Executive Assistant

The Hiring Committee will continue to request additional applicants beyond the Initial Review Date until a successful hire.

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INITIAL REVIEW DATE (IRD)

UC Santa Cruz jobs are posted until filled. All application materials submitted by 11:59 pm on the IRD will be routed to the hiring team for consideration. NOTE: Applicants who miss the IRD are still encouraged to apply; their materials will still be forwarded for consideration if requested by the hiring team. Application materials cannot be accepted outside of the jobs portal. Applications cannot be edited on an applicant's behalf. For more information about the IRD and the applicant review process, view this link. The Hiring Committee will continue to request additional applicants beyond the Initial Review Date until a successful hire.

The IRD for this job is: 06-11-2025

ABOUT UC SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the experience of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university. It's known as an unconventional place where innovation and experimentation is part of the campus's DNA. That playful, bold spirit still thrives today, all on a campus renowned as among the most beautiful in the world.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

Physical Planning, Development & Operations (PPDO) manages and oversees all University activities and services related to physical and environmental planning, design and construction, engineering, physical plant maintenance and operations, capital and space planning, space management, and the associated business services necessary to support these functions. The University's main campus is spread across more than 2,000 acres and includes over 500 buildings comprising more than 8 million square feet. The department includes operating budgets of over $60 million, manages a project portfolio of approximately $990 million, and employs over 400 full-time staff to carry forth the duties necessary for the campus' development and operation.

More information can be found at: https://ppdo.ucsc.edu/

JOB SUMMARY

Under the general direction and oversight of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Physical Planning, Development & Operations (AVC-PPDO), the Executive Assistant provides direct administrative support and executive-level assistance to the AVC-PPDO and the high-profile functions (physical planning, design, construction, engineering, maintenance, and operations) overseen by the AVC-PPDO. Assignments are executed and implemented with a high level of independence, and often impact highly confidential and critical matters of department or campus significance. The Executive Assistant provides executive administrative support to the AVC-PPDO, including calendar management, travel and meeting coordination, department-level communications and marketing, and coordination of department human resources recruitment, retention, and morale-building efforts. The incumbent responds to emerging inquiries, facilitates communication necessary to resolve problems, works closely with PPDO leadership team members and department reports on administration/compliance issues, and provides confidential support for grievances, collective bargaining, strikes, and contract implementation. The Executive Assistant functions with a high level of independence and initiative to manage a complex workload with competing, swiftly shifting priorities and employs diplomacy and advanced communications skills to deal with diverse clientele from within the University and in the public sector. The Executive Assistant provides flexible and positive responses under the ambiguity and pressure of a dynamic environment with frequent interruptions and deadlines.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

Budgeted Salary: $90,000 - $105,000/annually. Salary commensurate with skills, qualifications and experience.
Under California law, the University of California, Santa Cruz is required to post a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. The salary shown above is the budgeted amount the University reasonably expects to pay and the salary extended should not exceed this posted amount.

Benefits Level Eligibility: Full benefits

Schedule Information:

• Full-time, Fixed
• Percentage of Time: 100%, 40 Hours per Week
• Days of the Week: Mon-Fri
• Shift Includes: Day

Employee Classification: Career appointment

Job End Date: None

Work Location: UC Santa Cruz Main Campus

Union Representation: Non-Represented

Job Code Classification: EXEC AST 3 (007384), Grade 20

Travel: Up to 25% of the time

JOB DUTIES

75% - Executive Level Support, Assistance & Meetings

• Manages the AVC-PPDO's complex calendar, including prioritizing and scheduling appointments. Independently determines the importance of requested meetings and coordinates to accommodate needs, ensuring the use of time is highly efficient.
• Supports the PPDO Senior Leadership team in meeting coordination and scheduling, as needed, to support the responsibilities of the AVC-PPDO.
• Prepares detailed daily briefing materials for the AVC before meetings, including direct support for campus committee appointments. Provides pertinent facts, data, and other background information as necessary for meetings, reports, inquiries, agendas, and presentations. Coordinates department meetings and trainings as necessary, including event planning, room reservations, catering, and audio-visual presentation set-up. Provides on-site presence as necessary to coordinate departmental meetings.
• Coordinates workflow, communications, processes, and procedures for all work done in direct support of the AVC. This work is often of a sensitive or confidential nature, including audit responses, settlement actions, signature items, and emergencies relating to campus safety and security.
• Coordinates with the Vice Chancellor FOA (VC FOA) executive assistant and VC FOA on activities involving the AVC in response to current events.
• Coordinates assigned meetings for other PPDO functions based on direction from the AVC-PPDO. This includes supporting complex and critical meetings, providing background information, talking points, and briefing materials for the AVC-PPDO. Drafts and prepares responses to issues where requested. Prepares presentation materials, integrating data available from different units as requested.
• Proactively tracks assignments made to others on the AVC-PDO's behalf and ensures deadlines are met. Reviews and evaluates incoming correspondence and materials, identifies action items, and tracks items from receipt to completion. Independently, or in consultation, directs issues to the appropriate managers for resolution. Advises the AVC-PPDO on the status of action items.
• Exercises independent judgment in bringing information and issues relating to the affairs of the department to the attention of the AVC-PPDO, including political or time-sensitive issues as they occur, current status, actions taken, and when appropriate, anticipates the need to provide background or policy-related information.
• Oversees the AVC-PPDO's general communications, interacting directly on behalf of the AVC-PPDO with the offices of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, Deans, faculty, students, donors, external agencies, and the public.
• Independently analyzes information requests and initiates a wide variety of correspondence and reports for signature/approval on behalf of the AVC-PPDO.
• Participates in the development and implementation of efficient and effective systems for managing information, projects, and communications to ensure accurate and timely responses.
• Makes high-level contacts of a sensitive and/or confidential nature, internally and externally, with discretion and diplomacy. Prepares confidential reports as requested.
• Arranges travel plans for the AVC-PPDO. Prepares travel advances/reimbursements and reconciles expenditures with advances.
• Assists with responses to union grievances for represented employees, researching and providing pertinent facts, data, and background information for reports, inquiries, and meetings.
• Supports the AVC-PPDO and PPDO leadership team as needed with collective bargaining processes, including research, meeting support, and reports that contribute to management positions for collective bargaining.
• Provides executive support as needed for strike response planning.

10% - Administrative Support

• Provides general reception, greeting visitors to the AVC-PPDO's office, and assisting those seeking out PPDO staff.
• Maintains the PPDO business continuity plan, ensuring necessary information is provided for updates. Advises the AVC-PPDO of necessary revisions or structural changes that should be considered.
• Assists the AVC-PPDO with the implementation of employee morale programs and initiatives to increase connectivity, teamwork, understanding, and shared experiences between PPDO units.

10% - Facilities Management

• Coordinates the PPDO Telecommuting Program, ensuring all remote and hybrid workers have valid telecommuting agreements and tracking information in a central location.
• Oversees PPDO's facility spaces, including the coordination of space moves and tracking occupants in spaces.
• Participates in the annual reporting of occupants within PPDO spaces.

5% - Special Projects

• Oversees special projects assigned by the AVC-PPDO.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Excellent business writing skills to manage correspondence, draft concise reports, develop protocols and procedures, and develop communication tools/templates for use by others, including the correct application of grammar, composition, spelling, and punctuation, and the ability to use Microsoft Word and Google Docs at an advanced level.
• Thoroughly developed executive-level administrative support skills, including scheduling and coordinating a complex schedule and designated meetings.
• Strong administrative and analytical skills with the ability to objectively analyze complex information, problems, and processes, formulate conclusions to provide a sound basis for establishing priorities, select appropriate courses of action, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Excellent organizational skills sufficient to handle multiple projects and assignments, with the ability to take initiative and independently prioritize, plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work in situations where numerous, competing demands are involved, and maintain a strong commitment to quality standards.
• Knowledge of human resources, including organizational development, recruitment, retention, and morale-building efforts, with the ability to develop specialized programs, protocols, and procedures, interpret policies, and apply them to situations that arise.
• Ability to accurately gather data and compile written reports and effectively interpret, organize, and present information, ideas, and concepts in written or presentation format. Skills in consultation, collaboration, and facilitation, with the ability to obtain necessary decisions required for implementation.
• Ability to effectively analyze information, problems, situations, practices, and procedures to identify relevant concerns, patterns, tendencies, and relationships and formulate logical and objective conclusions, alternative solutions, and recommendations for improvement or resolution.
• Developed communication and marketing skills to promote the department and develop and maintain websites and social media platforms.
• Excellent spreadsheet skills to manage financial worksheets as well as information logs. Ability to use Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets at an intermediate level.
• Advanced customer service skills with the ability to effectively communicate, resolve issues, and facilitate customer satisfaction and understanding.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality, recognize information of a critical nature or matters of significance, and utilize a high level of discretion when handling such situations.
• Well-developed political acumen and sensitivity to the differing perspectives and political circumstances within all levels of PPDO and the University and external constituencies.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize assignments and independently organize work, demonstrated initiative and follow through to meet deadlines with minimal or no direction, with a high degree of individual initiative and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other departments and individuals within the University as well as serve as a liaison to the campus, outside agencies, and community, where designated.
• Ability to communicate effectively- verbally and in writing- and work harmoniously with a diverse group of individuals directly or indirectly involved with projects and assignments. Work often involves front-line contacts with a variety of individuals requiring active problem-solving and effective interpersonal skills.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere and establishing effective working relationships within a diverse population from various cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic justice, social justice, environmental justice) into all aspects of performing job duties.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working in an institution of higher education.
• Experience as an executive assistant to a high-level executive within a medium to large, complex organization.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Selected candidate will be required to pass a pre-employment criminal history background check.
• Selected candidate must pass the employment misconduct disclosure process.
• Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes but is not limited to employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information and any other sensitive or non-public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded. Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work-related information obtained from any source on any work-related matter is a violation of these expectations.
• Must possess a valid license to drive in the state of California and be able to participate in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) pull notice program.
• Ability to work long periods of time at a computer with or without accommodation.
• The ability to move materials weighing up to 20 lbs. with or without accommodation.
• The selected candidate will be required to work a hybrid work schedule and must be able to work successfully from a home/remote office and fulfill the requirements of the UCSC telecommuting agreement.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as directed.
• Selected candidate will be required to complete training within established time frames as directed including UC compliance training.
• Ability to travel to multiple work locations on and off campus.
• The University of California has implemented a Vaccination Policy covering all employees. Employees, including new hires, are required to comply with any applicable policies relating to the University of California vaccine program.
• Per the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), this position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter. The selected candidate will be required to report known or suspected child abuse or neglect as defined by CANRA and will be required to sign a Statement Acknowledging Requirement to Report Child Abuse prior to commencing employment. CANRA Penal Codes, and related definitions, requirements, and responsibilities may be obtained here.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

a. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

SAFETY STATEMENT

All UCSC employees must understand and follow job safety procedures, attend required health and safety training, proactively promote safety at work, and promptly report actual and potential accidents and injuries.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY

EEO/AA

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other protected categories covered by the UC Anti-Discrimination Policy.

It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.