Executive Assistant

Summary

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities., is seeking an experienced, reliable and task-oriented Executive Assistant (EA). The EA serves as the administrative liaison for APLU’s Office of the President and provides executive administrative support to both the President and the Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff. They are responsible for coordinating complex calendars, providing administrative and logistical support to several high-profile meetings each year, and ensuring that APLU records and files are up-to-date, including in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Successful candidates will thrive in a fast-paced environment, have strong interpersonal, organizational and communication skills, and have a keen attention to detail. This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. The incumbent must be eligible to work in the United States, reside in DC, MD, or VA, and pass standard background checks. They are eligible for a hybrid work schedule. For more information about APLU, please visit www.aplu.org.

Background

APLU is a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities. The association’s membership consists of nearly 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations spanning all 50 states, the District of Columbia, six U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico.

The association and its members collectively focus on: increasing access, success, completion, and workforce readiness; promoting pathbreaking scientific research; and bolstering economic and community engagement. Drawing on the powerful collective action of its members, APLU’s advocacy arm helps shape federal policy that maximizes the positive impact of public and land-grant universities. Annually, member campuses enroll 5.2 million undergraduates and 1.4 million graduate students, award 1.4 million degrees, employ 1.35 million faculty and staff, and conduct $67 billion in university-based research.

Responsibilities

The Executive Assistant is responsible for providing executive administrative support to both the President and the Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff, which includes, but is not limited to:

1. Respond proactively to daily issues and requests to the President’s Office, anticipating needs, resolving conflicts, and managing competing priorities when necessary.
2. Represent the Office of the President in a professional manner by placing and responding to telephone calls, greeting visitors, drafting correspondence, etc.
3. Manage the calendar for both the President and the Senior Vice President & Chief of Staff, including anticipating schedule conflicts. Ensure supervisors’ schedules are followed and respected and initiate follow-up actions as needed. Develop comprehensive background information for meetings as appropriate and provide meeting materials to the President.
4. Provide administrative and logistical support for the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee, the Council of Presidents, the Council of Presidents and Chancellors’ Spouses/Partners, and the Annual Meeting including, scheduling calls and meetings, coordinating logistics and audio-visual requirements, compiling and distributing meeting materials, taking notes and preparing meeting minutes, processing travel reimbursement requests, managing the Board directory, etc.
5. Prepare itineraries and arrange complex and detailed travel arrangements for the President, ensuring a smooth travel experience.
6. Maintain, update, and track records in APLU’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for the Board of Directors, Audit Committee, Investment Committee, Council of Presidents and the Council of Presidents’ & Chancellors’ Spouses/Partners.
7. Manage and prioritize incoming communications from the President, Membership, and Information e-mail boxes, including draft and respond to inquiries and follow-up on requests as needed.
8. Draft, review, proofread, and distribute correspondence and documents on behalf of supervisors using mass email marketing software (Marketo).
9. Reconcile monthly expense reports and submit reimbursement forms.
10. Maintain an organized filing system of electronic documents.
11. Maintain confidentiality and professionalism in handling sensitive information and materials.
12. Participate as an integral team member of the Office of the President and APLU and contribute to a welcoming and collegial workplace.
13. Contribute to ongoing projects and perform other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of experience providing exceptional support to senior management, strongly preferred.
2. Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills that are professional, effective and courteous. The ability to navigate relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds and at all levels, including senior level representatives from universities and federal agencies.
3. Impeccable attention to detail and pride in quality of work.
4. Reliable self-starter with demonstrated organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills. Ability to balance multiple, complex tasks and priorities, resolve problems, meet deadlines, and recognize potential issues and bring them to the attention of the appropriate team members.
5. Demonstrated ability to work both as part of a team and independently, including taking direction from and communicating with multiple team members to keep track of activities and priorities on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
6. Experience planning and coordinating all aspects of events both virtually and in person.
7. Ability to uphold a strict level of confidentiality.
8. Experience and comfort working with MS Office software, CRM, Zoom, mass email marketing systems as well as the ability to learn new software. Comfort using and learning new technologies.
9. Ability to travel domestically as needed.
10. Passion to support APLU’s mission.