Executive Assistant Sr Hlth

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant Senior provides high-level, confidential, and complex administrative support to the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and the Chief Department Administrator. This position serves as a key point of contact for the Chair?s Office and works independently to manage executive priorities, coordinate sensitive communications, support departmental committees and initiatives, and ensure effective administrative operations.

This role requires a high degree of professionalism, discretion, initiative, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced academic medicine environment. The Executive Assistant Senior serves as a liaison to faculty, staff, institutional leaders, external partners, and visitors, and is expected to represent the Chair?s Office with tact, diplomacy, and exceptional service.

Responsibilities*

100% Executive Administrative Support

Under general direction, provide advanced executive-level administrative support to the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and the Chief Department Administrator. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Executive Calendar and Priority Management

• Manage complex and frequently changing calendars for the Chair and Chief Department Administrator, including the coordination of high-level meetings, institutional commitments, faculty and leadership meetings, and external engagements.
• Independently assess meeting requests, determine urgency and priority, resolve scheduling conflicts, and redirect requests to appropriate individuals when needed.
• Gather and organize background materials, agendas, briefing documents, and other information needed to support effective meeting preparation and follow-up.
• Coordinate appropriate departmental representation for meetings when the Chair or Chief Department Administrator is unable to attend, as appropriate.
• Anticipate scheduling needs and proactively identify issues that may affect priorities, deadlines, or leadership availability.

Communication and Liaison Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary administrative liaison for the Chair?s Office with faculty, staff, senior leaders, administrative offices, visitors, and external stakeholders.
• Respond to inquiries on behalf of the Chair and Chief Department Administrator as appropriate, exercising sound judgment and discretion.
• Route sensitive or complex matters to the appropriate individual or office and ensure timely follow-up.
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality related to faculty, staff, trainee, patient-related, operational, financial, and strategic matters.
• Represent the Chair?s Office in a professional and service-oriented manner in all communications and interactions.

Committee and Meeting Support

• Provide administrative support for departmental committees, leadership meetings, and special workgroups as assigned.
• Schedule meetings, prepare agendas, collect and distribute materials, attend meetings to record minutes, and prepare final meeting summaries and action items.
• Track follow-up items and assist with ensuring completion of assigned tasks.
• Gather, organize, and prepare data, reports, and materials needed to support committee work and departmental decision-making.

Faculty Recruitment, Visiting Speakers, and Event Coordination

• Assist with coordination of faculty recruitment activities, visiting professor programs, and invited speaker visits.
• Support search committees through scheduling, itinerary preparation, meeting coordination, and communication with candidates, faculty, and institutional partners.
• Coordinate travel arrangements, lodging, reimbursements, hosting documentation, and related logistics in accordance with University and Michigan Medicine policies.
• Oversee processing of P-Card transactions, special forms, approvals, and signature acquisition for the Chair and Chief Department Administrator.
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of administrative processes related to recruitment, travel, hosting, and visitor activities.

Document Preparation and Information Management

• Prepare, edit, and format correspondence, reports, manuscripts, presentations, spreadsheets, meeting materials, and other documents for the Chair and Chief Department Administrator.
• Create and maintain organized electronic and/or paper filing systems for the Office of the Chair.
• Conduct research, gather information, and compile materials for reports, presentations, communications, or special projects as requested.
• Ensure accuracy, professionalism, and consistency of documents produced by or on behalf of the Chair?s Office.

Administrative Operations and Office Coordination

• Work closely with the Department Administrator, senior administrative staff, and other departmental leaders to support priorities of the Chair?s Office.
• Coordinate information flow between the Chair, Chief Department Administrator, faculty, staff, and administrative leadership.
• Meet regularly with the Chair and/or Chief Department Administrator to review priorities, pending matters, deadlines, and upcoming commitments.
• Assist with the overall administrative management of the Chair?s Office, including identifying operational needs, improving office processes, and supporting consistent administrative practices.
• Partner with the Senior Administrative Manager and other leaders regarding office operations, employee concerns, clerical support, onboarding, training, and workflow coordination, as appropriate.
• Within established guidelines, independently plan, organize, prioritize, and complete work assignments with minimal direction.

Departmental Representation and Special Projects

• Attend departmental staff meetings and other meetings as a representative of the Chair?s Office, as assigned.
• Provide input, updates, and follow-up on behalf of the Chair?s Office when appropriate.
• Coordinate and complete special projects, assignments, and initiatives in support of departmental goals.
• Exercise independent judgment in managing deadlines, resolving administrative issues, and escalating matters when appropriate.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree
• At least five years of progressively responsible administrative support experience, preferably in an executive, academic, healthcare, or complex organizational setting.
• Demonstrated ability to provide high-level administrative support to senior leaders.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, initiative, and confidentiality in handling sensitive and complex matters.
• Excellent organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally with faculty, staff, institutional leaders, visitors, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to handle stressful or sensitive situations with tact, diplomacy, and professionalism.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and ability to learn and use University systems.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of a team.
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine policies and procedures related to travel, hosting, recruitment, purchasing, reimbursement, and administrative operations.

Desired Qualifications*

• Experience providing executive-level support in an academic medical center, higher education, healthcare, or similarly complex environment.
• Knowledge of Medical School, Michigan Medicine, and University of Michigan policies and practices related to faculty recruitment, travel, hosting, procurement, and faculty affairs.
• Experience supporting senior faculty, physician leaders, department chairs, or executive leadership.
• Experience coordinating committees, faculty recruitment activities, visiting speakers, events, or leadership meetings.
• Experience with University systems such as Concur, M-Pathways, MiChart, procurement systems, or related administrative tools.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate needs, identify process improvements, and support efficient office operations.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.