EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.

Unit/Project Description:

McMaster University’s Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is unique as the only Canadian university that combines, in one Faculty, schools of medicine (including two regional campuses), nursing, rehabilitation science, and the programs of midwifery, bachelor of health sciences, physician assistant and postgraduate health sciences education.  With over 2000 staff members, 920 full-time and 3000 part-time faculty members, the Faculty thrives on its interprofessional and collaborative approach to healthcare and learning.  As part of FHS’s continued pursuit of excellence to ensure the Faculty remains at the leading edge of health sciences education, we believe in interprofessional collaboration, commitment to our communities, accountability and responsibility, innovation, excellence, integrity and respect, and optimism.

The Faculty of Health Sciences Human Resources Office, in collaboration with Human Resources Services, provides leadership, advice, support and resources to faculty and staff to foster the creation of an environment that is inclusive, diverse and engaging.  Working with our partners within the Faculty and beyond, we are responsible for recruiting a large and diverse number of individuals locally, nationally and internationally.

Job Summary:

The Executive Assistant/Office Manager is accountable for providing high-level executive support and serves as primary point of contact for internal and external matters for two busy roles: the FHS HR Executive Director and Associate Director.  The EA/Office Manager’s responsibilities include managing the day-to-day office operating activities of the FHS HR office by organizing and coordinating administrative duties, preparing and monitoring the budget, and ensuring space, furniture and equipment is maintained as appropriate to ensure the smooth functioning of the FHS HR Office.  In addition, the EA/Office Manager acts as the primary UHIP administrator and contact person for the Faculty of Health Sciences and is accountable for providing excellent customer service to meet clients’ insurance needs regarding the University Health Insurance Plan.

The EA/Office Manager requires exceptional organizational skills, and must be flexible and adaptable to changes in priorities, assignments and other disruptions on a day-to-day basis.  Must maintain thorough knowledge of university structure, policies and activities related to the Faculty.

Accountabilities:

Executive Assistant:

• Assesses, prioritizes and coordinates the Executive Director and Associate Director’s activities by reviewing requests and scheduling appointments and meetings, as appropriate, and by maintaining online calendar.  Requires the ability to anticipate and prioritize each of the Director and Associate Director’s needs and coordinate schedules across large numbers of individuals at times.
• Independently responds to inquiries and requests and resolves problems requiring a thorough knowledge of the area and general knowledge of the University, its policies and procedures.  Determines the appropriate course of action and follows through to resolution.  Must have a keen awareness of which information is to remain confidential and which can be shared with others.
• Prepares and coordinates reports, presentations, and meeting materials often of a highly confidential nature.
• Organizes work flow, composes and edits correspondence on Associate Director’s behalf, takes minutes of meetings, maintains confidential files, information and data, monitors the budget, and organizes and performs other related administrative duties.
• Schedules and coordinates meetings including room bookings, agenda, catering and travel arrangements.
• Initiates and manages expense reports for the Director and Associate Director.

Office Management

• Manages office facilities and equipment by carrying out planning and execution of equipment procurement and routine maintenance, upkeep, and housekeeping to ensure office efficiency.  Interacts with other departments for required services to the area such as renovations, security, Hospital Engineering, etc. all while ensuring compliance with university policies and government regulations and exercising of budget controls.
• Manages all office staff relocations including planning space allocations, layouts, furniture moves, telephones and computers/printers; arrange for movers, Computer Services Unit, engineering, etc. where necessary.
• Participates actively in the planning and execution of office events.
• Manages the FHS HR Office’s computer systems, hardware and software (planning, purchasing, and liaising with CSU).
• Acts as point person for courier shipments and ordering office supply inventory as needed.
• Manages the tracking of all attendance records, collating an accurate record of vacation, development, sick and personal days for all staff in the Department.
• Manages relationships with vendors and service providers ensuring that all items are invoiced and paid on time (e.g., catering, IT, Grand & Toy).

Budget Management

• Day to day management, reconciliation and monitoring of the operating budget of the FHS HR Office (over $1M) in conjunction with the Executive Director in accordance with the University’s Budget Guidelines to ensure financial accountability and informed decision making.
• Coordinates the submission of information and documentation required to initiate, facilitate, and conclude various processes in PeopleSoft (Mosaic) such as month end balances, monthly transactions, journal entries, vouchers, expense reports, P-card reconciliation and MPDA account balances.
• Generates reports and account statements for the Executive Director, and reviews for accuracy, investigates and resolves discrepancies using established procedures.
• Prepares monthly financial statements for reconciliation purposes and responsible for culminating information for year-end financial reporting.
• Balances and controls cash receipts, (e.g. UHIP) and prepares photo ID deposits; oversees petty cash and MPDA accounts.
• Coordinates billing process for Faculty Relations new recruits and process expense report related to selection process.

University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) Administration

• Meets face to face to enroll new hires such as post-doctoral fellows, clinical fellows/scholars, residents and visiting students from other provinces and countries to complete all of the necessary paperwork to obtain basic health care coverage/insurance through UHIP for employees and their dependents; prints and sends UHIP coverage card to members.
• Acts as an advisor for UHIP related questions regarding policy, UHIP enrollment, claim process and coverage. Manages end to end process.

Qualifications:

Education:

• University degree or college diploma in Office Administration, Business, Human Resources or equivalent
• Post-secondary courses in accounting are required
• Post-secondary courses in human resources would be an asset

Experience:

• 5 years senior office administration experience providing executive level support
• Experience working with Mosaic/PeopleSoft based administrative information system
• Proven experience with the University financial data, systems and policies
• Experience managing the budget responsibilities for a busy department
• 1-2 years of office management