Executive Assistant to the Dean

Job Profile Summary Provides complex administrative and programmatic support to leadership on specialized topics. Job Description The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts seeks a highly experienced Executive Assistant to provide strategic, proactive support to the Dean as well as the Executive Director for Institute Effectiveness. This role is ideal for a seasoned executive assistant who thrives in a fast‑paced, complex environment and exercises strong judgment, discretion, and autonomy. The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted partner to the Dean, managing complex scheduling, communications, meeting preparation, and operational workflows while anticipating needs and ensuring the Dean’s time and attention are aligned with institutional priorities. This position interacts regularly with senior university leadership, faculty, staff, students, donors, and external partners. Position Salary Range $85,700 - $90,000; depends on experience within posted range. Essential Duties Executive & Calendar Management Manage a highly complex calendar with back‑to‑back meetings, built‑in recovery time, work blocks, and travel considerations. Schedule meetings across campus and via Zoom, prioritizing VIPs and senior leadership while resolving conflicts diplomatically. Proactively scan the calendar months in advance to support long‑range planning and recurring decision cycles. Manage office hours, including waitlists, scheduling adjustments, and coordination with Student Success for appropriate triage. Meeting & Agenda Coordination Prepare and organize materials for meetings, presentations, leadership forums, and the Dean’s Think Tank. Maintain structured Google Drive folders and notes that capture original requests, deadlines, meeting duration, and prep materials. Track agendas and action items for leadership and School Director meetings, supporting a rhythm of preview, discussion, and decision‑making. Coordinate huddles, confirm attendees, manage timing, and maintain summary notes for institutional record keeping. Communication & Email Triage Manage the Dean’s inbox, prioritizing and flagging communications from senior leadership, donors, and VIP stakeholders. Independently process and file routine documents (e.g., Adobe Sign agreements for guest artists). Reduce email volume through thoughtful use of tools such as Keep and Outlook filters, while ensuring critical information is surfaced promptly. Operational & Stakeholder Support Serve as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, exercising discretion and sound judgment. Coordinate logistics for events and meetings, including room reservations, Zoom links, and refreshments. Communicate clearly and professionally on behalf of the Dean, redirecting requests as appropriate. Desired Qualifications Experience using judgment, creativity, emotional intelligence, and working at a high level of proficiency. Experience working in a higher education environment. Experience providing executive support to a senior leader, CEO/COO, Dean or higher. Experience demonstrating tact and diplomacy and maintaining effective working relationships. Experience in quickly changing priorities and resolving conflicts. Demonstrated knowledge of administrative principles and practices. Demonstrated knowledge of handling confidential, proprietary and privileged documents and information. Demonstrated ability to learn University policies and procedures. Demonstrated knowledge of accounting and budgeting procedures and techniques. Experience planning, analyzing, coordinating activities and establishing priorities. Evidence of effective communication. Experience dealing with a wide range of topics, including confidential and sensitive information. Experience in problem solving and decision making; evidence of organizational skills and flexibility; and proactively anticipating requirements and potential problems. Experience managing multiple high‑priority activities requiring considerable coordination and follow through to meet requirements. Experience maintaining an executive presence, maturity and sound judgment. Advanced proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Calendar) and Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), including complex document formatting, data analysis, reporting, and collaborative workflows. Demonstrated ability to leverage advanced features (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, version control, shared permissions, and presentation design) to support high‑volume, detail‑oriented administrative or business operations. Working Environment This position is located on the ASU Tempe campus. In‑person schedule, Monday through Friday. Occasional after‑hours events. Activities are performed in an environmentally‑controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding and manipulating a computer mouse. Regular use of standard office equipment including, but not limited to computer workstation/laptop (keyboard, monitor, mouse), printer, fax, copier, and telephone. Location Tempe, ASU Campus Equal Opportunity Employment All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. #J-18808-Ljbffr