Administrative Manager

Administrative Manager

The mission of The University of Bridgeport is to promote academic excellence, personal responsibility, and commitment to service. Distinctive curricula in an international, culturally diverse supportive learning environment prepare graduates for life and leadership in an increasingly interconnected world.

The Administrative Manager serves as a vital representative of the Office of the President, providing high-level, confidential executive support to the President and Executive Staff. This position manages a wide range of complex responsibilities, including overseeing daily operations, coordinating logistics, supporting Board and Senior Staff meetings, assisting with event planning, and managing financial transactions. The role requires sound judgment, discretion, and a deep understanding of organizational policies and procedures. Drawing on extensive experience and expertise, the Administrative Manager performs advanced managerial functions with a high degree of autonomy and professionalism.

Essential Job Functions/Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide high-level executive support to the President and senior management team, proactively addressing the needs of senior staff and identifying critical issues for the President's attention.
• Manage the President's calendar and travel logistics; provide comprehensive administrative and office management support, including planning meetings and events, preparing correspondence, reports, and presentations, and maintaining expenses, contact databases, and administrative records.
• Serve as the first point of contact for the President's Office, warmly welcoming visitors and managing incoming calls with professionalism and discretion. Assess the priority and urgency of inquiries, ensuring prompt, inclusive engagement and directing matters to the appropriate parties when resolution can occur outside the President's Office.
• Update the President on internal campus and external community matters, events, and activities; ensure that the President is informed about and briefed on relevant information prior to meetings and events.
• Oversee agendas for President's meetings and execute strategic time management strategies for president; participate in meetings and ensure effective sequencing, coordination, and follow through of the President's activities; prioritize activities for the President's schedule and upcoming commitments.
• Responsibilities include the coordination of special projects and communications for internal and external constituents.
• Act as a liaison and trusted representative of the President's Office, fostering effective communication and relationships with University leadership, faculty, staff, government agencies, public officials, and members of the public.
• Supports events associated with the Board of Trustees, assisting with the planning and execution of board meetings, special sessions, and dinners.
• Manage the flow of communication in and out of the Office of the President to ensure consistent and responsive message delivery to key university stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, Board of Trustees, committees, community members and others as appropriate.
• Manage the President's email account, ensuring all inquiries receive a response within 24 hours. Exercise discretion in identifying messages that require senior-level attention and forward them to the appropriate official for response.
• Oversees scheduling for the boardroom as well as maintaining all supplies for the President's suite.
• Manages highly confidential and complex assignments requiring exposure to sensitive information and contacts.
• Develop strategic correspondence, talking points, and briefing materials in collaboration with key stakeholders; create polished, audience-specific PowerPoint presentations that enhance the President's messaging, support institutional goals, and reinforce executive presence across internal and external engagements.
• Serve as a key cross-departmental coordinator, collaborating with the Provost's Office and the Office of Special Events to plan and execute a seamless Commencement experience, aligning institutional goals and ensuring smooth coordination across all involved departments.

Other Functions:

• Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.
• Continues professional development and training; keeps current with trends.
• Assists other department staff as needed to promote a team effort.
• Conducts all work in a safe manner and all work safety practices are followed.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill:

• Demonstrated commitment to developing and fostering best practices and policies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and build an environment in which all members of the University community are treated with respect and dignity.
• Ability to anticipate the needs of the President and senior staff, proactively identifying and addressing issues with a strategic mindset.
• Strong ability to communicate clearly and professionally with all levels of internal and external stakeholders, tailoring messages appropriately to each audience.
• Capacity to handle sensitive matters with discretion and professionalism, managing highly confidential information.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and conflicting priorities while maintaining attention to detail and ensuring high-quality execution.
• Ability to plan, organize, and manage events, including large-scale events like Commencement, with a focus on seamless execution and alignment with institutional goals.
• Ability to optimize the President's schedule, balancing executive demands with strategic priorities, while ensuring efficient time utilization.
• Ability to work across departments and manage multiple relationships with various university offices to ensure smooth execution of tasks and events.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, for document creation, reporting, presentation design, and scheduling. Must also be proficient in Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
• Skills in coordinating and managing projects, ensuring that all aspects are completed on time and within scope, with strong follow-up capabilities.
• Strong writing and editing skills for drafting correspondence, reports, talking points, and briefing documents in a professional and polished manner.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills to work effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders, from faculty and staff to external dignitaries.
• Ability to remain calm and focused when managing crises or urgent situations, responding quickly and decisively.
• Ability to manage and track expenses related to events, travel, and administrative tasks, ensuring proper allocation of resources and adherence to budgets.
• Ability to navigate diverse work environments and communicate effectively across various cultural contexts, both internally and externally.
• Provide exceptional service to internal and external stakeholders, ensuring positive interactions and swift responses to inquiries or requests

Qualifications

Minimum Required Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree; a combination of education and directly related senior administrative experience may be considered
• At least 5-7 years of progressively responsible administrative experience, including supporting senior executives or leadership teams.
• Experience in event coordination, project management, and managing complex calendars and logistics.
• Proven track record of managing confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Experience working within higher education or a similar complex, organizational environment is preferred.
• Notary Public certification preferred

Special Requirements:

• Flexibility regarding work schedule and duties, including occasional nights and weekends.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

Outdoor Weather Conditions - X

Work with fumes or airborne particles - X

Work near moving mechanical parts - X

Risk of electrical shock - X

Vibration - X

Physical Activity - None - Under 1/3 - 1/3 to 2/3 - Over 2/3

Standing - X

Walking - X

Sitting - X

Talking & Hearing - X

Using hands/fingers to handle/feel - X

Climbing or balancing - X

Bending, pulling, pushing - X

Driving - X

Lifting Requirements - None - Under 1/3 - 1/3 to 2/3 - Over 2/3

Up to 10 pounds - X

Up to 25 pounds - X

Up to 50 pounds - X

Up to 75 pounds - X

Up to 100 pounds - X

Over 100 pounds - X

Vision Requirements

_X_ Close vision (i.e. clear vision at 20 inches or less)

___ Distance vision (i.e. clear vision at 20 feet or more)

___ Color vision (i.e. ability to identify and distinguish colors)

___ Peripheral vision (i.e. ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or left and right while the eyes