Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice-President, Advancement

Job Duties/Qualifications, Skills and Abilities(QSA)

Job Duties

Job Duties

General Accountability

The executive assistant is accountable to the associate vice-president, advancement, for providing senior level administrative support to all functions of the office of the associate vice-president and the advancement division. This position manages the operational aspects and oversees the general supervision and direction of the office of the associate vice-president, coordinating its activity and interacting with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. The executive assistant acts as a project manager by deploying resources, leading activities and realizing the goals of the office of the associate vice-president. This role supervises one in-scope position responsible for providing day to day operations support of the office of the associate vice president.

The executive assistant has considerable discretionary judgment, manages sensitive and confidential issues and works under pressure in a fast-paced environment as various and ever-changing deadlines are constant. The executive assistant has a highly developed sense of responsibility and ensures work is completed with minimal direction as the associate vice-president spends a considerable amount of time away from the office.

Nature and Scope

Located at a Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus, the executive assistant acts as a key contact between the office of the associate vice-president and internal and external stakeholders sharing information and resources to all parties. The division is responsible for leading philanthropic and alumni engagement strategies to achieve our goals, and advance the institution’s mission and academic priorities.

The executive assistant understands the institutional, divisional, academic and administrative structures of Saskatchewan Polytechnic including lines of authority, communication and reporting. On occasion, the executive assistant travels to various locations across the province to provide support for the division.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

Specific Accountabilities

The executive assistant provides administrative support to assist the Advancement division in developing, enhancing and implementing a wide variety of philanthropic and alumni engagement services across Saskatchewan Polytechnic.

1 . Administrative Management

• Manage and coordinate day-to-day operational administration and support for the associate vice-president’s office.
• Manage the office of the associate vice-president’s frontline contact with various stakeholders, and coordinate calendar scheduling to ensure appropriate time management.
• Summarize the needs of parties requesting time and gather necessary material to ensure the associate vice-president and other senior managers are adequately prepared for meetings.
• Research, draft, review and coordinate reports, proposals, policies, position descriptions, communications and presentations initiated by the associate vice-president directed towards various internal and external stakeholders.
• Research, gather, compile, prepare, format and/or proofread material for publication as required.
• Collect and input alumni and donor information into raiser’s edge database.
• Coordinate fundraising activity reports as needed.
• Support the management and coordination of the President’s, VP’s, and AVP , Advancement donor portfolios.
• Format and proofread fundraising proposals.
• Format, proofread and/or distribute news releases, media advisories and gift announcements.
• Coordinate the purchase of Saskatchewan Polytechnic promotional items.
• Coordinate deadlines for proposals and reports.
• Manage and coordinate file and electronic information and retention systems for the division.
• Communicate institutional policies and procedures within the division.
• Manage the information flow of notes and materials resulting from meetings and organize these materials, coordinating scheduling of time and appointments to accomplish goals set in meetings.

2 . Strategic Project Management

• Provide administrative direction and implement processes to increase efficiency for all functional areas within Advancement.
• Assist with the collection, integration and dissemination of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic operating and capital budget submissions and related multi-year business plan.

3 . Relationship Management

Internal

• Build and maintain relationships among the offices of the president; provost & vice president, academic; CFO & vice president, administrative services; vice president, advancement and international associate vice-presidents; deans; board of directors and other members of senior management to ensure high quality and consistent services.
• Establish and maintain effective interaction with members of the Advancement division and staff of other divisions/departments on all matters relating to philanthropy and alumni engagement.
• As an initial point of contact for the office of the associate vice-president, anticipate potential problems, act to field concerns and resolve difficult situations including sensitive issues requiring absolute discretion while maintaining effective rapport with internal and external parties.
• Maintain confidentiality in all communications with additional sensitivity utilized in instances of forthcoming organizational changes which have potential to impact staff and/or their respective conditions of employment.

External

• Provide effective interaction with various external stakeholders such as government and non-government agencies; other educational institutions; business and industry; and the general public; to answer queries or direct stakeholders to the appropriate resource.
• As an initial point of contact for the office of the associate vice-president, anticipate potential concerns, act to field concerns and resolve difficult situations while maintaining effective rapport with external parties.
• Work effectively with service providers to ensure seamless delivery of products and service.

4 . People Management

• Supervise and manage the day-to-day workflow of the Department Administrator, ensuring appropriate use of time.
• Ensure the effective use of human resource policies and practices including recruiting, selecting, training, developing, motivating and evaluating employees.
• Address people management issues in a timely manner while ensuring compliance with the collective agreement and Saskatchewan Polytechnic policies.
• Ensure a positive, diverse and inclusive work and learning environment.
• Review timesheet submissions as directed by the AVP , Advancement.

5 . Resource Allocation

• Update and inform the associate vice-president on budget matters by tracking and reviewing budgets for accuracy and presenting reports on an as needed basis.
• Provide budget consultation and support for other Advancement budget unit managers within the division.
• Research and coordinate the division’s submission for financial reporting.
• Develop innovative solutions to resource challenges.

6 . Meeting Coordination

• Oversee the development and coordination of all meetings in Advancement including agendas, materials, invitations and response lists, and minute preparation as required.
• Coordinate logistical arrangements to ensure seamless presentation of events as needed.
• Oversee the travel arrangements for guests, the associate vice-president and all other management within Advancement.
• Manage and coordinate membership orientation and renewals as required by the associate vice-president and other out-of-scope management members of the division.
• Manage meeting budgets.

Duties

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities (QSA)

Requirements include a post-secondary diploma or certificate from a recognized business course and a minimum of five years’ experience in an administrative support position with increasingly senior roles.

• Candidates must possess a high level of computer literacy, be willing to learn new programs and have intermediate knowledge of current Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat software.
• Possess strong organizational skills,
• Budget management, and
• Experience at a large publicly funded institution with a dynamic, fast-paced, multi-dimensional environment is considered an asset.

Desired QSA

Required Competencies

Leads Transformation

Anticipates emerging trends and creates opportunities that shape and transform the organization and polytechnic sector in Canada.

Inspires Courage & Innovation

Models and enables creative thinking, curiosity, and calculated risk-taking to create new solutions.

Cultivates Strong Relationships

Builds strong and trusting relationships and brings a stakeholder and learner-centric mind set and focus to all elements of the organization.

Drives Operational Excellence

Leverages business insight, financial acumen, and operational rigor to maximize productivity and build long-term, sustainable success.

Builds Leadership & Culture

Brings authenticity, emotional intelligence, and accountability to develop leadership effectiveness in individuals, teams, and our culture.

Knowledge and Expertise

Demonstrates proficiency in the knowledge and skills specific to the position and uses expertise to serve the objectives of both the group and organization as a whole.