Executive Assistant

**Executive Assistant**:
**Primary Purpose**: The Executive Assistant will provide confidential, high-level, professional, strategic, and administrative backing for the Dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. The Executive Assistant will be the ambassador for the Dean’s Office and expertly manage, triage, and refer a broad spectrum of issues across all levels of the College and campus as appropriate. This role also involves strategic management of the Dean’s initiatives and priorities, along with event planning, communications work, and the role of WCVM Awards Officer.

**Nature of Work**: Reporting to the Dean, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, this position works in a team oriented, high-volume office characterized by multiple and competing demands and strict deadlines. The work is both challenging and rewarding and the environment is one of continuous change, shifting priorities, and frequent interruptions. The ability to multi-task and flexibility are required. Absolute discretion is required as the position is privy to and works with highly sensitive and confidential information. Discretionary decision making is required, and judgment is used to determine the appropriate courses of action, guidelines, and procedures. The impact of error is high, and the position is responsible for ensuring day-to-day work and long-term projects are completed accurately. This position must establish and maintain professional relationships both internal and external to the college and university; a positive, professional, and customer-focused attitude is essential when dealing with college faculty and staff, provincial and federal government departments, industry groups, veterinary associations and other external stakeholders. A commitment to teamwork and positivity is essential, along with the ability to create and nurture positive working relationships.

**Accountabilities**:
**Executive Assistance to the Dean**
- Provides executive-level strategic and administrative assistance to the Dean, WCVM, ensuring they are fully prepared and briefed for all commitments
- Coordinates the Dean’s travel, including flight bookings, itineraries, accommodations, agendas, and processing of subsequent expense claims
- Manages the Dean’s fluctuating calendar and schedules meetings ensuring the Dean’s time management is properly handled
- Provides effective coordination and organization for the WCVM Executive Committee, WCVM Funders Council, WCVM Committee on Indigenous Engagement, the annual WCVM Advisory Council meetings, and any other meetings as initiated by the Dean
- Maintains documentation for the yearly WCVM accreditation interim report and organizes and administrates the mandatory AVMA/CVMA accreditation site visits (every seven years)
- Manages all Dean’s office documentation, files, and college archives (both electronic and hard copy) ensuring proper record management.
- Prepares official college and Dean’s office correspondence and presentations as required including drafting and editing ensuring documentation is handled efficiently, accurately, and confidentially
- Acts as a resource on University and WCVM policies and procedures and ensures all work in the Dean’s Office is compliant with those policies
- Supervises a casual employee who cares for the abundant vegetation in various areas of the college
- Manages the rabies vaccination program for faculty and staff in the Dean’s Office and oversees the rabies vaccination program for all WCVM departments.
- Ensures sound advice and knowledge is conveyed to department heads and department administration as required and acts as a liaison between the Dean’s Office and department administration
- Effectively and professionally represents the Dean’s Office in all contacts ensuring the right tone and interest are projected, dealing with issues and concerns, and solving or referring problems as they arise
- Ensures college priorities and plans are kept in focus within the Dean’s Office, and takes appropriate actions and steps to move plans forward and ensure deadlines are met
- Provides administrative backing to college committees and working groups
- Works closely with the Manager, Faculty Services, providing backup for WCVM collegial processes
- Exercises initiative to move beyond completion of assigned tasks and duties and plans for future changes and needs
- Assists WCVM Senior Leadership on special projects as needed

**Event Planning**
- Responsible for organizing Dean’s Office and College-wide events including Town Halls, BBQs, employee appreciation lunches, holiday gatherings, and any other events stemming out of the Dean’s Office.

**Communications**
- Collaborates with the WCVM Communications team on communication projects for and by the Dean and on events and initiatives of the college ensuring professionalism and organization Provides college-wide and stakeholder communications on behalf of the Dean, drafts internal and external communications
- Administ