Executive Assistant
Position Overview
The Executive Assistant to the Dean of the KU Edwards Campus and School of Professional Studies (SPS) serves as principal assistant to the Dean. Reporting to the Chief of Staff at the Edward’s Campus, the Executive Assistant advocates and promotes the Edwards Campus agenda, working closely with their counterparts on the Lawrence and Medical Center campuses to ensure open communication and progress on issues that affect the Edwards Campus and the entire university. The Executive Assistant keeps in close and regular contact with the Dean to stay abreast of evolving issues and concerns, enabling the Executive Assistant to make independent decisions about the Dean’s schedule and priorities. The Executive Assistant assists the Dean with priorities by overseeing/ managing the allocation of time and effort, the preparation and oversight of background materials, and the strategic scheduling of meetings, speeches, and interactions with external constituencies.
About Edwards Campus:
The mission of the KU Edwards Campus (located in Overland Park, KS) is to bring high-quality education programs to serve a vast range of workforce, economic, and community needs with a particular focus on the KC region. We provide lifelong education programs, research activities, and entrepreneurial initiatives that address present and future workforce needs and important community and state-wide problems.
KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options, and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities.
Tuition assistance offers up to 12 credit hours per year for employees and Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance Scholarship (EDTAS) award opportunities! Details and additional KU Benefits information are available at: Tuition Assistance | KU Benefits
KU’s excellence results from the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard, and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.
The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
About Edwards Campus:
The mission of the KU Edwards Campus (located in Overland Park, KS) is to bring high-quality education programs to serve a vast range of workforce, economic, and community needs with a particular focus on the KC region. We provide lifelong education programs, research activities, and entrepreneurial initiatives that address present and future workforce needs and important community and state-wide problems.
KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 96 hours of sick leave earned per year, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options, and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities.
Tuition assistance offers up to 12 credit hours per year for employees and Employee Dependent Tuition Assistance Scholarship (EDTAS) award opportunities! Details and additional KU Benefits information are available at: Tuition Assistance | KU Benefits
KU’s excellence results from the rich tapestry of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds of our faculty, staff, students, and colleagues from across our nation and the globe. At KU, we invest in continuous learning and growth by creating a climate where people engage in respectful dialogue and debate and support each other’s success. We foster a culture of care where each person is seen, heard, and valued. When people feel a true sense of belonging, we believe they are better able to reach their full potential and achieve remarkable things.
The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the U.S. by the effective date of the appointment.
Job Description
30%
20%
15%
5%
5%
5%
Maintains the Dean’s schedule and is the front-line person for access to the Dean. The employee must work independently and has frequent interactions with internal and external constituencies of the Edwards Campus and SPS. Manages all aspects of travel arrangements and processes reimbursements for Dean/Vice Provost.
20%
Drafts correspondence for the Dean, refers email to Dean’s staff to reply as needed, and responds directly to issues about which they are knowledgeable. In general, the Executive Assistant is aware of all significant incoming or outgoing correspondence. Monitors email, keeping in mind priorities and calling attention to items that need immediate handling, and tracking those items that can be postponed.
15%
Responsible for the coordination of the leadership and advisory board groups, including agenda setting, tracking of accomplishments and metrics. Coordinates appointments to Edwards Campus committees and serves as staff to advisory committees.
10%
10% 10%
Briefs the Dean regularly on emerging issues and ensures the Dean is sufficiently briefed prior to and following meetings. Prepares agendas for a variety of committees and task forces that involve the Dean, keeping in mind campus priorities.
Performs background research, and works closely with communications, marketing, and other relevant staff to prepare talking points and edits or oversees the writing of speeches.
5%
In conjunction with other Edward’s Campus staff, assists in overseeing front desk operations of Admin suite; including, but not limited to, supply ordering, and supervision of front desk employees.
5%
Ensures that all appropriate correspondence, forms, and documentation are saved and filed per campus and university policy.
5%
Handles special projects and assignments from the Dean, as needed.
Position Requirements
- This position will be located at the Edward’s Campus in Overland Park, KS.
- This position is expected to be on-site 5 days a week for the beginning of the position to ensure training and collaboration needs are met. Limited hybrid schedule will be considered following successful completion of review period.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and seven years of office experience, including experience in an executive office OR High School diploma or GED equivalency and 10 years of office experience, including experience in an executive office.
- Experience or education with project management and the ability to handle multiple projects at once as evidenced by application materials.
- Excellent interpersonal and oral communications skills as well as editorial and written communication skills as evidenced by application materials, professional background, or reference calls.
- Three years' experience with common office software (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word)
- Two years’ experience handling sensitive matters responsibly and with discretion.
- Two years’ experience making independent decisions and handling tasks with minimal supervision.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience providing administrative support to top leaders in higher education, as evidenced in application materials.
- Knowledge of the University of Kansas structure, organization, and administration, as evidenced in application materials.
- Experience overseeing front desk of an administrative office, ensuring exceptional customer service to visitors, student, faculty, and staff.
- Professional experience coordinating travel plans and processing requisitions in a travel software, as evidenced in application materials.
Additional Candidate Instructions
In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:
Application review begins March 24, 2025 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.
- A cover letter addressing how required and preferred qualifications are met.
- Resume or curriculum vitae.
- Contact information for three professional references.
Application review begins March 24, 2025 and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.
Contact Information to Applicants
Kathy Buso Healy -kbusohealy@ku.edu
Advertised Salary Range
60,000-65,000
Work Schedule
Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm
Application Review Begins
Monday March 24, 2025
Anticipated Start Date
Monday April 14, 2025