Executive Assistant

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has an end date of January 15, 2027, and offers a comprehensive benefits package.

**Location -** This role is in-person at North Campus, Edmonton.

**Working for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS)**

The Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) provides key support for graduate education and graduate students at the University of Alberta. With central responsibility and oversight for the administration of the U of A's graduate programs, the Faculty oversees student programs for over 8,600 graduate students in 74 academic units, plus assistance for about 600 postdocs.

The Faculty's role is to:
Collaborate with campus partners, aiming to position the university’s graduate and postdoctoral studies as a compelling environment for learning, teaching and personal development in harmony with the university’s vision and mission;
Provide leadership in graduate education, working in creative partnership with Colleges, Faculties, and Departments;
Shape graduate education within the institution, facilitating interdisciplinary education, research and strategic initiatives that engage the university, local and global communities; and,
Provide an exceptional graduate student experience through strategic initiatives in areas including targeted programming for both students and supervisors, internship placements and other professional development opportunities, and support for graduate student mental health and wellness.

**Position Summary**:
The executive assistant supports GPS’s four Associate Deans and acts as backup to the Strategic Initiatives Officer as related to their executive coordination duties. The role is essential to meeting graduate student and postdoctoral scholar needs, as it supports GPS’s Associate Deans, who are responsible for counselling and advising graduate students on their programs and guiding them through challenges. As the Associate Deans substantially contribute to graduate education initiatives, this role will support those functions as well. Since this role often deals with sensitive student cases, projects and work in progress, and private information, a high level of discretion and judgment is required.

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (GPS) are breaking the boundaries of conventional wisdom and pursuing research that tackles our most challenging issues. They’re shaping the future. You can, too.
**Support for GPS Associate Deans (ADs)**

- Calendaring and Schedule Management, including Department Chair Searches and ProDean cases.
- Triages the Associate Dean’s confidential inbox and books appointments for ADs with students; at times, these are time-sensitive. These appointments are often confidential with sensitive issues or situations that require a high degree of professionalism and discretion.
- Prepares student files for meetings and keeps accurate records of student interactions.
- Anticipates and prepares meeting documents, support materials, briefing notes, agendas for meetings in advance; supports the preparation and readiness of the ADs, including taking notes/minutes as required.
- Takes initiative to provide a high level of support for the four GPS Associate Deans and their portfolios and projects, in line with the strategic priorities of the faculty.
- Assists ADs with booking travel and processing expense claims.

**Meeting Support and Event Planning**

- Supports Faculty events, serving as administration and logistics support, and assisting with the setup and execution of events.

**GPS General Office Support**

- Provides backup support for the Central Graduate Advisors to ensure coverage, and maintains a high level of service.
- Triages student and postdoctoral scholar inquiries and requests to the applicable units within GPS (including Admissions, Program Progression, Professional Development, Awards, Fees), and to various campus partners, as applicable.
- Provides executive coordination backup support for the Dean and Vice-Dean when necessary.
- Serves as the first and main point of contact for students and departments during a GPS Academic Appeal and coordinates the complete process, ensuring processes and procedures are followed.
- Orders and sets up computer equipment, and assists with troubleshooting.
- With IST, the coordination of the evergreening process for the faculty.
- Orders and maintains supplies for the faculty.
- Submits and coordinates building maintenance and facilities requests, including acting as the TEMS contact and coordinating building access.
- Special projects and support for the faculty, as appropriate.

- High school diploma and post-secondary training in office administration or a related field.
- Three years of progressive experience in executive administrative roles with recent work within a post-secondary environment or a large organization.
- Proficiency in Google Suite