Senior Administrative Assistant

DEPARTMENT:  School of Design

REPORTS TO:  Dean for the School of Design

Summary:

The Senior Administrative Assistant provides organizational and administrative support to the Dean and Associate Dean for the School of Design. This includes implementing and communicating policies and procedures. Responsibilities typically include communication between the Dean’s office and the other programs in the School of Design as well as various University divisions and offices relating to administrative, fiscal, operational, academic, and personnel procedures. This position also provides support to the MFA MEPD and MDes Product Design grad programs.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Acts as a receptionist for the Program(s); supports and assists the Dean, Associate Dean, faculty, and students within the School of Design.
  • Manages Dean and Associate Dean of the School of Design’s daily schedules and executive calendars including program meetings and travel.
  • Maintains Program records and files, including student, budget and faculty files. All handled in a confidential way.
  • Updates course offerings information.
  • Schedules coordination of classrooms and conference rooms (25live).
  • Prepares purchase orders, reimbursements, and check requests; assists the Directors in the preparation of budget.
  • Organizes major events such as Liftoff, the School of Design Exhibition, Design Philadelphia and other special events, trips and meetings.
  • First point of contact for student/faculty needs and concerns. Provides information to students, faculty, staff, alumni, other offices and the public as required.
  • Assists in faculty searches through the organizing of Search Committees schedules, candidate communication and travel, etc. Provides new faculty with administrative orientation.
  • Assists in the preparation of reports, research or special projects.
  • Collects and edits syllabi from faculty for first review.
  • Provides additional administrative assistance to the MDes Product Design and MFA.
  • Museum Exhibition Planning and Design grad programs.
  • Attends all university administrative assistant meetings, School of Design Program Director Meetings, and, when required, non-confidential meetings with individual Program Directors, faculty, Associate Dean and Dean.
  • When Dean or Associate Dean is unavailable, attends and takes minutes on recruitment, development and other events with campus leaders.
  • Tracks and anticipates university deadlines for undergraduate and graduate programs, create appropriate reminders for faculty and students, enforce deadlines and collect important information/responses from Program Directors.
  • Organizes and provides assistance with all program special events, workshops, memberships, lectures, exhibits and trips.
  • Other duties as assigned.
     

Additional Responsibilities:

  • Event Coordination for Liftoff, the School of Design Spring Exhibition & DesignPhiladelphia, the two largest events for the School that have hundreds of attendees including students, faculty, alumni, professionals and potential employers.
    • Liaison between UArts and outside organizations; development of contracts, booking venues, scheduling meetings and dates, discussing timelines and ensuring successful attendance.
    • Balancing of event budget lines; coordinating with outside vendors; negotiating with and organizing vendors including caterers, photographers, bands and printing services.
    • Liaison between UArts and participating student volunteers, videographers.
    • Arranging for travel, alerting facilities or coordinating with any outside venue; arranging further insurance and documentation when required.
  • Maintain social media/newsletter communications.
    • Collect stories from faculty, staff, students and alumni.
    • Expand outreach through Instagram.
    • Research and develop content for a new post each day aimed at current students, prospective students and alumni audiences.
    • Monthly Newsletter.
      • Write 7-10 stories with pictures addressing current events within the university, honors by students and alumni, and upcoming events for faculty, students and prospective students.
      • Plan and execute social media campaign with the intent to improve recruitment and attendance at school events.

 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent; they do not purport to describe all functions.  Incumbent may be assigned other duties, and the essential functions may change from time to time as necessary.

Education: Minimum 4-year bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Minimum 4 years’ experience as an Administrative Assistant.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • Computer software, primary: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google apps, Adobe Suite, social media platforms.
  • Strong communication skills: written and oral; excellent phone manner.
  • Capable of maintaining or supervising the input of information in institutional data bases,
  • including but not limited to budgets, prospective student lists, communication
  • documentation.
  • Organized and self-motivated, work as part of a team and able to manage competing
  • priorities.
  • Diplomatic, able to deal tactfully and courteously with students, applicants, faculty, University staff and administrators from Facilities to the President’s Office.
     

Supervisory Responsibility:

• Interviews, selects and supervises work study students.


Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a staff member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical mobility and moderate strength is necessary for this job. Short walks to deliver checks and time cards as well as attend meetings happen daily. Must be able to lift approximately 20lbs intermittently to stock and organize shelves and install exhibitions and coordinate other work events.
 

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a staff member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Majority of time spent sitting at a desk and working at a computer. While performing job duties, the staff member will be exposed to quiet to moderate noise level in the office and surrounding environment.

 

About The University:

University of the Arts’ mission is simple: to advance human creativity. Established in 1876, UArts believes creativity is the most essential skill for success in today’s society and has educated generations of groundbreaking artists, performers, designers and creative leaders for more than 141 years.  After being granted university status in 1987, University of the Arts became the largest institution of its kind in the nation, offering programs in design, fine arts, media arts, crafts, music, dance, theater and writing. It now features 30 undergraduate arts majors, 15 graduate programs and the nation’s first PhD program in Creativity. UArts is also home to innovative centers across disciplines, including the Center for Immersive Media, Lightbox Film Center, Philadelphia Art Alliance and Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery. Learn more about UArts.

 

TO APPLY: Interested, qualified applicants should submit letters of application and resumes to the Human Resources Department via email to jobs@uarts.edu. Please ensure job title is in the Subject line.
 

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, The University of the Arts publishes its Annual Safety Report at the following link for your reference:

http://www.uarts.edu/about/campus-crime-fire-reports

 

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Title IX Statement: The University of the Arts prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in its programs and activities, including admission and employment, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Director for Title IX, Equity, & Compliance is responsible for overseeing compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws and regulations. To contact the Director for Title IX, Equity, & Compliance, e-mail titleix@uarts.edu,, or visit The University of the Arts, 320 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19102, Room 260, or call 215-717-6366. To learn more about the University's Title IX policy and response to sex discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence, please visit www.uarts.edu/titleix. Inquiries may also be directed to the Federal agency responsible for enforcing Title IX, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

 

 

Launch Experience