Assistant to the Deans School of Music

Assistant to the Deans School of Music

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Benefits: The University offers generous benefits including paid time off (holidays, holy days and vacation), employer matching contributions to the retirement plan, and tuition benefits for employees and their eligible dependents. Learn more and explore benefits at

Location: School of Music

Position Status: Full-time

Hours: 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Position Number: 241813/10-1162

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary:

The Assistant to the Deans provides senior-level administrative support to the Dean and Associate Dean of the Mary Pappert School of Music, serving as a central point of coordination for the school's operations. This position manages a broad portfolio of responsibilities encompassing faculty affairs, human resources processes, institutional communications, web content, meeting governance, financial administration, and event oversight. The Assistant to the Deans exercises considerable independent judgment and maintains the highest standards of professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion in all matters. This role also functions as the principal liaison between the deans' office and faculty, staff, students, and university administration, and requires the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a complex, fast-paced academic environment.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Assistant Support to the Deans

Calendar management, scheduling meetings with university personnel, faculty, and students, updating deadlines from the Faculty Handbook, coordinating with the Provost's office and VP assistants, and general duties as assigned. Also assisting with matters related to NASM and middle states accreditation.

Faculty Affairs & HR

Full-time faculty searches, onboarding (full-time and part-time), coordinating promotion and tenure via Interfolio, peer reviews, load letters, sabbatical/committee status tracking, maintaining the Faculty Manual, and managing the part-time faculty mailing with stipend information.

Communication & Information

Weekly faculty/staff announcement emails, mass communications from the Dean, managing recipient lists, maintaining MPSOM webpages (faculty portal, profiles, catalog pages), fielding phone calls, and managing office files and machines.

Meetings & Governance Support

Taking and transcribing minutes at faculty and Executive Committee meetings, compiling staff meeting agendas, creating scheduling polls for large meetings and retreats, and supporting strategic planning initiatives.

Events, Projects & Financial

Overseeing events like Convocation, Awards Ceremony, Staff Presents, and Orientation; organizing donor mailings and gift baskets; managing p-card receipts and expense reports through ChromeRiver; and ordering meals/refreshments for school events. Also, perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Minimum qualifications:

Bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution.

Preferred qualifications:

Higher Ed Experience. Work in arts administration or in an arts related organization. Familiarity with music or performing arts education strongly preferred. Calendar and event management experience. Alternatively, the successful candidate may possess any equivalent combination of experience and training, which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Excellent verbal & written communications skills; strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively with others.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, function effectively under pressure, and take initiative on projects and tasks.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities with a strong attention to detail.
• Competence with Microsoft Office and Box (file sharing) and willingness to learn University email and content management platforms.
• Working knowledge of music, instruments, ensembles, and performance practices preferred.
• An openness to constantly learn and to take on new tasks and challenges.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, alumni and external organizations.
• Ability to uphold high standards of confidentiality and discretion when dealing with sensitive and confidential information.
• Working knowledge of University policies and regulations, as well as state and national requirements, such as FERPA.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the University Community.
• Ability and willingness to contribute actively to the mission of the University and to respect the Spiritan Catholic identity of Duquesne University. The mission is implemented through a commitment to academic excellence, a spirit of service, moral and spiritual values, sensitivity to world concerns, and an ecumenical campus community.

Application Instructions:

Applicants are asked to submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references.

Duquesne University was founded in 1878 by its sponsoring religious community, the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Duquesne University is Catholic in mission and ecumenical in spirit. Motivated by its Catholic identity, Duquesne values equality of opportunity both as an educational institution and as an employer.