Administrative Associate

Administrative Associate

Under the general direction of the Vice Provost for Student Life, the Administrative Associate provides comprehensive executive-level administrative and operational support for the Office of Vice Provost for Student Life. Serving as the primary administrative contact for the office, this position manages complex scheduling, communications, financial and administrative processes, event coordination, and office operations while handling confidential information with discretion and professionalism. This position is a full-time, fully in-person position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide comprehensive executive-level administrative support to the Vice Provost for Student Life

• Serve as the primary administrative liaison for the office, handling sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Screen telephone calls, visitors, mail, and email inquiries, responding appropriately or directing inquiries to the appropriate offices.
• Manage the Vice Provost's calendars, schedule meetings, coordinate appointments, and prioritize competing requests.
• Draft, edit, proofread, and distribute correspondence, reports, presentations, and other business documents.
• Develop, maintain, and improve office filing systems, records management processes, and administrative procedures.
• Independently manage special projects from initiation through completion while meeting established deadlines.
• Maintain division phone directories and other administrative resources.
• Supervise student workers, when needed, (hire, train, schedule, and assign tasks).
• Support creation of presentations, briefing materials, and other documents as required.
• Conduct research, compile information, and prepare briefing materials and presentations.
• Support onboarding activities for new staff members within the Division of Student Life.
• Organize team-building and division-wide events.

2. Office Operations

• Oversee daily administrative operations of the Vice Provost's Office
• Coordinate office equipment maintenance, technology support requests, and office supply procurement.
• Manage the departmental print/copier room, including basic equipment maintenance, supply ordering, and departmental staff additions to the system.
• Supervise student assistants, including hiring, training, scheduling, and assigning work as needed, if hired for the department.

3. Financial Administration

• Support the administration of the Vice Provost's operating budget.
• Process invoices, purchase orders, reimbursements, and other financial transactions in collaboration with the finance team.
• Reconcile departmental purchasing card transactions and maintain supporting documentation.
• Manage all record keeping online to maintain a paperless office environment.

4. Coordinate Travel, Events, and Meetings

• Arrange domestic and, when applicable, international travel, including registration, transportation, lodging, itineraries, and expense reconciliation for the Vice Provost for Student Life.
• Coordinate meetings, conferences, retreats, and special events for the Vice Provost and the Division of Student Life.
• Prepare meeting agendas, background materials, minutes, and follow-up documentation, as needed.
• Manage all event logistics, including scheduling, room reservations, catering, equipment setup, and communications with campus partners.
• Arrange all aspects of social events for the Division of Student Life.
• Organize division-wide meetings, professional development programs, team-building activities, recognition events, and annual celebrations, including Senior Toast and Student Study Breaks.
• Organize complex meetings and events involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.

5. Committee and Division Support

• Coordinate and support the Division of Student Life Professional Staff Development Committee.
• Foster collaboration across departments by providing administrative support for divisional initiatives and strategic projects.
• Contribute to continuous process improvement efforts that enhance operational efficiency and customer service.

Provides Work Direction

Supervise student assistants, including recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, performance oversight, and task assignment.

General Guidelines

• Recommends initiatives and implements changes to improve quality and services.
• Identifies and determines cause of problems; solicits feedback and presents recommendations for improvement of established processes and practices.
• Maintains effective working relationships with colleagues, students, faculty, administrators, and external partners.
• Maximizes productivity through use of appropriate tools; planned training and performance initiatives.
• Researches and develops resources that create timely and efficient workflow.
• Prepares progress reports; informs supervisor of project status; and deviation from goals.
• Ensures completeness, accuracy and timeliness of all operational functions.
• Prepares and submits reports as requested and required.
• Develops and implements guidelines to support the functions of the unit.
• Ensures high professional standards, attention to detail, and consistent customer service and professionalism.

Qualifications

This position is a full-time, fully in-person position. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The items below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience required or preferred.

This position requires the ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment and to promote and contribute to an inclusive and respectful workplace.

Knowledge

• Experience working in higher education or another complex organizational environment is preferred.
• Understanding and support of the Jesuit tradition of education and a commitment to the fundamental values of service to others, community, and diversity, as well as a commitment to and demonstration of skills, knowledge, and awareness to serve the unique needs of the diverse campus community of Santa Clara University.
• Understanding and support of the University's values of service, community, social justice, and care for the whole person.

Skills

• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides), Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Qualtrics, and Canva.
• Experience using enterprise financial and human resources systems; Workday experience preferred.
• Experience using room scheduling and event management software; 25Live experience preferred.

Abilities

• Proficiency using both Windows and Mac operating systems required.
• Strong organizational, planning, and project coordination abilities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse group of people and individuals at all organizational levels.
• Demonstrated initiative, and willingness to learn and receive feedback.
• Eager to learn.
• Must adapt to the pace of the work environment.
• Professional, customer service-oriented individual.
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Experience coordinating meetings, events, or programs.

Education

• A Bachelor's degree is preferred.

Years of Experience

• At least three years of progressively responsible administrative or executive support experience, preferably supporting senior leadership in higher education, nonprofit, or corporate environments.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities. A qualified individual is a person who meets skill, experience, education, or other requirements of the position, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer terminal.
• Required to travel to other buildings on the campus occasionally using a dolly/wagon to transport items.
• May be required to attend conference and training sessions within the Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.
• May be required to occasionally travel to outside customers, vendors or suppliers