a team
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including a strong, poised phone presence and excellent grammar and proofreading ability
High level of flexibility and adaptability
Ability to interact with faculty, staff, high-visibility visitors, highly motivated students, and leaders of other MIT offices
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, Adobe Acrobat Professional, Dropbox, Google Workspace, FileMaker Pro, Photoshop, PowerPoint, Drupal, WordPress, and web search engines
Experience in event planning
Ability to make complex travel arrangements
A record of reliability and punctual attendance

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree
Related experience in an academic environment
MIT experience
Knowledge of SAP, SAPweb, Concur, and MIT financial processes, policies, and procedures
Experience managing or leading others

Responsibilities

Provides diverse, complex, and high-level administrative support for the day-to-day activities and operations of the Department Head’s office
Provides calendar management and administrative support for programs, events and projects
Serves as a high-level contributor or coordinator of multiple projects
Serves as liaison between Department Head office and MIT offices, collaborating institutions, research centers, industry partners
Works closely with travel agents in arranging complex domestic and international travel arrangements
Administers support for faculty affairs, including faculty searches, faculty appointments, promotion cases and visa applications
Plans and coordinates high-profile events, such as meetings, seminars, conferences, and retreats
Maintains an open Department Head office and serves as a point of contact for all visitors, faculty, staff, students
Performs and assists with other projects and administrative duties as assigned
Serves as a contact point between the DH and BE staff, other departments and programs, and the Dean’s office