Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The Administrative Assistant provides administrative support for personnel in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The OGC provides legal advice and counsel to the California Institute of Technology and its affiliated organizations, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The position provides support for a variety of tasks and responsibilities within the department.

This is an Essential Reporting position. An employee designated as essential reporting has essential job skills that are needed for response and recovery and is expected to report to Campus as soon as possible.

Essential Job Duties

• Manage front desk, including screening and routing phone calls, managing visitors, welcoming and directing guests, and reviewing and routing mail.
• Provide administrative assistance to multiple attorneys requiring a thorough knowledge of OGC's processes and the Institute's policies and procedures.
• Manage and be responsible for calendars and scheduling meetings and appointments within an environment that requires constant coordination with other offices and an ability to handle competing priorities.
• Ability to interact and coordinate professionally and effectively with leadership, faculty, students, all levels of employees, and numerous external contacts.
• Drafting, editing, and proofing various administrative and/or legal documents and communications, including memoranda and correspondence.
• Provide support and coverage for other assistants at other OGC offices as needed.
• Handle and maintain sensitive and confidential information.
• Coordinate travel, process expense reports, and payment requests.
• Make and reconcile purchases.
• Track and maintain publications ordered and received.
• Track, maintain, and order office supplies.
• Prepare and edit presentations such as PowerPoint presentations, including graphics as needed.
• Plan and organize events.
• Perform data entry.
• Identify and assist with process improvements.
• Assist with responses to subpoenas and other legal information requests.
• Organize and maintain files.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Must be a team player who enjoys collaborating with other members of the staff and works well in a small but supportive environment.
• Three or more years of administrative/clerical experience.
• Must be able to prioritize and organize tasks, work both independently and in a team environment, and maintain high-quality work product and effectiveness while handling multiple tasks effectively.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and effective oral and written communication skills, as well as experience editing and proofing.
• Proficient computer skills, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Experience making travel arrangements and processing travel expense reports.
• Experience managing multiple and active calendars of executive-level individuals.
• Strong word processing and proofreading skills.
• Highly organized with the ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and accomplish assigned tasks accurately and in a timely manner.
• Must be capable of working under the pressure of deadlines.
• Conscientious, detail-oriented, and proactive.
• Demonstrates good judgment and initiative.
• Proactively works with minimal direction to accomplish goals.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to interact professionally with executive and senior leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors degree.
• Three or more years of legal department work experience.

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.