Job Abstract

Under the general direction of the Vice President for Finance and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Hood College seeks a highly organized, detail-oriented, and service-focused administrative assistant to provide office management and support to two neighboring executive offices and the work done with their direct reports. The qualified candidate will have advanced business acumen to professionally handle multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment; use technology to maximize efficiency and maintain appropriate internal controls; deliver high-quality constituent service; provide high-level administrative and analytical support to the Vice Presidents and, when necessary, members of the Board of Trustees; handle confidential information; manage all office correspondence in a timely and professional manner; and monitor project timelines and deadlines. Evening and weekend hours may be required to accommodate special projects.

Essential duties include the following, however other duties may be assigned.

Meeting/Event Planning and Coordination (35%)

• Prepares agenda and minutes for monthly direct reports and department budget review meetings.
• Directs preparation of official records for Board of Trustees Committees – Finance and Facilities, Investment, Audit and Risk Management, and Student Success (including Academic Affairs subcommittee) -- such as agendas, notices, Board materials, minutes, and resolutions and other action items.

Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs

• Oversees faculty meeting preparation and minutes; coordinates with the Faculty Executive Committee as needed for meeting planning and preparation.
• Oversees department chair and provost council meeting preparation and minutes; coordinates agenda items with the respective constituent group.
• Works with faculty services and other campus constituents to coordinate spring Honors Convocation nominations, and develops the program and script for the event.
• Facilitates planning and coordination of academic events including convocation, honors convocation, and commencement.
• Submits notification of annual Academic Program Reviews; coordinates planning and correspondence with external reviewers.

Office of Vice President for Finance

• Sets up conference rooms and initiates Teams or Zoom calls.
• Assists with follow-up tasks from meetings with Controller, Chief Information Officer, Director of Business Services, and Director of Facilities.
• Prepares agendas, meeting materials, presentations, notices, and minutes for the Planning, Budgeting, and Assessment Committee (PBAC)(bi-weekly meetings), , and other ad hoc committees.
• Prepares agenda and minutes for monthly meetings with the endowment investment advisor.
• Assists in the preparation and uploading of materials for weekly Senior Team meetings.
• Collects documents and helps prepare the Vice President’s Office and Accounting Office for annual audit.
• Assists Vice Presidents with post-meeting follow-up or action items.

General Administrative Duties and Customer Service (25%)

• Assists each Vice President in meeting their respective division goals.
• Manages daily correspondence, telephone calls, and walk-in traffic within the offices.
• Provides welcoming front-line service to Hood’s faculty, staff, students, Board of Trustees, alumni, consultants, and external community.
• Answers telephone calls and receives visitors from faculty, staff, students, and others; responds to all inquiries with a high level of professionalism; follows up as necessary.
• Separates, opens, scans (if necessary), and distributes or files mail and responds as required.
• Maintains and monitors budget and purchasing records for each office.
• Collects, organizes, codes, processes, and submits all budget & accounts payable items to the accounting office.
• Handles travel arrangements and processes travel reimbursement requests.
• Creates, maintains, and checks various spreadsheet files.
• Reviews office procedures to recommend changes to improve internal controls and to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Data gathering, research, and analysis for various projects and preparation of PowerPoint presentations.
• Limited supervision and mentoring of student interns in each office.
• Office of Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • Collaborates with Office of Institutional Research and Assessment and coordinates notification process and collection of all department and administrative annual reports, and faculty annual reports.
• Office of Vice President for Finance
  • Organizes and files documents, including uploading to Teams.
  • Assists with compiling and formatting the annual Budget Book.
  • Assists in compiling documents and reports for MICUA.
  • Assists with capital project-related tasks.

Scheduling (20%)

• Manages each Vice President’s electronic calendar and schedules appointments and meetings.
• Coordinates with others or uses scheduling tools like Doddle Poll to determine best meeting dates.
• Completes arrangements for scheduled meetings and conferences; schedules rooms through the Director of Conference and Event Services, sends out Outlook meeting invites (with Teams or Zoom links if necessary), coordinates all internal services (IT, catering, etc.); produces and distributes correspondence, updates, etc.
• Monitors Hood College calendars, campus events, master calendars, etc. and adjusts vice president’s calendars appropriately.
• Office of Vice President for Finance
  • Manages and coordinates “look ahead” calendars for the Vice President for Finance and direct reports. Provides updates for monthly direct reports meetings.

Communication and Correspondence (15%)

• Responds independently to inquiries on behalf of the Vice Presidents or directs inquires to other staff as needed, responds to Board member inquiries, prepares responses that involve significant and non-routine matters for the Vice President’s signature.
• Upon request, assists Vice Presidents in responding to email by responding to requests, providing information requested, directing the email to someone else to respond, or providing appropriate follow-up. Assists Vice Presidents with related follow-up tasks.
• Maintains electronic contact list (or shared contact list) for each Vice President.
• Manages electronic files.
• Composes and prepares confidential correspondence, reports, and other complex documents.
• Facilitates all website updates for the two offices.
• Vice President for Finance
  • Assists in the preparation of RFQs and RFPs for professional and contractual services, including planning studies, capital projects, auditing, etc.
  • Responds to inquiries and assists with managing consultant and vendor selection processes.
• Vice President for Academic Affairs
  • Prepares and disseminates campus communications as directed.
  • Prepares and submits all academic program documentation to MHEC, MICUA and MSCHE as necessary.
  • Monitors and responds to the provost@hood.edu email alias daily.

Ongoing Professional Development (5%)

• Participates in both on the job and other training opportunities as approved by the supervising Vice Presidents.

Qualifications

We seek a candidate who values diversity, equity and inclusion in all that they do. Candidates must have strong organizational skills and a proven ability to work collaboratively with partners across campus in support of Hood College’s mission as a student-centered, liberal arts institution.

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and/or Experience

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications

Bachelors’ degree with 2-3 years office experience preferred, preferably in a higher education environment, or satisfactory combination of education and/or experience. Experience with bookkeeping functions essential. The successful applicant must be highly service-oriented; must be able to work and communicate effectively with individuals from all levels of the organization and outside; must be capable of independent work and judgment; must have the ability to exercise strong time management techniques and accomplish responsibilities with enthusiasm and dedication.

Notary public certification preferred.

Preferred Skills and Characteristics

Technology Skills

Proficient in MS Office tools (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams), e-mail and Internet. Ability to learn new applications quickly including organization-wide information systems and department-specific software applications.

Language Skills

Strong oral and written communication skills. Ability to effectively provide information and positively respond to questions from both external and internal customers both in person and by phone. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

Mathematical Skills

Proficient with statistical and financial concepts. Must have the ability to apply those concepts to tracking, projections, goal setting and interpreting reports. Must be able to draw conclusions from reports and make cost-effective decisions regarding programs.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a number of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to work independently and as a member of a group in developing and executing project plans. Ability to work in theoretical arena and apply logic as appropriate.

To Apply

We invite qualified candidates to apply on-line via our electronic application which requires submission of a cover letter, résumé and three professional references.

If you need assistance with the on-line application process, please email humanresources@hood.edu or call (301) 696-3592.

Hood College is committed to diversity in its faculty and staff and subscribes to a policy of hiring only individuals legally eligible to work in the United States. EOE/AAP/M/F/Vet/Disability Employer

Hood College does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, disability, religion, or age in recruitment, admission and access to, or treatment, or employment in its programs, services, benefits, or activities as required by applicable laws including Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and complies with the law regarding reasonable accommodation for disabled applicants and students. Inquiries about discrimination or reasonable accommodation should be referred to the Title IX and Section 504 Coordinator at Alumnae Hall, 401 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick, MD. 21701 (AD 312), (301) 696-3592. For complete information on Hood College’s nondiscrimination policy, please visit http://www.hood.edu/non-discrimination/.