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Senior Administrative Assistant:
Public Service Center and SLP Communications

Overview
Under minimal supervision, performs complex and diverse duties in support of Student Life Programs, with a primary focus on the Public Service Center. Provides advanced administrative support for multiple programs and projects. Anticipates and initiates actions regarding office operations which require knowledge of the Institute and other departments. May function as a high-level individual contributor or coordinator of multiple projects.

Job Responsibilities and Requirements
SLP Publicity Coordination, including the Public Service Center – 35%

• Interviews, hires, selects, trains, and supervises student creative assistants and webmasters. Delegates work to and follows up on work of student staff. Reviews design work at key stages.
• Together with the student creative assistants and webmasters, provides coordination to overall SLP marketing and communications efforts, including bulletin boards, websites, bi-weekly Infinite Corridor slides, Tech Ads, press releases, posters, brochures, and other publicity opportunities. Coordinates and manages a system of requests from SLP staff and submits recommended priority lists to supervisor and/or other Assistant Deans.
• Often drafts material from scratch and/or delegates the writing of material to students or other departmental staff. Uses desktop publishing for creating drafts of work-area publications. Interfaces with Publishing Services Bureau and other vendors and services, both internal and external. Audits work of others for accuracy, ensuring some consistency among SLP communications efforts.

PSC Customer Service and Office Management – 20%

• Resolves more complex problems in a thorough and timely manner; uses discretion and knows who to go to in order to resolve issues and complete tasks. Requires analysis and interpretation of a variety of situations and determination of appropriate course of an action. Resolution requires developing approaches based on understanding of precedents and past practices.
• Responds to inquiries requiring an in-depth understanding of work-area policies and procedures, as well as details related to local and international service opportunities. Takes ownership of inquiries by providing explanations and instructions. Ensures inquiries are addressed and resolved. Trains and supports student outreach program coordinators on general reception and customer service issues. Provides explanations and instructions, triages clients and visitors.
• Monitors office supply inventory and office equipment and submits requests to Administrative Assistant for Student Activities and SLP Office Management for orders and/or required service.
• Identifies the need for and creates filing systems and monitors efficiency.

PSC Program Coordination Assistance - 20%

• Plans and coordinates high-profile events with time lines that range from weeks to months in advance. Occasionally creates such events from scratch. This includes invitations developed with designer and preparation/development of tentative guest lists. Takes responsibility for all logistics for such events and programs. May represent Center at programs. For example, supervises student coordinator for Science Expo that requires communication with local schools.
• Advises student program coordinators and other members of the MIT community on Institute policies and procedures related to planning and organizing community service activities, particularly when minors will be participating.
• As a member of the Public Service Center staff, is available to support various office programs. The Center has a system of two dozen student staff responsible for the coordination of various service outreach programs; Assistant is available to support and advise the student coordinators in the daily management of their programs. Helps them think through problems, be resourceful, and develop effective and safe programs, under the direction of the Assistant Director, PSC.
• Provides front-office coordination for grant and other application programs. Receives applications, reviews to ensure applications are complete, and organizes for review by selection committees and other staff. Answers inquiries related to these programs, which include various fellowships and summer housing grants.

PSC Donor & Grant Management Assistance – 10%

• Create and maintains a comprehensive database of friends and donors of the MIT Public Service Center.
• Creates and updates information packets and brochures aimed at highlighting aspects of the PSC of interest to donors and friends. Composes and edits donor acknowledgement letters for final review by Assistant Dean. Assists Assistant Dean in composing and organizing grant applications, requiring research and information gathering from multiple sources.
• Serves as a member of the PSC Donor and Grant Management team, along with the Assistant Dean and staff from DSL Financial Services.

General Support for PSC Assistant Dean – 15%

• Under general supervision, provides secretarial and administrative assistant support for Assistant Dean. Responsible for typing, editing, and proofing promotional content and other correspondence. Assists Assistant Dean in calendar maintenance and duplicating and distributing materials.
• Maintains budget accounting records for the Public Service Center. Serves as a liaison between the Division of Student Life Financial Services Team and the PSC, ensuring that the Financial Services Team is delivering effective and efficient financial support to the Center.
• Performs other related duties as required, including work performed at lower levels, when necessary.

Supervision Received
Receives minimal supervision from Assistant Dean, Public Service Center.

Supervision Exercised
Trains and supervises student staff.

Qualifications
Associate/Bachelors degree or a combination of equivalent education, and at least seven years of secretarial, office, or related experience required. Some experience in service and/or volunteer organizations a plus. Requires thorough understanding of own work and how it impacts operations outside own work unit, particularly as it relates to helping MIT to effectively interface with local and international service agencies. Ability to recognize needs of unit and how it impacts other areas at MIT and understand own role relative to all areas. Advanced and varied computer software skills required, including desktop publishing. Knowledge of and/or ability to learn graphic design and web editing software. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in order to represent the work area and the larger MIT community.

Descriptors

Collaboration:
Collaborates with team; shares relevant information with those who may be affected by decisions. Participates in formal or informal group problem solving for immediate issues. Identifies and resolves issues in own work group. Assists with issues that impact other areas.

Communication Effectiveness:
Communicates, interprets and trains others on departmental policies. Develops internal procedures. Conveys complex information to others and takes steps to ensure understanding. Shares information in a clear and concise manner. Tailors communication to different audiences.

Decision Making:
Decision making guided by varied and less defined instructions and practices requiring broader interpretation. Automatically makes decisions on issues and priorities for own work area. Makes recommendations to solve and resolve complex problems.

Influence and Leading:
Provides guidance and leadership in non-routine tasks, particularly as it relates to advising the SLP staff on the development of effective communications and/or student outreach coordinators in developing effective service programs. Ensures that others comply with established standards. Disseminates appropriate information gained from attending professional development opportunities at MIT.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving:
Through in-depth information gathering and a high level of analysis, identifies problems and develops solutions to highly complex problems. Prioritizes work, taking into account own work area and needs of larger work area and other deadlines.

Responsibility and Accountability:
Work affects multiple units. Determines and may develop departmental procedures and recommends changes to work area processes. Work is reviewed at final stage. Accountable for the end product of own work as well as work of others; however, is not responsible for performance of others.