Executive Assistant, Research Development, Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

1d•$75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The mission of the Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors (OVPR) is to foster the expansion of the scale, quality, and impact of scholarly endeavors at UT Austin. We are committed to building capacity, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and lowering the barriers and burden involved in scientific and creative inquiry through the development of an investigator-focused infrastructure that supports the needs of UT Austin's research enterprise. UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes: 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage Retirement contributions Paid vacation and sick time Paid holidays Eligible for hybrid telework Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered. Purpose Support the Deputy Vice President for Research (DVPR) with leadership, resource management, staff and program development for the Research Development (RD) portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of administrative work experience including 2 years at the Administrative Associate or Senior Administrative Associate level.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
Demonstrated ability to work efficiently and adapt flexibly in a fast-paced environment.
Exceptional organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills.
Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
Strong written and verbal communication skills with a high level of attention to detail.
Consistently demonstrates reliability and professionalism.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

More than the required years of experience.
Demonstrated experience managing Microsoft SharePoint and OneNote solutions for business teams.
Prior experience providing direct support to executive- or director-level leadership.
Working knowledge of university operations and the academic research enterprise.
Proven ability to identify issues and implement effective, timely solutions.
Familiarity with UT Austin policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Manage a complex schedule for the Deputy Vice President for Research (DVPR) with fluid reprioritizations that will often require independent decision-making.
Schedule appointments and meetings, coordinate resources and assemble appropriate reference and back-up material for all meetings. Arrange room reservations, catering, and all other necessary logistical details. Schedule, prepare agendas, and send reminders for weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly RD team meetings.
Coordinate travel arrangements for the DVPR and DVPR’s invited visitors. Develop itineraries, book flights, handle arrangements with drivers or cars, reserve meeting facilities, hotel arrangements, and other necessary arrangements. Manage and process reimbursements. Handle purchasing and reimbursement requests for team member travel and professional development.
Support Research Development team with supervision, staffing and task management of RD Administrative Assistant and RD Student Associates. Recruit, onboard, provide guidance, assign tasks, and ensure completion of assigned work. Ensure students have submitted timesheets and approve all on a weekly basis. Provide back-up on tasks and temporarily backfill business or operations needs in the RD portfolio in the event of staffing lapses.
Indirectly supervise other full-time and part-time staff within areas of responsibility, by helping to engage, influence, and provide mentorship to ensure accountability and adherence to the highest standards. Maintain broad organizational perspective of Research Development. Support the DVPR with the leadership, resource management, staff and program development for the Research Development portfolio.
Research and analyze issues, develop options, and recommend a course of action to DVPR to make decisions related to the coordination of services, process improvements, policies and procedures, space needs and staffing issues. Perform high level administrative duties such as managing office projects using task lists, including creating, designing and implementing processes and procedures utilizing current technology. Maintain accurate and professional correspondence logs, files, information databases, and other tracking systems as necessary. Prepare routine, well-written correspondence for distribution and prepare correspondence on behalf of the Research Development team. Document decisions made within the portfolio regarding target objectives for service to the campus research community, programming developed to meet those objectives, and resources needed to execute said programming.
Work with OVPR Finance team to anticipate and forecast needs related to staffing, supplies, equipment, and special initiatives that impact RD as a whole. Create a high performance and team-oriented culture by monitoring team members’ progress through action items in recurring meetings, encouraging self-management and agile methodologies among team members. Plan and execute professional development group trainings and team-building events, as well as regular opportunities to recognize and reward team members’ contributions. Support managers with onboarding new RD team members by providing resources relevant to the field of Research Development and its scope within UT.
Provide oversight for flow of communication; monitor calls; ensure that fast-paced office is organized and that all critical areas are covered; plan for contingencies and anticipate potential problems. Ensure overall success of the Research Development portfolio by performing other duties as assigned.