Executive Assistant and Senior Project Manager

Job Description:

Berklee’s Senior Vice President (SVP) and Director of Strategy and Operations (DSO) for Student Enrollment and Engagement (SEE) seek a dynamic, highly organized, and detail-oriented individual to join their team as an Executive Assistant and Project Manager. Under the direction of the DSO, this role will provide executive-level calendar and administrative support to the SVP (75%), manage the operations of the Office of the SVP (15%), and lead the planning and execution of projects and events (10%). This role is an essential partner that drives organization, preparation, and prioritization for the SVP, working to advance priorities at the executive level for the institution, and across the SEE organization, which includes four divisions: Enrollment Management, Student Life, Student Success, and Career Services.
Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, communication, and project management skills are essential to effectively managing the day-to-day operations of the SVP.
The ideal candidate will possess a passion for higher education, and have a student-centered approach to their work. A successful candidate will be a strategic team player with the ability to thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, and one who is driven, knowledgeable, innovative, inspirational, and empowering with exceptional executive assistant, project management, organizational, and communication skills.

MINIMUM JOB QUALIFICATIONS: 

• A minimum of 5-8+ years of previous executive level administrative experience, preferably in a college or university setting. 

• Ability to manage the daily calendar of a high-level executive, exercising considerable discretion and judgment to prioritize obligations and ensure full and advanced preparation.

• Ability to conduct all communications in a clear, cordial, and professional manner; the position requires strong people skills, and a caring and solution-oriented customer-service approach.

• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work in a diverse community, embedding inclusive practices across all areas of work. 

• A self-starter with a strong work ethic, commitment to high quality outcomes, and polished work.

• Proven ability to work with a high level of independence in an agile environment, prioritize assignments, and manage time and ambiguity effectively.

• Superb organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. 

• Keen attention to detail and accuracy.

• Exceptional writing and presentation skills for reports, correspondence, and meeting minutes.

• Excellent judgment and decision-making including handling high level, confidential matters.

• Ability to manage sensitive/urgent student or family concerns, using excellent judgment to provide the appropriate support.

• Strong experience navigating technology used in office: Apple products (mac), Google Suite (slides, docs, sheets, drive), project management tools (preferably asana), zoom (phone, meetings).

• Comfort navigating spreadsheets, working with Microsoft (word, excel, power point), Slack and learning new systems.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 75% Executive-Level Support

  • Calendar Management. Manages the daily details of the SVP's calendar, ensuring time is optimized by exercising considerable discretion and judgment to prioritize obligations, and ensuring full and advanced preparation. 

  • Meeting Preparation and Execution. Proactively communicates with colleges to ensure all materials required for SVP and DSO meetings are prepared in advance. Schedules events and monitors attendance; prepares agendas, presentations and materials; manages room booking, sets up and technology; orders and acquires food/other supplies for meetings or events; staffs meetings to document minutes and action items; provides prompts for follow-up on necessary action items to DSO. 

  • Communications. Provides executive level support on all correspondence and communication on behalf of the SVP and DSO, including drafting and editing memos, letters, correspondence, reports, presentations, press-releases, publications, and proposals; updating website; maintaining contact lists; responding to inquiries in the absence of the SVP and DSO; and serve as a liaison between the SVP/DSO and internal departments, external stakeholders, and partners, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.

  • Trustee Matters. Manages all Board of Trustees matters staffed by the SVP and/or designee(s) with detailed management of deliverables and timeline.

  • Travel Arrangements. Coordinates and provides detailed itineraries for day-to-day and extended domestic/international travel arrangements (flights, hotels, taxis, couriers, meetings, etc.).

  • Expense Reconciliation. Submit and reconcile expense reports on behalf of the SVP and DSO.
     

• 15% Office Management

  • Frontline Services. Staff front desk reception in-person daily, providing exceptional customer and frontline services to students, staff, faculty, trustees, and other visitors to the office, managing phones, emails, and voicemails, providing quick and proactive support. Ability to manage a wide range of inquiries with empathy and care, and quickly identify the support needed and connecting to appropriate resources.  

  • Office Organization & Operations. Carry out administrative duties such as filing, typing, copying, printing, binding, scanning, sorting, etc. Maintain supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies; ensuring office is organized and presentable, stocking supplies. Maintain up-to-date manual of office procedures. Checking and distributing the mail. Implement and manage effective organization and filing systems, digital and paper. Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; coordinating repairs and troubleshooting; maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques. 

  • Purchasing and Budget. Manages all purchasing, contracting and budgetary responsibilities. Tracks budget by maintaining up-to-date records of transactions, projections and commitments. Completes monthly reconciliation and executive-level reporting to DSO. Assists DSO in the development of the annual budget. 

• 10% Project and Event Management

  • Project Management. Assist DSO in planning, coordinating, and executing projects and initiatives by developing effective approaches planning, including the utilization of project management tools that support implementation, tracking and reporting. Balance independent work while effectively communicating project status and flow while managing multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring their successful completion within established timelines and objectives.

  • Relationship Management. Lead managing the relationships and work with vendors and campus partners.

  • Event Planning. Lead planning, coordination and execution of key SEE events, including researching venues, estimating costs, meeting with vendors, touring locations, managing vendor relationships, building detailed run of show and preparing and managing all day-of logistics. Examples of events include a 2-hour summer boat cruise, after-work socials at local establishments, student focus groups, annual all-staff retreat (~200 staff), annual leadership retreat (~50 staff).

  • Student Employees. Delegate work to student employees, and provide guidance and support during their learning journey.

• Other responsibilities and projects as assigned. 

SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, ETC.

• Active and timely monitoring of email correspondence (including weeknights and weekends). 

• Some evening and weekend hours may be required depending on the nature and cycles of the work. Required to staff signature weekend/evening events including new student move-in (August), Convocation (August), Career Jam (April/May), Commencement (May), or others as directed by DSO. 

• Ability to travel within the Berklee campus radius to acquire food for executive meetings during the work week.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: No supervisory responsibilities of staff. Occasional supervision of student employees.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is primarily performed indoors in an office setting, with travel outside across campus occasionally throughout the week. The noise level is typically low to moderate, however this role is in an open workspace and the candidate will need to be able to perform duties while visitors are in office. The employee may be required to lift lightweight objects. 

Occasional ability to work remote on Fridays.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee : 

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.  Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or call 617-747-2375.

Berklee is committed to increasing the diversity of our institution, community, and the curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*

Employee Type:
Staff