Executive Assistant to the University Registrar

About Queen's University

Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.

We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

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Disclaimer: As part of the application process at Queen's University, our recruitment system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), as defined under the Ontario Employment Standards Act, to ask job-related questions and confirm eligibility for hire. All final hiring decisions are made using non-AI related processes.

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant to the University Registrar (UR) provides comprehensive administrative and executive-level support to ensure the seamless operation of the Office of the University Registrar (OUR). This role encompasses managing complex schedules, coordinating communications, and handling highly confidential and sensitive matters related to finance, human resources, Senate, and Board of Trustees materials.

Key responsibilities include drafting and managing correspondence, preparing meeting materials, and representing the offices on committees, including building and security matters. The role also involves administrative duties such as ordering supplies, booking travel, and coordinating facility needs. Additionally, the Executive Assistant provides guidance to student workers, supports recruitment and onboarding processes, and creates a welcoming and inclusive office environment. In addition, the Executive Assistant provides support to the two Associate Registrar positions.

The position requires exceptional organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills and the ability to maintain discretion and manage competing priorities effectively. The schedule for this position requires the incumbent to work flexible hours and occasionally early mornings and evenings as needed.

Job Description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Executive-Level Support
• Provide executive-level administrative support to the UR through managing, planning, and coordinating diverse activities, performing research and analysis to prepare reports, correspondence or presentations. Support will frequently involve highly confidential and sensitive subjects/issues, including those related to finance, human resources, Senate, and Board of Trustees materials.
• Ensure follow-up and resolution of issues to meet commitments and objectives.
• Manage and coordinate the complex schedules, meetings, and travel arrangements of the UR, ensuring seamless daily operations.
• Prepare briefing documents, presentations, and meeting materials as required.
• Draft and manage correspondence, ensuring timely, accurate, and professional communication with internal and external partners. Serve as the first point of contact and primary liaison between the executives and constituents across the university and external partners.
• Screen, direct, refer and respond to correspondence and inquiries.
• Manage and track multiple streams of communication, ensuring timely, accurate, sensitive and appropriate responses are sent, and inquiries and issues are effectively managed.
• Ensure the timely flow of information, ensuring critical and sensitive matters are prioritized and handled expeditiously based on knowledge and understanding of institutional and divisional priorities and processes, determining when and how to appropriately refer issues/matters to senior members of the Office.

Administrative Operations
• Plan, prioritize, and execute various department-wide projects and initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.
• Conduct research, analyze information, and develop and implement detailed project plans outlining key deliverables, timelines, and progress toward milestones.
• Maintain a knowledge repository for each project and manage communications with participants.
• Compose reports and resolve issues as they arise, referring major concerns as required.
• Participate in administrative planning and development of policies and procedures.
• Ensure documentation of policies and procedures are up to date and communicated effectively within the offices.
• Manage internal and external correspondence for the UR, including drafting sensitive and confidential communications to a wide range of stakeholders.
• Create meeting agendas, draft meeting notes, manage editing, and distribute documents/reports as needed.
• Organize events of various sizes hosted by the Office. Manage logistics, communications and feedback processes, and make recommendations for future improvements.
• Manage access to office areas, including key distribution and security protocols, and represent the offices on the building committee.
• Perform general administrative tasks, such as ordering supplies, managing facility requests, and booking travel.

Leadership and Collaboration
• Provide work direction and guidance to student workers, escalating any performance concerns to management.
• Act as a resource for other team members, offering mentorship and support as needed.
• Represent the offices in committees and forums as directed by the UR.

Human Resources Support
• Liaise with candidates, schedule interviews, support selection panels, and ensure new employees are set up in their workspaces.
• Provide a comprehensive orientation to the office for new hires, including managing the onboarding process, equipment, system and building access, and reviewing training requirements.

Other Responsibilities
• Support content creation for internal and external communications, including website updates and social media posts.
• Represent the division on committees and in forums, as required.
• Ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for all office interactions.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the effective operation of the offices. Undertake other duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• University degree combined with several years of related experience in a senior administrative role, preferably in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated experience effectively managing complex schedules and administrative tasks for an executive-level position within an environment of constantly shifting priorities and deadlines, combined with extensive knowledge of senior level office practices and the ability to anticipate and respond to the needs of senior management.
• Demonstrated experience managing and coordinating projects.
• Knowledge of university organizational structure, policies, procedures, regulations, and post-secondary education-related legislation an asset.
• Satisfactory Criminal Records Check required.
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency with office software (i.e., Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Experience with PeopleSoft, SalesForce, Web Publish, and social media channels, an asset.
• Consideration will be given to a combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:
• Superior interpersonal, organization and time management skills with an ability to plan and coordinate multiple project/work initiatives effectively and within set timelines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to provide clear and accurate information and effectively work with and build collaborative relationships with a diverse group of people, internal and external to the university.
• Excellent intercultural competency to effectively interact with individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
• Strong ability to problem-solve, exercise discretion, and know when to involve others in decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment.
• Capable of maintaining strict confidentiality with an ability to recognize and handle confidential information in an appropriate manner.
• Service-oriented and capable of dealing with a wide variety of constituents in a respectable professional manner.
• Ability to communicate articulately and sensitively in writing, on the phone, and face-to-face with stakeholders, including students, parents, staff, faculty, senior administration and stakeholders, internal and external to the university, who interact with the Office of the University Registrar.
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy with strong analytical, interpretive and problem­ solving skills.
• Advanced administrative skills. Proficient in the use of word processing, spreadsheet, and database and website content management applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, Adobe, PeopleSoft, WebPublish, or online content management systems, etc.) Ability to adapt to the implementation of new technologies and implement new processes to increase productivity.
• Ability to maintain focus and a high level of work performance in a multi-tasking, high p¬ressure intensive office environment with competing demands and frequent interruption.
• Ability to effectively compile and synthesize information from multiple sources to lead, and/or recommend projects or initiatives to improve office/divisional services or operations.
• Ability to self-motivate and take independent initiative, demonstrating excellent judgment and an ability to work within a team environment, and with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated project management skills.

DECISION MAKING:
• Assesses email, phone calls, and mail directed to the University Registrar and triages according to priority and sensitivity, determining what and when to respond on one's own initiative, when to involve the University Registrar or others in the Office.
• Multiple frequent daily decisions regarding the management of the University Registrars’ schedule, assessing urgency, priority, and sensitivity of requests and invitations; using judgment, professionalism and diplomacy to schedule/reschedule appointments in response to unexpected or competing events.
• Sets priorities; decide which project/activity requires the most attention.
• Determines the nature, approach, content and presentation in preparing correspondence, briefing notes, reports, and presentations needed to advise and prepare the University Registrar, determining the best approach in meeting non-negotiable deadlines, including who should be called upon to provide timely supplemental support.
• Identifies and recommends changes to processes and procedures to facilitate effective activities and office and division operations.
• Works closely with office and executive team to ensure appropriate documentation and coordination of office and division activities.
• Prioritizes own work and time, setting schedules to meet deadlines and fulfill responsibilities.
• Gathers and determines what information and/or data is required; ensures strict adherence to timelines by team members.
• Verifies accuracy of information and its distribution, and for sensitive or confidential information, who should receive it, and in what format.
• Assesses the nature of questions or problems and determines when to handle personally and when to involve others. Determine best approach to solve problems and respond to enquiries, professionally and sensitively.

Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized persons, Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ persons. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to those who are legally eligible to work in Canada.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities.