Executive Assistant and Office Manager

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director, this position provides executive level support to the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid and is responsible for leading the team of office and administrative support for the Undergraduate Admissions Office and managing projects to further the goals and mission of the unit. The incumbent anticipates the needs of the Dean and proactively works to meet them. They manage the Dean’s busy and complex schedule of internal and external meetings and provide administrative support for the Dean’s outreach and travel. In addition to supporting the Dean, the Executive Assistant and Office Manager leads a team of staff members who manage the Admissions front desk and provide department-wide office and administrative management with such tasks as the organization of on-campus and off-campus Admissions events, managing office calendars and staffing coverage, and preparing materials for office-wide meetings, events, and training.

Responsibilities

• Manages the Dean’s complex and confidential schedule of internal and external meetings. Strategically manages and optimizes the Dean's calendar, prioritizing competing requests with autonomous decision-making to align time allocation with institutional priorities. Organizes and prepares all appropriate materials for these meetings.

• Acts as a trusted liaison with the President’s Office, Trustees, Provost, Office of General Counsel, and other University leaders. Evaluates incoming high-level requests on behalf of the Dean, ensuring sensitive matters are handled with appropriate protocol, discretion, and tact.

• Acts as liaison between the Dean and a variety of University and outside contacts. Exercises discretion in drafting high-level executive correspondence and manages confidential information related to admissions policy, personnel matters, and institutional risk. Writes, edits, and types various documents from their own or Dean’s draft texts. Responsible for researching and writing complex reports. Assists the Dean with a variety of projects as circumstances require. Proactively seeks solutions to issues and identifies areas requiring improvement or efficiency. Responsible for other administrative support items including handling confidential phone calls and messages.

• Serves as the primary filter and strategic gatekeeper for the Dean. Exercises independent judgment and deep organizational awareness to triage incoming communications, urgent requests, and sensitive inquiries, independently determining the level of priority and deciding when immediate escalation to the Dean or Leadership Team is required

• Handles highly sensitive, confidential, and time-critical situations with extreme discretion and composure. Determines appropriate pathways for resolution, routing issues to key stakeholders or briefing the Dean with actionable context.

• Provides administrative support for the Dean’s outreach and travel, such as creating the travel schedule, booking travel, scheduling high school visits, etc.

• Processes the Dean’s travel expenses utilizing the University's financial systems. Reconciles expenditures in a manner consistent with University policies. Works with the Senior Associate Director of Administration to ensure expenses are reconciled on a timely basis.

• Assists with the upload of Dean’s letters and pulling of reports and other data requests in Slate on behalf of the Dean.

• Under the direction of the Dean or Director, communicates to all staff regarding issues that impact office operations.

• Provides administrative support to the Executive Director and the processes managed by the Executive Director. This includes the Deans committee process.

• Provides administrative support to members of the Admissions Leadership Team based on project and office needs. This includes supporting aspects of the First Year and Non First Year admissions processes such as midyear and final transcript review, on-campus events and admitted student programming.

• Provides direct management and supervision of the Office Management Team including oversight of all Admissions front desk operations. Manages office calendars and coverage to ensure that appropriate staffing is provided at all times, including scheduling the Officer of the Day, and manages event coverage as needed.

• Provides feedback and performance management and trains staff in proper office procedures.

• Manages the office calendars and office coverage, including scheduling the Officers of the Day and leadership team coverage. Coordinates office staffing for various events requiring office staff coverage.

• Schedules, plans and prepares materials for office-wide meetings, events and training, including the coordination of space, food, and logistics. This includes regular staff meetings, annual staff training and retreats, staff lunches, staff celebrations.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and/or its equivalent required.

Minimum of three years of related administrative experience in a university or other complex organization required.

Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and possess patience, tact, and an ability to function effectively with a broad constituency.

Strong analytical ability and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks is key.

Demonstrated Discernment: Proven ability to exercise sound judgment, tact, and diplomacy in high-pressure, ambiguous, or sensitive environments

Complex Problem-solving: Ability to evaluate critical, time-sensitive issues independently and make quick, sound decisions regarding when to resolve issues directly versus when to escalate to senior executive leadership

Discretion: Master-level ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding institutional, applicant and other data.

Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, customer service, program planning and organizational skills required.

Strong computer skills required with Windows experience, including Excel and Word, as well as familiarity with Google Workplace programs.

Applications submitted without a resume or cover letter will not be reviewed.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 5 years of of related administrative experience in a university or other complex organization required.

Familiarity with Undergraduate Admissions Office procedures preferred.

• Prior experience working with Slate and Concur.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.