Senior Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice President and Dean - Division for Land-Grant Engagement

West Virginia University•West Virginia, WV

About The Position

The Senior Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice President and Dean serves as a principal executive aide and operational partner to the AVP and Dean of West Virginia University's Division for Land-Grant Engagement. The role manages complex executive office operations, supports divisional priorities, and addresses sensitive issues involving academic, extension, engagement, and administrative units. It requires substantial independent judgment and discretion in evaluating issues, developing proposed solutions, managing delegated matters, and determining when to refer or escalate concerns. The position oversees information flow and commitments to and from the AVP and Dean's Office; researches and analyzes strategic or operational matters; prepares executive communications and decision-support materials; and manages designated projects and initiatives through implementation. It represents the AVP and Dean in assigned interactions, communicates established priorities, and works with senior leaders and university partners to resolve cross-functional issues. The role also manages complex executive scheduling and preparation, governance and committee processes, confidential academic and personnel workflows including promotion and tenure, and high-profile meetings and events. Full responsibilities are assumed following appropriate onboarding and training, subject to delegated authority and university policy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, communications, higher education, or a related field.
Four or more years of progressively responsible executive administrative and operational experience in a complex organization, including senior leadership support, complex projects, confidential processes, and cross-functional coordination.
Experience exercising independent judgment and developing operational solutions.
Advanced executive office and operational management in a complex organization, including balancing institutional priorities and competing demands.
Independent judgment, discretion, analytical problem-solving, and ability to recommend solutions to sensitive or ambiguous issues.
Executive-level writing, research, briefing, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder relationship management skills.
Project leadership, change coordination, process improvement, delegation, and accountability for assigned outcomes.
Working knowledge of institutional governance, academic and personnel processes, confidentiality, and records management.
Ability to navigate cross-unit relationships, appropriately represent executive priorities, and work with minimal direction.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 and ability to learn university enterprise systems.
All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting an executive, dean, vice president, president, provost, or comparable senior leader.
Experience in higher education, government, a large nonprofit organization, or another complex institution.
Experience coordinating governance, academic affairs, faculty affairs, or personnel processes.
Experience preparing executive communications and briefing materials.
Experience working with confidential personnel and executive information.

Responsibilities

Manage and oversee the administrative and operational functions of the AVP and Dean’s Office, including priorities, workflows, service standards, and continuity.
Assess complex and sensitive operational matters, research issues, evaluate alternatives, develop proposed solutions, and resolve matters within delegated authority.
Participate in designated senior leadership planning, problem-solving, change management, and crisis-preparedness activities; communicate established decisions and priorities.
Manage the AVP and Dean’s complex calendar, assess meeting requests, and prepare briefings and background materials.
Oversee requests to the AVP and Dean, route or resolve matters as authorized, coordinate follow-up, and monitor them through resolution.
Develop, implement, evaluate, and improve executive office policies, administrative procedures, records practices, and cross-unit workflows.
Coordinate executive travel, authorizations, itineraries, and related administrative arrangements with financial personnel.
Provide functional direction and coordination to administrative colleagues supporting the Dean’s Suite.
Serve as a principal liaison and designated representative of the AVP and Dean with university and external constituents.
Communicate established executive positions, priorities, and decisions accurately and diplomatically, using judgment regarding confidentiality, urgency, and escalation.
Draft, review, and prepare executive correspondence, memoranda, presentations, reports, proposals, announcements, talking points, agendas, and other materials.
Research complex academic, extension, engagement, and administrative questions; analyze information and prepare summaries, findings, and recommendations.
Monitor sensitive correspondence and inquiries, develop proposed responses, coordinate timely resolution, and maintain stakeholder relationships.
Maintain executive contact information, leadership rosters, and communications records; coordinate institutional acknowledgments and high-level correspondence.
Coordinate councils, assemblies, visiting and advisory committees, leadership teams, and other governance bodies in the AVP and Dean’s portfolio.
Maintain governance calendars and oversee appointments, membership records, meeting cycles, communications, and institutional documentation.
Work with leadership to establish meeting objectives, prepare agendas and briefings, document decisions and action items, and ensure follow-through.
Provide procedural guidance on established governance processes, identify inconsistencies or emerging issues, and recommend corrective actions.
Preserve confidential governance records and institutional knowledge.
Manage AVP–Dean-level administration of promotion and tenure and other assigned confidential academic and personnel review processes, collaborating with school- and unit-based support personnel.
Serve as a procedural contact for faculty, unit leaders, and administrators; explain established timelines and documentation requirements and coordinate guidance or training.
Maintain review calendars and oversee secure collection, routing, tracking, and retention of materials; coordinate external reviewer processes and communications.
Identify missing requirements, procedural concerns, and deadline risks; resolve administrative issues within delegated authority and escalate matters requiring formal interpretation or academic judgment.
Coordinate with faculty affairs, human resources, academic leadership, and other university offices while maintaining strict confidentiality.
Coordinate administrative aspects of authorized leadership or unit-head review processes, including collecting materials and preparing factual summaries.
Lead designated executive projects and initiatives, defining scope, goals, milestones, timelines, stakeholders, deliverables, and implementation plans in consultation with the AVP and Dean.
Coordinate work across units and staff, monitor progress and risks, resolve implementation obstacles within delegated authority, and report findings and recommendations.
Conduct historical and institutional research for complex assignments and synthesize results into briefings and proposed solutions.
Oversee planning and execution of high-profile conferences, retreats, receptions, recognition programs, leadership events, and other initiatives sponsored by the AVP and Dean.
Manage assigned recognition initiatives, including the Impact Awards, and coordinate logistics, communications, resources, and follow-up.
Assess completed initiatives and recommend process or operational improvements.
Coordinate purchasing, invoices, memberships, registrations, travel documentation, reimbursements, and other executive office transactions with authorized financial personnel.
Monitor assigned office commitments, expenditures, documentation, and transaction status; identify discrepancies and elevate matters requiring financial approval.
Coordinate procurement of office, meeting, event, and operational supplies in compliance with university requirements.