Executive Assistant to the CIO & AVP | |
| Job ID | DE-D6-F6-4B-25-C0 |
| Company | Queen's University |
| Location | Kingston |
| Province | Ontario |
| Date Posted | 2019-02-15 |
| Posted Until | 2019-03-17 |
| Job Type | Full-time |
| Job Category | Office |
| Description | |
| JOB SUMMARY: The CIO & AVP (Information Technology Services) is looking for an Executive Assistant to join our senior management team to provide critical insights, effective communications, and coordination amongst the four IT Services Directors for initiatives of strategic importance to the University. The successful candidate will play a key leadership role in planning processes and in providing strategic operational and project management support to the CIO & AVP while ensuring the effective and efficient operation of the office. This role manages all correspondence to and from the office, provides briefings on emerging and confidential issues, and liaises with a broad range of stakeholders within IT Services and across the University. This is an exciting time of transformation for IT at Queen’s, and you, as the Executive Assistant, will call upon your exceptional interpersonal, presentation and communications skills to handle multiple priorities, to problem solve and to manage tight deadlines with professionalism and a collaborative spirit. Our new CIO & AVP will engage you as a trusted advisor and rely upon you to manage the demands of a high profile office with a mandate to deliver new foundational capabilities. As an accomplished administrator, you will have an opportunity to influence the direction and success of the office of the CIO & AVP. If you are a gifted communicator, if you can see the big picture while attending to the details, and if you appreciate the value of strong leadership and the commitment needed to support it, then we welcome your application for the role of Executive Assistant to the CIO & AVP. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Management of the Office of the CIO & AVP • Works with the CIO & AVP to direct the activities of the office of the CIO & AVP to fully implement its mandates and goals. • Ensures critical and sensitive matters are prioritized and handled expeditiously based on in-depth knowledge of the CIO & AVP’s priorities. • Researches issues of importance and sensitivity that require the CIO & AVP’s attention and produces briefing materials and information for the CIO & AVP’s review and direction, including the identification of possible risks and mitigating risk management strategies. • Investigates specific complaints, concerns, and requests as directed by the CIO & AVP. • Manages the complexity of the CIO & AVP’s schedule including; prioritizing important meetings under the pressure of changing priorities, unanticipated urgent demands, and multiple deadlines; coordinates boardrooms and video conference and teleconference arrangements, ascertains and invites appropriate attendees and manages expectations of stakeholders. • Briefs the CIO & AVP on daily scheduling commitments. Works with the CIO & AVP to prepare for all meetings, including researching, collating and summarizing meeting materials as required. • Attends planning and management meetings, prepares agendas, takes minutes and follows up on action items. • Represents the Office of the CIO & AVP in inter-office scheduling and commitment meetings or discussions which may involve issues of a confidential nature and/or where labour relations issues are addressed. • Manages social media communications on behalf of the CIO & AVP. • Determines the distribution, delegation and/or action required for all incoming mail, telephone and email messages; prepares relevant and timely responses to the CIO & AVP’s daily correspondence, and assists with drafting responses to more complex correspondence. Functions with a high degree of autonomy and responds with tact and discretion and engages assistance where appropriate. • Prepares presentations for the CIO & AVP to provide to internal and external audiences. • Schedules and maintains preparation material, background and logistical support for internal and external appointments, meetings, domestic and international travel arrangements, hotel bookings, etc. for the CIO & AVP and related staff and/or project team members as required. • Maintains thorough knowledge of University policies and procedures, hierarchy and protocols to ensure meetings, events, etc. are prioritized accordingly. • Receives, assesses, and coordinates the responses to all Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) requests for IT Services. • Oversees event planning and coordination including; budget management, overseeing space rental, catering, itinerary development, and list of attendees. • Processes the CIO & AVP’s expense claims and monitors the same for direct reports to ensure timely reporting of claims and compliance with University policies and procedures. • Provides work direction, and technical/functional guidance to other administrative staff. • Participates in screening and interviewing administrative job candidates, and providing input into staff selection. • Mentors administrative staff within the department and provides feedback on work. Provides input on work performance to management staff. Support of the CIO & AVP on Strategic Priorities • Works closely with the CIO & AVP, Directors and management team and acts as a trusted advisor on a wide variety of projects and initiatives of strategic importance to the University community. • As a member of the IT Services management team, actively participates in the setting and prioritizing of strategic goals to support and advance the mission and contribute to the success of IT Services. • Provides analysis and consultation on operational matters, key initiatives, and special projects of critical importance to IT Services. • Collaboratively establishes work plans to support the execution of the CIO & AVP’s short and long term priorities, including coordinating the necessary input workflows from the IT Services’ Directors by conducting regular reviews with the Directors and the management team. • Works in collaboration with the CIO & AVP’s direct reports to track and prioritize deliverables, and to communicate and provide instructions, support, and to enforce departmental and University procedures and policies. • Governs communication and action plans to facilitate projects and strategic initiatives. • Ensures clear, timely and effective communication with the CIO & AVP, to prioritize attention to items that will maintain and build IT Services’ professional reputation among all stakeholders. • Conducts a range of special projects operating under the direction of the CIO & AVP. Support of the CIO & AVP’s Key Relationships • Serves as primary point of contact and liaison for the CIO & AVP, in person and over the telephone and determines appropriate course of action to address enquiries; resolves issues in coordination with relevant stakeholders. This will frequently involve highly confidential and sensitive subjects/issues, including those related to labour relations. • Represents the CIO & AVP, communicating decisions both internally and externally, orally and in writing on day-to-day operational issues and specific planning activities; liaises with senior University administrators, officials in other post-secondary institutions, external suppliers and executive committees on which the CIO & AVP serves. • Initiates and maintains positive working relationships with senior level administrators within the University community and external agencies on behalf of the CIO & AVP. • Promotes a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion and a sense of service in support of IT Services mission. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: • University degree in business or public administration or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. • Experience in a senior administrative role providing support to executive management in an environment of ambiguity and conflicting demands with demonstrated ability to preserve strict confidentiality; experience in an academic or IT environment is an asset. • Experience developing and implementing communication plans in a complex, multi-faceted environment involving high-level problem solving skills, and project management. • Superior written and oral communication skills with a strong command of written English, including grammar, punctuation, spelling and vocabulary; comfort and proficiency with public speaking. • Good working knowledge of budget preparation and management procedures and financial/administrative data processing systems. • Demonstrated experience with managing and monitoring social media accounts, platforms and programs. • Advanced Microsoft Office skills with an ability to become familiar with proprietary software or programs. • Knowledge of University policies, operations and organizational structure. SPECIAL SKILLS: • Working with Others: communicates clear expectations regarding teamwork and collaboration. Takes a lead role with the team(s) to acknowledge their input and communicate appreciation for strong, highly collaborative performers. Works to manage conflict by listening, understanding and resolving issues. • Inclusivity: welcomes a diverse and equitable work environment. Deals effectively with situations openly and honestly such that others' contributions are maximized. Takes a lead role to address and correct inappropriate language or actions that is not in keeping with fair treatment. • Communication: takes a lead role to communicate to multiple audiences and easily explains complex information to ensure the message is understood. • Customer Service and Support: anticipates current/future needs of the client/customer and proactively seeks to address them. Schedules periodic checks points to determine if they have additional needs and acts to address them. • Planning/Organizing: takes a lead role in determining resource requirements for a project team or department. Responsible for long-term planning. Adjusts resources to ensure that project deadlines and standards are consistently met. • Continuous Improvement: takes a lead role and together they identify ways to improve department processes, and quality of customer service. Solicits feedback from multiple sources to identify ways to become a more highly functioning team. Actively participates in continuous learning and sets the department standard. • Attention to Detail: takes a lead role to implement efficient systems to ensure that high quality work is consistently maintained by self and others. These actions include careful monitoring of work that meets standards and project plan deadlines. • Adaptability and Support for Change: leads the team/department through change implementation by identifying/communicating upcoming change. Anticipates resistance to change and uses influencing skills to uncover/overcome barriers such as low-quality job performance. DECISION MAKING: • Provides advice, support and guidance on a wide variety of complex matters related to the Office of the CIO & AVP and IT Services. • Assesses all phone calls, email messages, and paper mail directed to the CIO & AVP and triages according to priority or sensitivity, determining when to respond on behalf of CIO & AVP or when to refer to others. • Makes frequent decisions regarding management of the CIO & AVP’s schedule, assessing urgency of a request, using judgement and diplomacy to schedule/reschedule appointments in response to unexpected or competing events. • Assesses the nature of questions or problems and determines when to handle personally and when to escalate. Determines best approach to solve problems. • Ascertains approach, tone, content, and substance in preparing correspondence, agendas, briefing notes, presentations, reports and proposals for a variety of audiences. • Exercises discretion when providing information to internal and external stakeholders based on privacy and confidentiality requirements. • Plans and organizes own time and priorities to achieve an objective or project. • Assesses the suitability of job candidates for administrative jobs and recommends the most appropriate person for hire. • Determines priorities and makes decisions about administrative staff utilization and the assignment of work to achieve optimum efficiencies and productivity. • Assesses administrative employees’ training needs and makes recommendations for internal or external training to attain proficiency. • Monitors and assesses output and the quality of employees’ work, and recommends need for formal training or development plans to management and identifies possible staff performance and/or disciplinary issues. | |
| Languages | English |
| How To Apply | http://clients.njoyn.com/CL4/xweb/xweb.asp?clid=74827&page=jobdetails&jobid=J1118-0422&BRID=EX111787&SBDID=1&LANG=1 |
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