Executive Assistant, Strategic Communications and Events

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $68,300 - $72,600

Position Summary

The Strategic Communications and Strategic Events teams in the Office of Alumni Relations and Development support the growth and success of Columbia University's fundraising and alumni relations efforts. The Strategic Communications team serves as internal/external communicators, marketers, advisors, and connectors, and collaborates across the University's 17 schools to inform, engage, and inspire key audiences. The Strategic Events team provides event strategy, planning, and execution that strengthens engagement with the University's donors and alumni. They deliver impactful experiences across a full range of events, including presidential, principal and major donor, stewardship and gift planning, alumni relations and school-based programs, conferences, and internal staff meetings and symposia.

The Executive Assistant will support the Deputy Vice President for Strategic Communications ("DVP") and Senior Executive Director for Strategic Events ("SED"). The incumbent will be responsible for providing superior executive-level support and bridge both critical teams. The incumbent will also be responsible for the coordination of activities, operations, and planning to ensure the timely flow of information to and from the DVP and SED's offices. Individual must independently manage multiple tasks and function effectively in a fast-paced professional environment.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for day-to-day executive-level support and team coordination.
• Manage the DVP and SED's extensive calendars and coordinate meetings calendars, agendas, and minutes.
• Develop travel itineraries and manage complex travel arrangements often in conjunction with fundraising events.
• Oversee the preparation of materials for meetings; create agendas, draft complex letters and other related correspondence and materials to ensure the DVP and SED's preparedness for meetings and events.
• Support Zoom and in-person meetings with calendar invites/preparation, liaising with Tech Team, and staff meeting leads as needed.
• Oversee and process travel and business expense reports (using Concur), invoices and other related finance tasks; may provide regular or ad hoc reports on financial activity.
• Serve as designated point of contact and oversee office operations for both offices and program staff as needed.
• Provide project management support and guidance on projects and initiatives critical to the offices of the DVP and SED to make sure they adhere to the scope and timeline.
• Develop, lead and maintain systems and processes to facilitate the effective management of deliverables. Serve as a liaison between various constituents including administrators, faculty, students, and alumni. Follow up as needed with appropriate staff members for assigned tasks and projects.
• Liaise with internal and external constituents including administrators, faculty, students and alumni on behalf of the DVP and SED.
• Follow up as needed with appropriate staff members for assigned tasks and projects.
• Manage electronic filing system, including team Google Drive folders, and other data management tasks.
• Perform other duties, assignments, and special projects as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent.
• Minimum of two to four years of progressively related experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to exercise excellent independent judgement, discretion, confidentiality and diplomacy in all interactions.
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities, be highly detailed oriented and work independently with limited supervision.
• Must be able to identify and improve common day-to-day tasks.
• Must be able to accurately handle diverse projects and a large volume of detailed work simultaneously, using good judgment in prioritizing work.
• Demonstrated proficiency in working with the Google suite (including Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Sheets), Microsoft Office Suite (including PowerPoint, Excel, and Word), and Zoom is required. Familiarity with Concur is a plus.
• Overall curiosity and enthusiasm for communications and events work and a team-oriented outlook.
• Some evenings and weekends required.

Other Requirements

• Subject to business needs, the Office of Alumni Relations and Development supports a hybrid work arrangement for this position. Options will be discussed during the interview process.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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