Senior Administrative Assistant, Office of Student Affairs

Senior Administrative Assistant, Office of Student Affairs

Position Focus

The Senior Administrative Assistant (SAA) provides support for the Dean of Student Affairs, assistant deans, and other student affairs staff. Some responsibilities and projects remain steady from year to year, and others shift or emerge in response to changing needs. This position manages central aspects of first-year matters, student organizations, special events, undergraduate housing, and will also take part in other projects and new initiatives in the department. Working collaboratively as part of a team, the SAA works with colleagues in and across the YCDO, other University departments, students, parents, faculty, and the City of New Haven. The SAA handles confidential information, balances ongoing workflow with time-sensitive and emergent situations, and triages escalation. This position may supervise student employees. The SAA reports to a member of the Student Affairs team who coordinates administrative work across the unit.

Essential Duties

  • Screen and respond to phone calls and emails, determine nature of inquiries and assist or refer callers appropriately, maintain schedules, provide information to deans, assistants, and faculty on student affairs issues. Track and process expenses for student affairs programs.
  • Provide support for all first-year matters, including orientation, the First-Year Counselor program, and pre-orientation programs. Coordinate all aspects for the First-Year Counselor program, including training schedule, communications, expenses, counselor information, answer inquiries. Purchase items and staff the week-long training in mid-August to take care of day to day needs like communication with ITS, distributing items to the counselors, and ensuring food is properly delivered. Prepare publications and communications for first-years. Gather information from individual faculty, students, and departments. Review drafts with the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and make corrections as needed. Oversee first-year website and all electronic communications with the first-year class.
  • Plan and coordinate all logistics associated with keynote Address, Bazaar of Undergraduate Organizations, Class Night, Welcome to New Haven, Safety and Security, Wellness & Support, Information Fair, Old Campus events, and other events during the opening days of college. Serve as principal source of information for first-years, parents, deans, and faculty. Serve as the central administrative contact for move-in day and weekend. Coordinate with the Yale Police and Security, the City of New Haven, the residential colleges, Athletics, Yale Health, Undergraduate Admissions, and the Office of the Registrar. Physically staff move-in events and request permits from the City of New Haven for traffic and street closures.
  • Provide administrative support for all student affairs units (including but not limited to OGCC, CCEs, executive committee, etc.) such as events, meetings, expense management and training. Work closely with other staff to provide coverage of reception, phones and events during peak periods. Respond to emails on behalf of student affairs staff, schedule meetings for staff.
  • Provide support for large campus events such as Spring Fling, Yale/Harvard, Class Day, Commencement, the YSO Halloween Show, and other special events and programs. Some of these require evening or weekend support.
  • Provide administrative support to coordinate housing, with special attention to first-year students, including special accommodations arranged through Student Accessibility Services.
  • Staff student affairs committees, schedule all meetings, including sub-committee meetings, take minutes, and communicate with the committee members.
  • Other duties will be assigned as programs are developed or adapted and to meet the changing needs of a fast-paced environment.

Skills and Abilities

  1. Attention to detail, excellent editing skills, accurate record-keeping. Ability to work independently and under pressure. Demonstrated excellent judgment when handling problems. Experience managing confidential information. Superb interpersonal skills, ability to work with students, faculty, staff and parents in a professional manner on the phone, in person, and electronically.
  2. Experience working in a fast-paced, student/client-focused environment. Experience maintaining a positive attitude while multi-tasking; ability to manage frequent interruptions and stay focused on core tasks. Able to work across units and work with multiple supervisors.
  3. High level of demonstrated computer skills, such as CRM, databases, messaging systems, websites, survey software, and capability to learn new software applications (e.g., Maxient, SalesForce, Banner.) Excellent written and verbal communication skills, generate messages, announcements, reports and emails for students, staff, faculty and families of students.
  4. Ability to work a schedule that is sometimes outside of typical office hours. Must be available mid-July to mid-September and for occasional evening or weekend events during the year. Interest in and ability to take on new assignments as office needs shift and new initiatives and programs are developed, tested and implemented.
  5. Appreciation for the work of the Student Affairs office and a commitment getting the tasks completed in a professional, efficient and highly-collaborative manner and a strong commitment to being part of an inclusive, respectful climate.

Important Note

Finalists for the role should provide samples of written communications and projects. We encourage applicants to review the work of the office, please see