Executive Assistant

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
Under general direction from a college Vice President, performs a variety of highly responsible, complex, and sensitive executive, administrative, analytical, and operational support functions in support of an assigned college Vice President’s Office; serves as a trusted strategic partner in coordinating workflows, analyzing information, and supporting institutional priorities; and provides information and assistance to administration, academic and classified staff, students, and the public.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
An incumbent in this classification independently performs a full range of highly responsible and complex executive support duties and confidential assistance requiring advanced judgment, discretion, and critical thinking, as well as administrative duties, for assigned functions of a college Vice President’s Office. Incumbents proactively manage competing priorities, anticipate needs, and recommend process improvements, receiving instruction or assistance only as new or unusual situations arise, and must be fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit and entire college.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIESThe following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Participate and assist in the administration of a college Vice President’s Office; assist the assigned Vice President in meeting reporting requirements, functional responsibilities, and research objectives; provide complex and responsible executive and confidential support including coordination of sensitive personnel matters, employee relations, student conduct, equity, compliance, and risk-related matters; relieve the assigned Vice President of a wide variety of clerical, technical, and administrative detail; support in organizing functions and activities promoted by the District or college; may assist the Vice President in ensuring the confidentiality, due process, and regulatory compliance across all assigned functions.
• Plan, organize, and optimize executive office operations; coordinate, oversee, and evaluate the flow of work for accuracy, timeliness, and alignment with institutional priorities; analyze workflows and recommend improvements using data, technology,and best practices; maintain and monitor critical timelines, deliverables, and commitments.
• Utilize modern office productivity and collaboration platforms to manage calendars, schedules, communications, and documentation; coordinate and arrange in-person, hybrid, and virtual meetings; coordinate activities with colleges, including other divisions and departments; support travel planning and reimbursement; utilize video conferencing, shared workspaces, and cloud-based tools to support collaboration.
• Participate in the selection, onboarding, and training of classified and academic employees when assigned; assign, schedule, train, and provide work direction to lower-level staff and student workers as assigned; monitor workloads and provide coaching and feedback; prioritize work assignments; review and validate completed work for accuracy; determine the necessity for, and assign, substitute classified and/or academic personnel as needed.
• Collect, research, compile, analyze, verify, summarize, record, and evaluate information; prepare and distribute narrative, statistical, and financial reports; identify and communicate trends, risks, and opportunities in order to inform and/or support leadership decision-making.
• Coordinate and oversee specialized functions or projects independently; apply critical thinking to assess issues, evaluate alternatives, and develop actionable recommendations; ensure projects are completed on time and in compliance with applicable policies and regulations.
• Screen communications and inquiries; respond to sensitive, complex, and confidential matters and requests for information from administrative, management, academic, and/or classified staff and the public; communicate information in person or by telephone where judgment, knowledge, and interpretation of policies and procedures are necessary; exercise diplomacy, judgment, and professionalism in high-stakes interactions.
• Serve as liaison between the Vice President and senior leadership, management staff, academic and classified staff, students, representatives of educational and community agencies, and the public by relaying messages, answering questions, clarifying information, responding to requests, resolving problems, explaining District policies and procedures, or referring callers to the administrator or others, as necessary.
• Ensure Board agenda items and supporting documentation are accurate, complete, and submitted within District timelines and legal requirements and guidelines; assure the administrator receives timely notification of Board requests for information or action; assure that the Board receives information and notification of action taken as requested; track action items and follow-up requests to completion.
• Participate in preparation and administration of program budget(s); assist in preparing cost estimates for budget recommendations; assist in submitting justifications for budget items; allocate funds to proper budget codes; monitor and track expenditures in a timely manner; provide regular budget reports to administrator for control of expenditures; assist in resolving budget issues and problems; process budget/expense transfers; recommend budget revisions.
• Recommend expenditures for office equipment, materials, and supplies and assure their timely ordering, receipt, and storage; assure proper functioning of office equipment; prepare purchase requisitions, check requests, independent contracts, and claimsfor reimbursement of special funds related to assignment; post, monitor, and track invoices and other expenditures; process and prepare timesheets/time entry for approval(s).
• Provide staff support to standing and ad hoc committees and other groups as assigned; attend meetings and record proceedings; prepare and distribute agendas, minutes, and background materials as appropriate.
• Compose correspondence independently; prepare executive-level communication such as preliminary responses to letters, general correspondence, and personal inquiries of a sensitive nature, including faculty, students, and staff grievances and complaints, for administrator’s approval.
• Create, edit, and distribute digital and print correspondence, notices, lists, forms, memoranda, and other materials according to established procedures, policies, and standards.
• Establish and maintain secure, digital, and integrated information management systems including confidential records; establish and maintain files for information, records, and reports involving classified, academic, and administrative payroll and attendance, budget, production and cost records, inventory, manuals, and updated resource materials; maintain records related to the specific area of assignment; ensure records retention and data privacy requirements are met.
• Receive mail; identify and refer matters to the administrator in order of priority.
• Utilize various computer applications and software packages; maintain and generate reports from a database or network system; recommend changes to and update college web pages.
• Use standard office and digital tools including computers, mobile devices, multifunction printers, and collaboration technologies such as Teams and similar platforms.
• Interact with the community, external agencies, South Orange County Community College District, Irvine Valley College, and Saddleback College’s administrators, divisions, departments, faculty, staff, and students in all matters related to the area of assignment; interpret and apply policies and procedures and process sensitive complaints and requests for information.
• When assigned to provide support to an instructional division: assure the development, proofreading, and submittal of the schedule of classes; direct the process for development of new course/curriculum and/or program offerings and assure that current programs are kept up-to-date; assure the management and coordination of use of facilities assigned to the division; assure that grades and attendance records are audited and submitted in accordance with guidelines and time schedules to meet established deadlines.
• Perform related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONSThe following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of the functions, programs, and operations of the assigned Vice President’s Office.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations including applicable sections of the State Education Code and other legal and compliance requirements related to area of assignment.
• Instructional process and college environment.
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
• Work organization and office management principles and practices.
• Processes, procedures, and practices of budget preparation and administration.
• Principles, practices, and procedures of business letter writing.
• Principles and procedures used in complex, interrelated record keeping.
• Principles and practices used to establish and maintain files and information retrieval systems.
• Principles, practices, and procedures of complex fiscal, statistical, and administrative research and report preparation.
• Statistical procedures and mathematical concepts.
• Principles and techniques used in public relations including methods and techniques of proper receptionist and telephone etiquette.
• Principles and practices of providing training, work direction, and guidance to lower-level office staff and student workers.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Modern executive office operations, business processes, and enterprise technology ecosystems.
• Data analysis, reporting, and information synthesis techniques.
• Budget preparation, monitoring, and financial reporting principles.
• Digital records management, data privacy, and information security practices.
• Professional communication, document production, and presentation standards.

Ability to:

• Understand, interpret, and apply administrative and office policies and procedures as well as pertinent laws, regulations, and ordinances.
• Understand the organization and operation of the assigned Vice President’s Office as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Oversee and participate in the management of the administrative functions and operations of the assigned office.
• Establish, review, and revise office work priorities.
• Use sound judgment in recognizing scope of authority.
• Respond to requests and inquiries from students, staff, or the public; effectively present information in person or on the telephone to students, staff, or the public.
• Type or enter data at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Take and transcribe dictation, if required by the position, at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Use correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.
• Participate in the preparation and administration of assigned budgets.
• Research, compile, analyze, and interpret data.
• Prepare a variety of clear and concise administrative and financial reports.
• Implement and maintain filing systems.
• Independently compose and prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Plan, schedule, direct, coordinate, and review the work and performance of assigned staff in a manner conducive to proficient performance and high morale.
• Work within the policies, functions, and requirements of the area of assignment.
• Work independently and effectively in the absence of supervision.
• Work with and exhibit sensitivity to and understanding of the varied racial, ethnic, cultural, sexual orientation, academic, socio-economic, and disabled populations of community college students.
• Perform complex executive support duties requiring independent judgment, personal initiative, analytical reasoning, and discretion.
• Analyze problems, evaluate alternatives, assess risk, and recommend solutions.
• Communicate clearly and persuasively in writing and verbally with diverse stakeholders.
• Use advanced office software (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, databases, collaboration platforms, and reporting tools).
• Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions.
• Adapt to evolving technology and continuously learn new systems and tools.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across the institution.
• Attend and participate in trainings, meetings, workshops, and conferences; learn new state and federal laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to area of assignment; participate in the development of new/revised procedures to accommodate changes; attend and participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings and events; maintain compliance with online coursework and other mandatory trainings and certifications as directed by supervisor.
• Report to work on a regular and consistent basis, as scheduled, to assigned job.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINESAny combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: Equivalent to two years of college-level coursework in public administration, business administration, or a related field.

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible experience as an administrative assistant or office coordinator, preferably in an administrative or executive office of a public agency or in an educational environment, including two years of experience in a lead or supervisory capacity.

License or Certificate: A valid California driver’s license and proof of insurability may be required for some positions to drive a District or personal vehicle to attend meetings or pick up/deliver documents or other materials.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENTThe conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Working Environment: Work is performed primarily in a standard office setting. Duties are typically performed at a desk or computer terminal; subject to noise from office equipment operation; frequent interruptions and contact in person and on the telephone with students, academic and classified staff, and others. At least minimal environmental controls are in place to ensure health and comfort.

Physical Demands: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; to verbally communicate to exchange information; and to occasionally travel to other offices or locations to attend meetings or to pick up or deliver materials.
Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction. Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Range 133 of the CSEA Salary Schedule

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00AM - 5:00PM) - Schedule and shift are subject to change in accordance with the department's needs.

Required Documents: Resume and Cover Letter

Applications missing the required documents will not be considered.

Hours per Week: 40

Months per Year: 12