Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice-president External

UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR

NOTICE OF VACANCY

Managerial & Professional

POSITION TITLE:                            Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice-President External

DEPARTMENT:                               External Relations

The University of Windsor is situated on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations: the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomie.

Who We Are: 

The University of Windsor (the University or UWindsor) is a globally relevant, regionally focused University that welcomes over 16,000 students in a range of comprehensive and research-intensive graduate and undergraduate programs.

The University consists of nine academic faculties, which include Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Human Kinetics, Education, Law, Engineering, Nursing, Business, and Graduate Studies.  The academic faculties offer a wide range of traditional and professional programs supported by passionate and dedicated faculty and staff, numbering approximately 2,500, of whom approximately 600 are tenured or tenure-track faculty.

The University’s unique position on an international border between Canada and the United States has contributed to its identity as a diverse university community providing rich cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities for faculty and students. The University is a key player in a wide range of distinctive industrial, entrepreneurial, and cultural activities throughout the City of Windsor and Essex County, and in an evolving network of international academic and industrial partnerships, particularly with leading American universities in Michigan.

The Aspire Strategic Plan is available for review on our website https://engageuwindsor.ca/aspire-strategic-planning.

About External Relations

The External Relations team works side-by-side with our alumni, donors, students, communities, faculty, staff, and government. Their mission is to ensure that the University of Windsor continues to build on its strengths as an internationally oriented, multi-disciplined institution that actively enables a broad diversity of students, faculty, and staff to make a better world through education, scholarship, research, and engagement.

The External Relations portfolio brings together four interconnected strategic areas of importance under a single senior leadership structure at the University of Windsor:

1. Institutional marketing, public relations, and media relations activities
2. Advancement, stewardship, and donor communications efforts
3. Alumni engagement and development
4. Government and community relations (local, provincial, and federal)

The above areas are currently managed by three offices: Office of Public Affairs and Communications, University Advancement, and Alumni Affairs.

Office of Public Affairs and Communications (PAC): Provides strategic and creative leadership promoting the University of Windsor brand and unique profile in the marketplace, working to advance the University’s image and reputation with key audiences. The PAC team is responsible for the coordination of approximately 185 publications each year, including the Daily News, and VIEW, the award-winning University of Windsor alumni magazine.

University Advancement: Builds relationships with a diverse group of donors (alumni, parents, friends, corporations, and foundations) who support the University of Windsor through Annual Giving, Planned Giving, Major Gifts, and Corporate and Foundation Giving. These gifts, of all sizes, help provide the funding necessary to support student scholarships, build new facilities, enhance faculty departments, library services, athletics, faculty initiatives, research, and programs.

Alumni Affairs: Works in partnership with the Alumni Association to create and deliver programs, services, and communications to engage over 150,000 University of Windsor alumni around the world, encouraging life-long relationships between the University and graduates from the past, present, and future.

The University of Windsor’s Government Relations Committee is responsible for strategically promoting the relevance of academia, research, capital projects, and special initiatives with all levels of government.

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: 

The Executive Assistant to the Associate Vice-President serves as the gateway to the External Affairs portfolio by providing strategic and administrative support through the coordination, processing, and handling of day-to-day activities, projects, initiatives, and programs related to the University’s External Affairs office. This role is responsible to deliver senior-level organizational support by prioritizing and executing daily administrative, financial and strategic activities to provide support on matters related to public affairs and communications, fund development and alumni affairs, and government and community relations.

• Promotes a positive image of the University by directing visitors and inquiries, providing information regarding University policies, referring questions or problems to the appropriate office or person, resolving minor issues, and following up to determine the inquirer's satisfaction with the response
• Responsible for managing day-to-day office business processes and scheduling. Reviews office procedures and implement changes to improve efficiency and customer service.
• Collaborates and engages with the Office of the President to support information flow, coordination of joint activities and engages other members of the team in key tasks and activities.
• Coordinates departmental priorities, conducts strategic analysis, makes recommendations and crafts project plans in alignment with the University’s current strategic plan and related goals and objectives
• Assist with preparing proposals, Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and reports for partnerships with external partners
• Develop and maintain accurate automated and manual filing systems, including supporting the signing and updating of MOUs
• Monitors the expenditures for the cost and revenue centers that the Associate Vice-President External is responsible for to ensure that expenses are accurately recorded, bringing any unusual budgetary matters to the attention of the Associate Vice-President External
• Supports the Associate Vice-President External through emergency situations, directing office priorities, diverting external inquiries and interference
• Assists Associate Vice-President External in confidential administrative duties and personnel matters
• Contributes to the preparation of ads to be forwarded to the Department of Human Resources and assists in the coordination of recruitment services associated with the offices reporting to the Associate Vice-President External

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

The successful candidate will possess:

• Undergraduate University Degree in a Business-related field or related field as determined by the department
• A minimum of three years of strategic administrative experience, which includes knowledge of general office procedures and practices
• Superior interpersonal skills with at least two years of experience building, managing, and maintaining strong relationships on behalf of a governmental, community, and/or industry organizations
• One to two years of project management-related experience, including the ability to monitor and control budgets, compile, and prepare comprehensive reports, presentations, and correspondence on a broad spectrum of subject matters
• Previous supervisory experience with a demonstrated ability to lead and motivate others
• Advanced business and political acumen with demonstrated ability to perform highly responsible and confidential administrative duties with tact, diplomacy, discretion, and good judgement
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with proven skill in developing messaging and content for various audiences on a variety of subject matter
• Excellent time management, organization, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Advanced knowledge of the financial reporting systems
• Experience maintaining a variety of complex and confidential files and records
• Excellent knowledge of various computer software such as MS 365 (i.e., Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel), work optimization and collaboration platforms (e.g., Monday.com, MS Project, etc.), customer relationship (CRM) and content management software (e.g., Drupal)
• Ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds
• Demonstrated commitment in working to create an inclusive, equitable and just environment to supporting diverse constituencies and populations

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Masters degree in a related field (e.g., Business Administration, Education)
• Three to five years of experience in a large, complex organization, preferably in an educational setting
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY STATEMENT: 

In pursuit of the University of Windsor's employment policy as well as its equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization commitments, members from the designated groups (Female identified persons, Indigenous Peoples, Racialized Persons, Persons with Disabilities, and those that identify as 2SLGBTQIA+) are encouraged to apply and may self-identify if they choose to do so.

Candidacy for position will require you to be authorized to work in Canada.  If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify **********@********.**.