Executive Assistant to the President

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The Executive Assistant to the President provides administrative and project management support to the President while acting as Clerk of the Board of Trustees.  This position is a key member of the administrative team for the Office of the President and performs a range of duties to ensure daily operations are executed seamlessly and efficiently.

Manage a range of confidential President's Office projects and independently research, analyze and compile information to prepare reports, as well as originate and coordinate written correspondence.  Maintains a professional tone and atmosphere within the Office of the President to ensure a welcoming and inviting environment.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:  Reports to the President of the College

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:  Student employees.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Serve as Clerk to the MCLA Board of Trustees which includes extensive documentation, protocol, subject to state oversight. Assumes principal responsibility for the accurate and timely preparation of all board materials, including (but not limited to) Board agenda, supporting materials and material for committee meetings, ensuring the prompt and proper flow of materials to Trustees for both Board and Committee meetings. Serves as the principal staff of Board committees, working closely with the Committee chair in setting meeting agendas. Provides oversight for the timely preparation of minutes and the record-keeping of all Board actions and monitors follow-up activities. Manages and coordinates all aspects and logistical details for Board of Trustees meetings.  Prepares information to post public meeting notices and minutes of meetings.
2. Prepare drafts of correspondence for the President; letters, email, notices, etc.  Manages and coordinates all President's Office correspondence, reporting deadlines, and ensure prompt responses or follow through on requests for decision and action in a confidential fashion.  Research and draft internal and external correspondence and communication on behalf of President's Office including but not limited to speeches, talking points, letters, invitations, and acknowledgements.
3. Serve as the staff support for the Executive Staff meeting. Schedule meetings, prepare agendas and minutes. Document next steps and schedule such meetings. Assist with appropriate follow-up actions at the conclusion of these meetings. Research and provide background information on various issues as requested.
4. Prepare high level and confidential presentations, briefings, and reports for the President, the Board of Trustees and other senior officers. Independently research, analyze and compile information to prepare reports.
5. Serve as the public records access officer for the College.  Receive and respond to all public records requests including the coordination of data responsive to requests. Maintain records of all requests and complete annual reporting to the State. Understand FERPA as it relates to public records requests. 
6. Assists President with communication with the public, elected officials, and outside agencies including Mass. Department of Higher Education.
7. Provide support for activities and all correspondence related to Commencement that involve the Office of the President.  Coordinates invitations to events surrounding Commencement, serve as liaison with honorary degree candidates, etc.
8. Possess knowledge of Massachusetts Public Meeting Laws.
9. Manage and coordinate a wide range of special projects for the President including periodic "pop up" events, donor visits, and staff outings.
10. Manage the President's calendar and schedule, coordinate travel arrangements.
11. Review communications prepared by others for the President's signature for procedural, grammatical and factual accuracy. 
12. Provide open, timely and effective communication, keeping the President abreast of salient matters.
13. May be called upon to attend external meetings to represent MCLA.
14. Provide staff support in preparation for internal and external constituent meetings and other assigned activities. 
15. Assists with and facilitates President's Office responses to problems and issues presented by constituents from within and outside of the College community.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as Clerk to the Critical Incident Response Team.  Ensure President is apprised of active situations being managed by CIRT. 
• Serve as primary member of Commencement Operations Teams with primary responsibility for securing the commencement speaker, honorary degree recipient correspondence, and honorary degree dinner event management.
• Order/inventory office supplies, answer primary office line, greet visitors, and process all financial transactions (memberships, invoices, subscriptions, sponsorships, etc.) Purchase and maintain office gift inventory for visitors/VIPs.  Process expense reporting for purchase cards (P-cards).
• Develop and manage annual office budget.
• Draft scripts for all presidential speaking engagements
• Manage President's role in college committee assignments as outlined in collective bargaining agreement.  Solicit volunteers, recommend assignments to the President, notify appointees.  Coordinate student participation with Student Affairs office. Maintain complete record of membership of faculty, staff and students.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Bachelor's degree required.
2. A minimum of three to five years' experience in an executive administrative position. Higher education experience preferred.
3. Ability to manage projects in an effective and efficient manner, with a proven ability to be proactive, organize assignments and tasks with competing priorities and deadlines and maintain a high level of productivity and efficiency. Aptitude for efficiently managing calendars and scheduling travel accommodations.
4. Exceptional professional insight, and absolute discretion and high level of confidentiality.
5. Must be detail oriented.
6. Ability to research, compile and summarize information and data. Analytical skills to research and present information and data in Excel spreadsheets or other formats as appropriate
7. Agile writing style and strong written communication skills.
8. Outstanding oral and interpersonal communication skills.  Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically, both verbally and in writing, with campus leadership, deans, directors, managers, staff, faculty, alumni/donors, students, parents, and external constituencies, including trustees.
9. Ability to act upon the broad goals of an executive office and understand their implications for the Executive Assistant's daily and weekly goals and tasks.
10. Flexibility and a collected approach under pressure to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy.
11. Ability to quickly gain understanding of the campus's organizational structure and leadership.
12. Strong proficiency with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft suite software is required. Familiarity with Blackbaud products and Adobe Acrobat is desirable.
13. Strong customer service orientation and ability to present a professional tone and atmosphere within the President's Office.
14. Analytical skills to research and present information and data in Excel spreadsheets or other formats as appropriate.
15. Ability to represent the College and President's Office at internal and external events and activities if needed.

This is a Full-Time, benefited position with a Salary Range of $85,000 to $100,000. 

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts strongly encourages employees to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.  The Centers for Disease Control recommendation is that everyone aged 6 and up should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they've received any original COVID-19 vaccines.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Should you need to request a reasonable accommodation for the application process, please email Joseph DaSilva, Vice President of Administration and Finance at joseph.dasilva@mcla.edu.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is deeply committed to fostering a community of excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We provide equal access to educational, co-curricular and employment opportunities for all applicants, students, and employees regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status, veteran status, or membership in any other legally protected class. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity that they operate, which extends to admission and employment.  

Inquiries about Title IX, Equal Opportunity, or ADA/504 and other non-discrimination policies may be directed to MCLA's Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer, to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both. 

Liz Frost

Interim Title IX Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer 

375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247 

Titleix@mcla.edu 

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights  

33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424  

Telephone: (617) 289-0111; FAX: (617) 289-0150; TDD (877) 521-2172  

OCR.Boston@ed.gov