Executive Assistant to the President
Bennington College
Job Type: Full Time
Location: Bennington, Vermont, United States
Bennington College seeks a highly organized, professional Executive Assistant to the President to provide administrative support directly to a dynamic and ambitious President and her Office more broadly. As a critical member of the administrative support team, the executive assistant manages the schedule and supports the work and leadership of the President of the college, ensuring efficient and productive use of the president’s time. In addition, the executive assistant supports the Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, and the operations of the Office of the President more broadly. The executive assistant reports directly to the Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategic Initiatives within the Office of the President, and works in close collaboration with other team members of the Office of the President, as well as colleagues across the college.
The executive assistant must be an effective communicator, an adept and tactical scheduler, and an agile multi-tasker. The top candidate must have an ability to handle sensitive and confidential information, prioritize competing work and deadlines, and produce highly accurate work. The assistant must be incredibly nimble and able to successfully navigate and thrive in a fast-paced, small team environment.
The executive assistant works closely with a range of individuals from across the College to coordinate projects and initiatives on behalf of the Office of the President. Candidates must have experience working effectively with a variety of people (different roles, diverse backgrounds, wide array of needs) and personalities as well as possess discretion and flexibility. The executive assistant serves as the primary point of contact for inquiries of the President’s time, working to ensure that guests/appointments are tended to in a welcoming and timely manner. Specifically, the executive assistant manages the president’s calendar, coordinating travel, organizing meetings/events which include an increasing number of virtual and zoom supported meetings, handling calls/inquiries, interfacing with donors, board members, faculty and staff, and students/families, drafting and editing correspondence and other written materials, and reconciling expenses and budgets. As a key member of the president’s office staff, the executive assistant also works to anticipate the needs of those within the office to effectively support all aspects of their work. The capacity for thoughtful communication and strong attention to detail are crucial. The position requires the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations as well as the ability to work with humor and grace under pressure and deadlines.
Bennington serves a diverse student population inclusive of members of ethnically/racially minoritized, international, LGBTQIA+, and disability communities as well as diverse gender identities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, and political beliefs. Our staff and faculty also reflect diverse and intersecting backgrounds and identities. All employees are expected to be respectful and responsive to these differences in the service of building community that promotes student and employee success. Each individual (faculty, staff and students) will be accountable for upholding these values. The College’s approach to pluralism and inclusivity—both as fields of inquiry and practice—is to prioritize flexible thought, and to invite the examination of access, value, power, and privilege through its institutional policies and areas of study. We encourage applicants from diverse realms of interest, backgrounds, experience, and accomplishment to apply.
Qualifications should include relevant administrative experience in the public or private sector, for profit or not for profit, with demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment; a Bachelor’s degree is preferred. Candidates must be creative problem-solvers and possess strong communication skills and have demonstrated an ability to build relationships and develop partnerships with a host of individuals. The position requires exemplary organizational skills and a strong technology orientation using MS Office, Google Suite including Google Calendar, and Zoom supported meetings.
The College
Bennington College is a small residential liberal arts college in southern Vermont, long distinguished for its progressive approach to higher education. The College was founded in 1932 on the principle of active engagement in learning, which is manifest in individualized plans of study developed by students together with faculty. We serve a diverse student population, and our faculty and staff also reflect diverse backgrounds and identities. Our aim is to educate students towards self-fulfillment and constructive social purposes, and we believe that equity, diversity, and inclusivity–in community and in curriculum–are vital to achieving those aims.
Nestled at the foot of the Green Mountains in Vermont, the campus consists of approximately 370 acres. The College was named one of ten with the best architecture by Architectural Digest. From campus, it is a short drive to the cultural offerings of the northern Berkshires in Massachusetts, Albany, New York, and many of Vermont’s top recreational centers. New York City, Boston, and Burlington, Vermont are all within three and a half hours by car.
To apply, please visit https://apptrkr.com/3964864
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Bennington College is fully committed to advancing antiracism and social justice throughout all aspects of the institution. The impetus of this work was President Laura Walker’s establishment of the President’s Working Group on Anti Racism (PWG) with the goal of becoming an antiracist, equitable institution "that is more diverse, more inclusive and is actively fighting against racism while exploring the intersections of class, gender, and other vectors of identity and positionality."
Bennington College’s inaugural Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and College Diversity Officer, Dr. Alfredo Medina, has prioritized working collaboratively with all constituents in dismantling systems, policies, and programs that are systemically racist and to consistently create and sustain equitable systems and solutions to challenges at the college. Additionally, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI) Associate Director is charged with overseeing educational and social justice literacy training and programming on campus for students, faculty and staff. The ODEI works to finalize an action plan that incorporates PWG recommendations and addresses system and policy related initiatives.