Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications
About SMU
SMU’s more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University’s small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.
SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.
Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU’s relationship with Dallas – the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions – offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.
SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.
About the Department:
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) serves the SMU community with technology solutions that promote research and teaching, inspire innovation, and enable excellence. OIT's strategic plan aligns with five key areas: technology, research, teaching, innovation, and excellence. These areas represent what we do and how we provide our services. Within OIT, we create and maintain shared campus solutions as a unified, high-performance team of technology professionals. Throughout the University, we partner, communicate, and coordinate to meet the needs of SMU.
About the Position:
This role is an on-campus, in-person position.
The Executive Assistant provides a wide range of executive administrative support to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the CIO’s Leadership Team. This position exercises independent initiative, judgment and discretion with respect to supporting the daily operations of the Office of Information Technology. The EA has sole responsibility for calendaring for the CIO, coordinates OIT leadership, supports internal and external communication, maintains records, coordinates with other SMU EAs, makes travel arrangements, prepares expense reports, updates departmental procedures, orders supplies, processes invoice payments, maintains websites, and supports special events organized by OIT. Supervises temporary personnel as needed. Performs related work as required.
Essential Functions:
Provide confidential administrative support and serve as primary administrator for the Office of the CIO. Craft and send correspondence on the CIO’s behalf. Manage the CIO’s calendar, including scheduling meetings and appointments. Record minutes and share meeting materials, as needed. Monitor and respond promptly and accurately to inquiries and action items.
Review matters sent to and from the CIO. Oversee incoming correspondence and requests for the CIO’s attention. Route problems and correspondence to other staff members as appropriate. Answer and respond to phone calls to the CIO. Serve as primary administrative delegate on the CIO’s Concur expense account, preparing expense reports and making travel arrangements on the CIO's behalf.
Act as liaison to all other departments, faculty, staff and students, as well as outside vendors and other universities. Receive and screen visitors using judgment and hospitable attitude. Participate in University committees and projects. Plan and coordinate special events for OIT.
Provide assistance to other OIT staff on operational issues such as personnel policies, purchasing, record keeping, training, and software usage. Maintain and monitor timelines for action items, issue reminders when necessary and collate information into reports. Help interpret policies and implement procedures of day-to-day operations. Maintain OIT service awards.
Perform a variety of financial support duties including purchasing office supplies, equipment, and furniture. Process bills and invoices for payment. Prepare and transmit a variety of financial documents and maintain records of financial transactions. Authorize expenditures to the prescribed limit. Manage the processing IT related contracts, including the routing, imaging, approvals and renewals.
Oversee and ensure that the office administrative functions are effectively performed. Perform complex or specialized office support work requiring independent judgment. Prepare correspondence, reports, forms, vouchers, work orders, and specialized documents independently. Proofread materials for accuracy, completeness, compliance with policies, formatting, and correct grammar.
Identify, develop and implement strategies to improve office function, particularly with the use of technology. Manage relevant OIT internal listservs as needed. Manage OIT website for consistency and accuracy. Create Docusign workflows for approvals.
Provide administrative support for the Associate CIOs such as scheduling larger meetings, coordinating communications and logistics for hosting external visitors, and assisting with the creation of presentation materials. Provide support during the onboarding and offboarding process for employees and help create and maintain an OIT administrative manual.
Hire and supervise student workers to support administrative functions.
Other duties as assigned.
Deadline to Apply:
Priority consideration may be given to those submissions received by February 4, 2025.
Deadline to apply: February 18, 2025
EEO Statement:
SMU will not discriminate in any program or activity on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. The Executive Director for Access and Equity/Title IX Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies and may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, accessequity@smu.edu.
Benefits:
SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.
SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.
Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five (5) years of experience is required or equivalent combination of education and experience, may be considered.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Candidate with administrative and office management experience using technology is required. Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills. Candidate must also possess the ability to perform well under pressure.
Candidate must demonstrate the capability to excel in a fast-paced, high energy, team environment. and ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships. Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational, planning and time management skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite is required. Candidate with experience with SharePoint, SiteCore and Generative AI is preferred.