POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Executive Assistant III
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 3450
GRADE 15
CLASSIFICATION Nonexempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Associate Provost or Associate Vice President; Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor for
West Plains; Chief Academic Strategy Officer; or designee
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Executive Assistant III relieves a senior executive of operational and administrative details and independently performs diverse, responsible, complex, and non-supervised administrative assistant functions that require frequent contact with senior administrators and executives and public and private officials, a thorough knowledge of University policies, procedures and operations, and an understanding of the University's role within the community. The Executive Assistant III exercises initiative and independent judgment in supervising and managing daily office activities, programs, and projects, discretion in the dissemination of information to faculty, students, staff and the various publics served by the University, and coordination with subordinate administrative units of the University. The Executive Assistant III may develop, organize, and independently administer programs or complex processes requiring an in-depth understanding of the program or process and utilizing knowledge of applicable University, federal, or state regulations and best practices associated with the program the program or process. The Executive Assistant III exercises initiative in coordinating with others as needed to achieve desired outcomes, provides reliable and authoritative information, reports, and recommendations, evaluates various approaches to completing projects, develops tools and utilizes available resources to achieve desired outcomes, exercises independent judgment to make decisions, and assures effective communication with stakeholders.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education/Experience: A high school diploma or the equivalent and five years of administrative support or secretarial experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Experience in maintaining, monitoring, and reconciling financial records and accounts is preferred.
Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required; excellent interpersonal and organizational skills are required. Supervisory skills and the ability to train, assign work, and review the work of full- and part-time employees and student workers are required. Must have the ability to maintain cost center financial records and accounts and prepare complex financial reports. Keyboarding skills are required. A working knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet applications is required. A working knowledge of or the ability to learn and use database applications, the web content management system, the administrative business system or enterprise resource planning system, and other systems or applications that may be used within the University or department is required. The ability to operate and troubleshoot electronic office equipment, computers, and peripherals, maintain complex filing systems and records, and make mathematical calculations is required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.
Effort: Administrative support positions are primarily sedentary. Administrative support positions require frequent keyboarding.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Relieves the senior executive of operational and administrative details by planning and coordinating the implementation of policies and decisions, composing interpretive and/or directive correspondence, recommending changes in policies or procedures, and making administrative decisions on behalf of the senior executive when appropriate and within established guidelines or policy.2. Receives and greets University employees, students, and visitors, directing them to the appropriate offices or persons and providing authoritative information or materials for inquiries.
3. Serves as a liaison between the senior executive and subordinate administrators by communicating and/or interpreting policy, planning decisions, and related information or documents affecting the subordinate administrative units within guidance from the senior executive.
4. Exchanges information on behalf of the senior executive with peers, the Provost and/or Vice Presidents, and/or their administrative support staff by relaying information accurately and assuring information is communicated in a timely manner.
5. Handles sensitive issues by listening and gathering information about concerns expressed by parents, students, staff, faculty, donors, members of the community, elected officials, federal, state, or local officials, etc., gathering additional information, determining possible solutions or referring the issue to the appropriate person, verifying that the issue has been addressed satisfactorily, and informing the senior executive when appropriate.
6. Assures confidentiality by exercising discretion in communicating information to faculty, students, staff and the various publics served by the University and handling administrative records and files, personnel actions, performance evaluations, grade reports, merit, promotion, and tenure decisions, and similar confidential items.
7. Maintains an appointment calendar for the senior executive, using judgment to determine which appointments should be expedited or rescheduled, preserving the best use of the senior executive’s time, and allowing the senior executive adequate preparation and travel time.
8. Oversees and manages programs, projects, or other independent responsibilities such as planning high profile events, developing, organizing, and independently administering programs or complex processes, representing the program at public events, overseeing and coordinating the reporting of information from subordinate units, coordinating processes, such as tracking the use of summer school or per course budgets, advising subordinate units regarding policy and precedent, serving on committees in place of the senior executive as a full and active member, etc.
9. Develops and manages the office’s operational accounts by determining the proper method to purchase required products or services, maintaining financial records, reconciling invoices to Financial Services reports, producing financial reports and summaries, making recommendations regarding expenditures, and completing budget transfers as directed.
10. May coordinate financial reporting of programs or various accounts by collecting required financial information and providing it to the supervisor or performing appropriate analysis and preparing reports for the senior executive.
11. Coordinates the flow of incoming and outgoing information, correspondence, documents, and forms by overseeing or performing the processing, screening, and routing of materials and correspondence, creating new procedures as necessary, and determining the appropriate individuals, offices, departments, etc. for outgoing documents.
12. Ensures that correspondence as well as standard documents and forms are correct and prepared properly by proofreading and reviewing all outgoing correspondence for correctness.
13. Provides required or requested information and/or data for internal or external reports and records by researching departmental files and records, retrieving electronic data from files and databases, researching online sources, compiling information and/or tabulating statistics, and organizing and presenting the information in a useable and understandable format.
14. Prepares routine to complex correspondence, email, reports, forms, manuscripts, transcripts, and proofs for distribution, approval and/or mass mailing from machine or oral dictation, handwritten drafts, or printed text by using various computer applications (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, desktop publishing), checking the documents for completeness and accuracy, and distributing the documents or submitting them to the supervisor or document originator for approval.
15. Facilitates the success of meetings or events by scheduling them with appropriate offices and agencies, reserving required facilities and equipment, advising/contacting participants, preparing agendas, handouts, and similar materials, using independent judgment regarding activity alternatives, modifications, or last-minute changes, and coordinating or providing assistance during the activities.
16. Facilitates efficient and cost effective official travel for the senior executive and others (other staff, consultants, and official visitors) by making travel arrangements, hotel reservations, and preparing associated approval forms and expense reports for travelers.
17. Manages a complex filing system of paper and electronic records by organizing the system, creating files and records as necessary using judgment and knowledge of legal and office requirements, maintaining the filing systems, purging files, determining other forms of storage or destroying files, and retrieving files and documents as needed.
18. Performs office management responsibilities by assuring the proper accountability of University property and equipment assigned to the office, providing office personnel with necessary supplies and equipment, and maintaining office equipment in working condition by following maintenance instructions, making minor repairs of office machines, and arranging for repairs or services required to return the equipment to an operational condition.
19. Develops a competent and effective office support staff by interviewing and recommending qualified applicants (including student workers) for hire, providing training on departmental procedures and policies, making appropriate work assignments, supervising work activities, and evaluating work performance.
20. Contributes to a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds.
21. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contact with colleagues, attending professional development seminars, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the senior executive.
22. Contributes to the overall success of the unit by performing other essential duties and responsibilities as assigned by the senior executive.
SUPERVISION
The Executive Assistant III may supervise or provide functional guidance to subordinate employees.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED JANUARY 2024
