Senior Administrative Assistant | Student Affairs at University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, IN, United States

Job description

• The Division of Student Affairs at the University of Notre Dame seeks a highly organized, collaborative, and detail-oriented Senior Administrative Assistant to manage daily operations for a vibrant, student-facing office. This role serves as the welcoming first point of contact for students, faculty, staff, leadership, alumni, and visitors, fostering a responsive, service-oriented environment within the Division.
• This position provides primary administrative and clerical support to senior leadership, directly supporting the Associate Vice President for Student Development, the Associate Vice President for Residential Life, the Director of Communications, and the Director of Finance and Operations.
• The ideal candidate possesses exceptional interpersonal skills, a high degree of organizational agility, and the ability to manage complex schedules and projects with minimal supervision. Demonstrating discretion with confidential information and strong proficiency with core administrative technologies is essential.

Responsibilities

• Administrative Support
• Manage calendars by scheduling meetings, events, and activities while balancing competing priorities and business needs.
• Coordinate internal and external meetings, including reserving venues and arranging technology, catering, and other necessary supplies.
• Prepare and process expense reports and reimbursements, coordinate business travel arrangements as needed, and serve as a delegate in Concur (TravelND).
• Receive, respond to, and coordinate internal and external communications on behalf of the professional staff supported by this role and the Division of Student Affairs.
• Assist in the creation, editing, and management of highly confidential materials, documents, and reports.
• Coordinate the excused absence process for students representing the University in approved activities and events.
• Execute, monitor, and track the workflow of Student Affairs and student organization contracts.
• Coordinate the preparation of alcohol exemption letters in partnership with the student organization approval process.
• Manage correspondence, mail, shipping and receiving, records, and departmental files in accordance with University policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.
• Office Support
• Provide front desk and receptionist coverage for the office in partnership with another Senior Administrative Assistant.
• Serve as a backup resource to other Senior Administrative Assistants within the office as needed.
• Welcome guests and provide a warm, professional, and hospitable experience on behalf of the Division of Student Affairs.
• Schedule and manage the office conference room, including meeting setup and reset, while ensuring conference room technology is functioning properly and troubleshooting issues as needed.
• Answer and manage the main telephone line, directing calls and inquiries to the appropriate individuals or offices.
• Maintain organized and professional common areas and coordinate office supply orders through BuyND as needed.
• Support efficient day-to-day office operations and contribute to a productive and well-functioning work environment.
• Exercise sound judgment, tact, discretion, and diplomacy when interacting with students, families, colleagues, and other constituents.
• Project and Program Support
• Research, compile, and summarize information to support projects and initiatives assigned by senior leadership.
• Provide project and administrative support to staff throughout the office, working independently when appropriate and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Plan and support departmental events, including unit-wide monthly gatherings, end-of-semester events, and annual celebrations.
• Draft, coordinate, and distribute departmental communications as needed.
• Regularly collaborates with other areas within the Division of Student Affairs—including Campus Ministry, Career and Professional Development, Residential Life, Sister Thea Bowman Center, Student Development, and Student Health and Wellness—as well as student clubs and organizations and other University units to enhance the Division’s work in building connections and relationships with students and Student Affairs colleagues.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5 years of experience in office administration.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, respond to questions, and adapt effectively in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Superior attention to detail, with an aptitude for gathering, analyzing, and interpreting fragmented data from a variety of sources.
• Demonstrated success providing support to senior-level leadership.
• Ability to work efficiently and professionally with individuals at all levels of the office, division, and University.
• Self-motivated with the ability to take initiative, quickly learn new processes, and effectively reprioritize competing responsibilities.
• Enthusiastic and positive team player with a strong work ethic.
• Proactive, service-oriented approach and the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality when handling student records and personnel matters.
• Strong command of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Ability to quickly learn and navigate new systems and technologies, along with experience using Word, Excel, and various web browsers.
• Advanced proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office, particularly Gmail, Google Calendar, Word, and Excel.
• Demonstrated appreciation for and commitment to the University's Catholic and Holy Cross mission.

Skills

Required

• Superior attention to detail
• Enthusiastic and positive team player
• Proactive, service-oriented approach