Special Assistant to the President

Special Assistant to the President

Summary:

The Special Assistant to the President represents the day-to-day interests and priorities of the Office of the President. Reporting to the President, the Special Assistant manages the overall daily work of the Office of the President by planning and executing the operations of the Administrative Committee, and other governance bodies as well as directing on- and off-campus meetings, gatherings, and special events. This individual will serve as the primary point of contact for Presidential matters for all constituents, including crisis and emergency management. Additionally, the Special Assistant is responsible for all aspects of event and project management for the office, including matters related to the Board of Trustees in collaboration with the Secretary of the Board.  

Minimum Qualifications Required:

Education required to ensure success in this position:
Bachelor’s degree required.

Experience required to ensure success in this position:
A minimum of 5 years of experience in an executive-level administrative position, including drafting agendas, planning and executing programming, completing follow-up communications such as minutes and reports, and engaging with multiple vendors.

Special skills, knowledge and abilities:
Exceptional interpersonal skills and political acumen with a wide variety of constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, community members, and friends and alumni of the College.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent meeting, project management, and event planning skills.
Strong ability to exercise discretion, sound judgement, and maintain confidentiality.
Ability to prioritize multiple high-priority tasks with meticulous attention to detail.
Dexterity with email, Word, Excel, presentation tools, and cloud-based platforms.
Basic accounting knowledge. 

License, certification, or registration necessary:
Driver’s license. 

Physical requirements:
Ability to navigate campus, public buildings, and grounds.
Ability to lift objects without assistance for meetings and events, as needed.
Ability to travel via vehicle and/or plane on occasion.

Environmental conditions:
Professional office environment with interruptions and noise due to frequent visitors.
May include occasional travel via vehicle and/or plane.

Ability to operate the following vehicles or equipment:
Standard office equipment.
Ability to operate a vehicle.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Regular and predictable attendance is essential. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Provide high-level support to the President, Administrative Committee, and other assigned functions to further the College’s mission, vision, and strategic goals through coordination of meetings, record-keeping, and historical research.   
• Oversee planning and execution of and follow up for meetings and events as assigned by the President, including meetings and engagement activities with on- and off-campus constituencies.  
• Coordinate all aspects of special projects and events on behalf of the President, including campus-wide events such as the Presidential Inauguration, Opening Convocation, employee and student events hosted by the President, and others.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the campus and wider community on behalf of the President, including crisis and emergency management.
• Collaborate with the Chief of Strategy on matters related to the strategic plan and vision for the College. Collaborate with the Director of Internal & Presidential Communications to engage in research and writing support for the President as needed. 
• Support Board of Trustees functions in collaboration with the Secretary of the Board.
• Support Town/Gown relationships through engagement with City of Berea officials and community members.
• Represent the President at meetings, events, and other functions as needed.
• Collaborate with the Data and Budget Specialist to manage the office’s operating budget.
  

Other roles/duties will be assigned as necessary to assist the College in the attainment of the goals set forth and the enhancement of a positive, respectful learning environment for all staff, faculty and students. 

Founded in 1855, Berea College achieved national distinction as the first coeducational and interracial college in the South. Berea has a longstanding commitment to interracial education and is one of the most racially diverse private liberal arts colleges in the United States. With an emphasis on service to Appalachia and beyond, Berea enrolls 1,600 students from 43 states and U.S. territories and more than 70 countries. Berea College admits students who are unable to afford tuition and provides all of them a no-tuition promise, valued at more than $178,000. Berea’s students excel in the College’s supportive yet demanding academic environment, and many are the first in their families to attend college. As one of only nine federally recognized Work Colleges, all Berea students are expected to work 10-12 hours weekly in various positions across campus. Berea College was again named one of the nation’s “Best Institutions for Undergraduates to Earn their College Degree” in the 2022 edition of The Princeton Review’s book, The Best 387 Colleges. Berea also appeared on four other lists within the publication: Best Colleges in the Southeast; Best Value Colleges; Best Green Colleges; and Tuition Free Schools. Berea College is ranked #148 by The Princeton Review – the highest-ranked Kentucky college, and the #3 “Best Value College” in the nation. Berea is one of only two private institutions ranked in the Top 10 for Value in the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (THE) 2022 College Rankings. The Washington Monthly ranks Berea College #13 among the nation’s liberal arts colleges, recognizing Berea for maintaining “consistently high rankings thanks to their economic diversity, relatively strong graduation rates, and commitment to meeting students’ financial need.” U.S. News and World Report Rankings lists Berea as #30 among National Liberal Arts Colleges, including ranking Berea #1 in Service Learning, #2 for Most Innovative Schools, #3 in Co-ops/Internships, #4 in First-year Experiences, and tied for #13 in Best Undergraduate Teaching.

Located where the Bluegrass Region meets the Cumberland Mountains, the town of Berea (pop. 16,000) lies forty miles south of Lexington and is approximately two hours from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Knoxville. More information about Berea College is available at www.berea.edu.

Berea College, in light of its mission in the tradition of impartial love and social equality, welcomes all people of the earth to learn and work here.

Berea College is always looking for talented, self-motivated individuals to join our team. If you think you are ready to be a part of an exciting team, then we encourage you to continue with this applicant friendly, online job application!

Berea College is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Note to Prospective Employees:

Each year, Berea College Public Safety publishes an annual report to the campus to make public crime statistics, policies, and procedures for Berea College.  This Annual Security Report, required by the Jeane Clery Act, Minger Act, and the Student Right To Know Act is now available for review.  For a full, printable version of the ASR, you can click here: https://www.berea.edu/public-safety/annual-security-report-2019/

For a policy-by-policy version that is easier to read and browse, please visit Public Safety’s website here: https://www.berea.edu/public-safety/annual-security-report-2019/