Assistant to the Chair - Cell Biology & Physiology

Location

ST. LOUIS, MO 63110

 Scheduled Hours

40

Position Summary

Provides administrative assistance and office support to the Chair/Department Head, which requires considerable judgement, tact, creativity and initiative. Responds to questions and inquiries and makes decisions, when appropriate, in the absence of Chair/Department Head according to organizational policies and procedures.

More information about the department can be found here: https://cellbiology.wustl.edu/.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Assists Department Head with administrative details, usually of a confidential nature.  Anticipate and prepare materials needed for meetings, appointments, and telephone calls. Greets guests and callers, ascertain nature of business, and handle situations as appropriate. Understands current regulations, policies, precedents, and practices. Interprets and adapts these guidelines, including in the absence of Department Head as needed.

Maintains Department Head’s calendar, including scheduling meetings, providing alerts to daily commitments, arranging for implementation. Notes commitments made by Department Head during meetings and arrange for implementation or follow-up as needed.

Composes a variety of materials, including letters, memos, and correspondence with responsibility for format, attachments, spelling, and grammar. Proofs and edits as needed correspondence and other documents generated by the Department Head.

Provides administrative support for weekly seminar series, two annual named lectures, and other special symposiums. This includes reserving the auditorium, coordinating invitations, designing flyers and posters, advertising via print, digital signage, and email distribution lists. Makes travel arrangements for out-of-town speakers, plan speaker schedules, manage catering, and special dinners.  Initiate speaker reimbursement/honorarium, obtain appropriate documentation for expenses, process expense reports.

Coordinates faculty recruitment. Under direction of the search committee, places advertisements through journals and online services. Receives applications and letters of recommendation, organize documents electronically for review. Schedules search committee meetings. Arranges travel, meeting schedule, dinners, and all reimbursements for candidate visits.

Schedules and provides administrative support for department mentoring committees and annual faculty reviews. Serves as responsible for supporting all steps related to faculty appointment and promotion process. Reviews faculty packets with Department Head for recommendation to departmental and ad hoc committees. Coordinates appointments with the Dean’s office. Schedules ad hoc Appointments & Promotions Committee and ensures that packets are prepared and distributed in a timely manner.

Prepares tenure write-ups for submission to WashU Board, when required.

Handles public relations for the department. Develops and distributes department newsletter three times per year.

Schedules and plans department events including faculty meetings, retreats, picnics, holiday parties, and annual department photograph.

Serves as a Notary Public for the Department. Co-manages department website along with department IT specialist and maintain electronic displays and updates with departmental announcements, activities, promotions, publications, news releases, grant awards, etc.

Manages space-reporting assignments within the ManageSpace system, including completing annual survey and planning process.

Serves as backup payroll representative. This includes timesheet review, troubleshooting and updating, onboarding new hires, distributing keys, running payroll reports, and entering new hires, terms and transfers.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions

Normal office environment.

Physical Effort

Typically sitting at desk or table.

Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement (PC Typing).

Equipment

Office equipment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Associate degree or combination of education and experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications /Professional Licenses :

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Administrative (7 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

WashU seeks highly motivated individuals who are able to perform duties in a manner consistent with our core mission and guiding principles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
• Certifications /Professional Licenses : No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
• Work Experience: No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.
• Skills: Confidentiality, Deadline Management, Independent Judgment, Multitasking, Oral Communications, Organizational Savvy, Service Oriented, Stress Management, Supervision, Tactfulness, Written Communication
• Grade
• G13