Department

Law Dean's Office Support

About the Department

The University of Chicago Law School occupies a unique niche among this country's premier law schools. Located on a residential campus in one of America's great cities, UChicago Law offers a rigorous and interdisciplinary professional education that blends the study of law with the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. Students, faculty, and staff form a small, tightly knit community devoted to the life of the mind.

Job Summary

The Law School seeks an experienced Executive and Administrative Assistant to support the Dean. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Executive and Administrative Assistant is expected to independently and confidentially manage multiple administrative tasks and projects with competing priorities and deadlines. The Executive and Administrative Assistant provides advanced critical support to the functioning and operations of the Law School.

A strong candidate will be driven to perform all duties of the office with excellence and an absolute attention to detail. The position requires someone inherently organized that creates order for others with ease. Strong emotional intelligence and initiative is needed to proactively intuit needs and anticipate every eventuality. The primary focus of this position is to ensure that every need of the Dean is attended to and their schedule, meetings, travel and all events occur seamlessly. This position requires a high degree of diplomacy to maintain positive relationships with the senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, and external parties who interact with the Dean’s office. A strong candidate will be proactive, flexible, resourceful and thorough.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with Dean’s Office team on a wide range of shifting priorities, projects, and tasks in support of the Dean. Coordinates special projects on a regular basis or as assigned.

• Effectively and professionally communicates with a broad range of individuals internal as well as external to the University. Facilitates communications with and disseminates information to faculty, students, and staff within the Law School.

• Ensures accuracy in the preparation or review of written materials, including Power Point presentations, proposals, charts, and other correspondence and special projects. Initiates correspondence and other written materials under own signature or for signature of the Dean.

• Updates and maintains Dean’s CV, publication/bio sketch, and other information, as requested.

• Triages emails and calls to the appropriate contact person, including follow ups as needed to ensure complete and timely responses.

• Exercises a tailored approach and sound judgment to interpret and communicate office policies and procedures, including unique situations.

• Regularly monitors and standardizes procedures to improve the efficiency of the Dean's office. Supports the development and improvement of Dean’s Office policies and procedures.

• Leverages excellent customer service and problem solving skills to resolve routine and complex inquiries. Receives and investigates issues or questions needing a response from the Dean.

• Works closely with the Associate Dean for Administration on administrative and operational department tasks, including administrative items related to faculty recruitment.

• Coordinates information flow between Dean’s Office and University departments and units. Stays informed of activities relating to University programs and initiatives, apprising the leader of issues when deemed necessary.

• Exercises independent judgment, operates at all times with a high level of discretion, and maintains confidentiality across a wide range of issues and items.

• May assist with management of a portion of the leader's budget, monitoring and reconciling accounts. Prepares financial and/or administrative reports.

• Provides high-level administrative support for a Dean or Officer of the University. Proactively relieves the Dean or Officer of as much administrative detail as possible by efficiently and independently performing all duties. Manages the daily operations of the office, maintain files and processes mail for their executive. Drafts, edits, and prepares presentations and communications ensuring their executive is prepared with meetings materials and presentations, pertinent information and/or statistics.

• Maintains the Dean or Officer’s complex and extremely active calendar and logistical needs, exercising considerable discretion and judgment as to priorities and effective use of the executive’s time. Confirms all meetings, necessary materials, and meeting locations in advance. Reviews upcoming meetings and events weekly with their executive. Arranges complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 10+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred.

Experience:

• Proven experience directly serving the administrative needs of an executive or senior leader.

• Professional experience proofreading and editing executive communications.

• Must be result-oriented, have a high standard of excellence, exceptional planning, execution, strong analytical and judgment skills, and an outstanding commitment and proven ability to advancing an organization's priorities.   

• Must be a resourceful, proactive, service-minded multitasker and problem-solver.

• Experience working in an academic unit and/or complex research university environment.

• Experience working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

• Familiarity with University of Chicago or higher education institutions.

Preferred Competencies

• High level of collegiality in working with faculty, departmental and university administrators.

• Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Demonstrated time-management, proactive approach to problem-solving, organization and coordination skills to handle multiple, concurrent tasks with deadlines.

• Excellent interpersonal skills including outstanding judgment, discretion, a strong ethical approach to decision-making and a demonstrated ability to resolve conflicts fairly and diplomatically, and ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Ability to work independently, take direction, and achieve consensus.

• Ability to handle public contacts with courtesy, clarity, and diplomacy.

• Ability to maintain calm and courteous demeanor and to work productively and efficiently despite heavy workload, competing priorities, constant interruptions, complex problems, and tight deadlines.

Working Conditions

• This position is required to work onsite 5 days per week, Monday through Friday.

• Occasional extended work hours, evening work, work on short notice, and some weekend days.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

• Cover letter (required)

• Writing sample (required)

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

​
FLSA Status

Exempt

​
Pay Range

$85,000.00 - $105,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.