Administrative Assistant to the Vice President (Part-time/Virtual)

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the vitality and democratic purposes of undergraduate liberal education. Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, our membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions in more than twenty-five countries as well as other organizations and individuals. To learn more, visit www.aacu.org.

The Office of Undergraduate STEM Education (OUSE) at AAC&U consists of a dynamic, visionary team of committed individuals who implement bold national initiatives and interventions to advance the reform of undergraduate STEM education. Grounded in AAC&U’s commitment to equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education, as well as a shared legacy with Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) that has significantly impacted undergraduate STEM reform since 1989, this Office: 1) provides advanced professional and leadership development institutes for STEM faculty; and 2) expands the undergraduate STEM reform knowledge base through research, policy, practice, and evaluation. For further information about the Office of Undergraduate STEM Education and its leader, who is known for her commitment to empowering others, as well as her ability to clearly articulate, fully align, and effectively advance a national agenda for undergraduate STEM reform that serves larger societal needs, visit our website at: https://www.aacu.org/office-of-undergraduate-stem-education.

The role of Administrative Assistant to the Vice President calls for a highly creative problem solver who is bright, adaptive, mature, and empathic. This role requires a proactive individual who values organization, pays close and careful attention to detail, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and takes pride in seeing others succeed. The ideal candidate is not only highly competent but also a pleasant, personable team member who creates a positive working atmosphere. This is an ideal opportunity for an individual who has a proven track record with calendar, email, and project management. This position is completely virtual.

The Administrative Assistant to the Vice President will provide support in managing the Vice President’s meeting and travel calendar; perform light bookkeeping, data entry, and general finance duties; proofread external facing documents; monitor task assignments; and contribute to the development of content for email campaigns and promotions. The Administrative Assistant to the Vice President must have exceptional communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills and be able to identify and implement creative solutions that will enable the Vice President. The Administrative Assistant to the Vice President reports directly to the Vice President for Undergraduate STEM Education.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the Vice President’s internal and external meeting schedule, ensuring efficient time management and prioritization that can create the ideal conditions for the Vice President to effectively lead
• Schedule, prepare agendas, take detailed minutes during meetings; follow up on action items, as appropriate
• Manage email requests and correspondence with appropriate follow-up and follow-through
• Liaise with campus representatives and manage campus engagement itineraries
• Support digital file organization with a high degree of accuracy and confidentiality
• Act as a point of contact on behalf of the Vice President, creating an elegant and welcoming virtual presence for the Vice President
• To the extent possible, anticipate the Vice President’s needs and proactively resolve issues before they arise
• Research, prioritize, and follow up on issues and concerns and determine an appropriate course of action, referral, or response; maintain a sense for emerging threats that may require attention
• Take proactive steps to avoid unnecessary delays and missed opportunities
• Assist with the development of communications and content (website content, emails, etc.)
• Regularly communicate with the Vice President to keep her informed of pressing matters
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree preferred.
• At least three to five years’ direct experience in assisting a C-Suite Executive Administrator
• Advanced knowledge of and extensive experience with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.), Google Suite (Gmail, GDrive, Google Site, etc.); project management software (e.g., monday.com); file storage and collaboration platforms (Box, Dropbox, etc.); generative artificial intelligence platforms (e.g., Chapt GPT); and virtual design tools (e.g., Canva)
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Able to work independently and without supervision
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a dynamic, interdisciplinary team environment
• Discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive information
• Ability to prioritize and handle complex projects, manage multiple tasks, and work under tight deadlines and time constraints
• Strategic and critical thinker

Application Instructions

Salary commensurate with experience. Application materials should be forwarded to openings@aacu.org. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2025. Review of applications will begin on February 15, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. Required materials to be submitted include: 1) a cover letter outlining qualifications, skills, and reason for your interest in this position; 2) your most recent CV; and 3) contact information for three references.

AAC&U believes that a broadly diverse staff is critical to achieving excellence as a national higher education association. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with the full range of fair employment practices and non-discrimination laws.