Position Summary

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative and executive support to the Executive Vice President for Administration (EVPA). In this position, exceptional organizational, communication and discretion skills must be employed when handling sensitive and complex matters. The position is responsible for coordinating executive-level operations, managing schedules, supporting large institutional initiatives, and serving as a liaison between the EVPA’s office and various internal and external stakeholders. The EVPA oversees multiple operational units and cross-institutional initiatives across campus, such as central HR (Human Resources), Infrastructure Planning & Facilities (IPF), Information Technology (IT), University Procurement and Logistics (UPL), the Office of Sustainability, Department of Police & Public Safety (DPPS), Residential Housing Auxiliary Enterprises (RHAE), alongside joint oversight over this department with President. The Executive Assistant will play a key role in supporting these functions by ensuring seamless coordination, timely execution of tasks, and effective communication.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Executive Support & Scheduling (40%)
• Manages and prioritizes the complex calendar of the EVPA, ensuring efficient scheduling of meetings, events, and engagements.
• Coordinates scheduling across senior leaders, including the Provost and Vice Presidents, to advance key cross-institutional initiatives.
• Exercises independent judgment in organizing and prioritizing EVPA’s time-sensitive obligations.
• Prepares and maintains scheduling rules, ensuring alignment with the EVPA’s priorities.

Office & Operations Management (20%)
• Oversees the day-to-day administrative operations of the EVPA office, ensuring an organized, efficient, and high-functioning environment.
• Coordinates and prepares materials for meetings, reports, and presentations related to university-wide initiatives.
• Manages the office’s space, equipment, and resource needs, ensuring operational efficiency.
• Supervises the Office Coordinator and provides support to team members as needed.

Communications & Correspondence (15%)
• Reviews, prioritizes, and responds to emails, mail, and inquiries, ensuring appropriate follow-up and action.
• Drafts correspondence and documents, ensuring clarity, professionalism, and alignment with the EVPA’s strategic priorities.
• Screens and relays sensitive information received from university executives, faculty, staff, students, trustees, legislators, and external stakeholders.
• Maintains a document filing and tracking system for correspondence and delegated matters.

Relationship & Stakeholder Engagement (10%)
• Develops and maintains relationships with key offices and personnel across the university, ensuring strong coordination.
• Serves as a liaison between the EVPA’s office and internal/external partners, including labor unions and nonacademic personnel by facilitating communication between the EVPA’s office and these groups, coordinating meetings, correspondence, and follow-ups related to labor relations and administrative personnel matters, ensuring timely responses to inquiries or concerns raised by labor unions or nonacademic employees, and supporting the EVPA in administrative tasks related to policy implementation, personnel decisions, and labor relations.
• Works collaboratively with HR, IT, IPF, UPL, and other university departments to support institutional goals.
• Maintains a professional and diplomatic demeanor in interactions with trustees, university leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders.

Travel & Expense Management (5%)
• Arranges domestic and international travel for the EVPA, ensuring all logistics are managed efficiently.
• Prepares and processes expense reports and reimbursements in compliance with university policies.

Special Projects & Other Duties (10%)
• Assists with project coordination related to cross-institutional initiatives and university-wide operational improvements.
• Supports personnel and employee relations matters, as needed, in coordination with HR leadership which may include managing communications and scheduling for meetings related to employee relations, labor negotiations, or personnel issues, preparing and organizing documentation related to HR policies, employment matters, or workplace concerns, and tracking and following up on action items related to employee relations
discussions or policy implementations while ensuring confidentiality when handling sensitive personnel matters. • Coordinating with HR leadership to facilitate smooth administration of personnel policies for non-board-appointed employees.
• Ensures compliance with university policies, procedures, and confidentiality requirements.
• Completes additional duties as assigned to support the evolving needs of the EVPA and the office.

Minimum Requirements

The job requires: knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired through the completion of a four-year degree program such as a bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive University work experience in confidential office protocol, calendaring and arranging domestic and international travel, maintaining account ledgers, word processing, spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing, and/or presentation software, editing, composing correspondence, taking dictation,
operating computers, and in staff coordination or supervision; and knowledge of the University structure, policies, and procedures; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

Proficient experience with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint software; ability to manage complex schedules; ability to work independently and with confidence to take initiative and to be proactive; familiarity and experience with university policies and procedures; sensitivity to and appropriate handling of confidential information; detail-oriented with a high degree of accuracy, resourcefulness, and efficiency; desire to go above and beyond; demonstrated excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to interact with varied constituents in a timely, courteous, and professional manner; demonstrated work orientation that includes a focus on service, problem solving, teamwork, adaptability to change, a positive attitude, and continuous learning for self-improvement; comfortable using and learning new technology, software applications, and processes, specifically Enterprise Business Systems; ability to work under pressure with frequent interruptions; ability to interpret information to coordinate projects and respond to questions; demonstrated work orientation that includes a service focus, problem solving, teamwork, adaptability to change, and an appreciation of diversity in the workplace.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.