Position Focus
Yale University has two new dynamic and rapidly growing centers: the Center for Geospatial Solutions and the Data-Intensive Social Science Center. Both are dedicated to advancing faculty research and are looking for a Senior Administrative Assistant! This is an exciting opportunity for a proactive, organized, and solutions-driven professional to take charge of administrative support functions in a pioneering environment. You will have the unique ability to shape and implement your own systems and processes, creating efficient workflows that support our Directors and Faculty in driving impactful research initiatives. If you’re eager to build, streamline, and truly own the administrative framework that will support Yale’s mission of research excellence, we invite you to apply!
Reporting to the Program managers of Data Intensive Social Science Centers (DISSC) and Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions (YCGS) the position will also provide support to the Program managers, senior staff, and to postdocs and graduate students of resident faculty. Primary responsibilities include: executive assistance (e.g., scheduling, travel arrangements, financial transactions, and online representation) for the Centers and on occasion other faculty leadership; curating and maintaining documentation related to Center and Center Director activities; processing financial transactions related to Center activities; arranging travel and logistics for guests of the Center; providing direct assistance in scheduling, welcoming, and running events such as invited talks and workshops. The incumbent also supports in part Institute-run activities including events, workshops, and gatherings. This fast-paced role in a growing center is situated in a team and interfaces with faculty, staff, and guests on a regular basis.
Essential Duties
1. Oversees and coordinates administrative, program, and office activities. Establishes, selects, implements, and coordinates office procedures and systems. Serves as principal source of information to students, staff, and faculty on policies, procedures, programs, and office activities. 2. Oversees, instructs, and coordinates activities of support staff. Oversees the preparation of materials for grants, contracts and budgets. Monitors expenditures and reconciles financial statements. 3. Provides editorial support for a journal/publication. Proofreads and edits material for grammatical and factual accuracy. Tracks copy through various editing and production stages. Communicates with authors, printers, and others concerned with published work. 4. Determines administrative, facility, and equipment needs for symposia, lectures, seminars, and conferences. Assembles and arranges for necessary items. Determines sources of data. Compiles, synthesizes and manipulates data. Summarizes findings and writes reports or portions of reports. 5. Greets visitors. Answers and screens telephone calls. Assesses nature of business. Responds to requests for information and provides assistance. Screens and responds to mail. 6. Formats, keyboard, proofread, and edits correspondence, reports, manuscripts, grants, and other material. Assembles attachments and corresponding material. Reviews outgoing material for completeness, dates, and signatures. Composes substantive correspondence and written material. 7. Coordinates travel arrangements. Schedules and coordinates meetings and appointments. Orders and maintains inventory of supplies. Takes minutes or dictation. Performs additional functions incidental to office activities.
Required Education and Experience
Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and high school level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate’s degree; or little or no work experience and a Bachelor’s degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
Required Skill/Ability 1:
Proven proficiency in an administrative support role for senior faculty/executive. Ability to prioritize and meet multiple deadlines, employ specific guidance on workflow and style, and use good judgment in resolving complex problems.
Required Skill/Ability 2:
High level of experience arranging high volume, complex travel scheduling for senior faculty/executive preferred. Proven organizational skills, attention to detail and accuracy and the ability to follow through tasks to completion in a timely fashion. Well-developed analytical skills. Reliable, responsible, and flexible.
Required Skill/Ability 3:
Experience planning and running events (reservations and coordination of catering, AV, etc.) preferred. Track record of maintaining a high level of professionalism when hosting guests. Ability to represent the unit effectively and professionally in working with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community.
Required Skill/Ability 4:
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and deal in a sensitive manner with diverse groups of people with matters requiring a high level of discretion, good judgment, and professionalism. Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team. Proven ability to problem solve and to exercise independent judgment.
Required Skill/Ability 5:
Intermediate to advanced proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook (superior calendar & email skills), familiarity with web applications, such as Workday, purchasing (e.g., SciQuest), scheduling (e.g., Doodle) and file sharing (e.g., Box, Dropbox, Google Drive). Ability to track expenses and reconcile accounts.
