Office Administrator & Executive Assistant to the Dean

Salary Range: $55,000 to $60,000 annually

Work Location: On-site Tampa Campus 

Organizational Summary

The University of South Florida College of Education serves a community of over 2,200 students and 130 faculty members dedicated to advancing high-quality education through excellence in research, teaching, and learning.

Accredited by multiple organizations (e.g., CAEP, APA, NAEYC, etc.) and fully approved by the Florida Department of Education, the college is a national leader in reimagining education by cultivating a bold community of researchers, educators, and practitioners who transform learning, strengthening communities, and expand human potential across the lifespan. The USF College of Education drives innovation and lasting impact, where discovery fuels practice, and emerging technologies and creative approaches—centered on human flourishing, individual wellbeing, and opportunity-- open new possibilities for learning. Rooted in dynamic partnerships and cross-disciplinary collaborations, we connect local expertise to national and global perspectives to address the most urgent educational needs and challenges of a rapidly changing world. 

As a major public research institution and a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) ecosystem, USF prioritizes research excellence, student success, workforce development, and community impact. The Dean’s Office plays a central role in coordinating academic leadership, research development, external partnerships, alumni engagement, and strategic initiatives that advance these priorities.

Position Summary

This position entails providing comprehensive high-level administrative and operational support to the Dean, including managing complex schedules and overseeing strategic projects. The role functions as the primary liaison for both internal and external stakeholders, fostering positive relationships while exemplifying professionalism and diplomacy. The successful candidate will anticipate needs, proactively identify potential issues, and develop innovative solutions to enhance office efficiency and effectiveness.

The individual will also be responsible for redirecting requests appropriately to ensure matters are addressed at the correct organizational level, demonstrating initiative and problem-solving skills through proactive issue resolution. The individual must possess strong emotional intelligence and sound professional judgment to interact effectively with diverse stakeholders, maintaining composure and professionalism under pressure. Boundary management is critical, requiring the ability to skillfully redirect communications and requests to protect the Dean’s focus on strategic priorities.

Exceptional interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach are essential for building and sustaining productive relationships across departments and stakeholder groups. A high level of discretion and confidentiality is mandatory when handling sensitive information related to personnel, strategic initiatives, and university operations. Ultimately, this role supports the Dean in navigating the dynamic environment of a research university with professionalism, strategic insight, and confidentiality, contributing to the overall success of the academic leadership team.

The Executive Assistant should also develop a thorough understanding of the interactions among academic departments, research centers, university administration, and external partners within a large public university setting.

Success in this role requires emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and the ability to navigate competing demands from faculty, staff, students, external partners, and university leadership while maintaining professional boundaries and ensuring the Dean’s time is used effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Administrative Partnership

• Serves as a trusted advisor and operational partner to the Dean, helping manage priorities, identify potential conflicts, and ensure alignment with strategic initiatives.
• Provides consultative support by anticipating needs, identifying issues early, and proposing solutions rather than waiting for directions. Exercises initiative to resolve problems independently when appropriate.
• Develops an understanding of the College’s strategic priorities, major initiatives, and leadership structure to support effective decision-making and communication.

Calendar Strategy and Priority Management

• Maintains and manages the Dean’s calendar with a strategic understanding of priorities rather than purely logistical scheduling.
• Evaluates meeting requests and determines the appropriate level of engagement, including whether the Dean’s presence is required or whether the request should be redirected to another leader within the College.
• Coordinates meetings in ways that protect the Dean’s time for high-priority work such as strategic planning, fundraising, research partnerships, and university leadership engagement.
• Works diplomatically with faculty, staff, and external partners to redirect requests when appropriate, ensuring that relationships remain positive while maintaining appropriate boundaries around the Dean’s availability.

Communication and Stakeholder Coordination

• Acts as a liaison between the Dean’s Office and internal and external stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, university leadership, community partners, and donors.
• Manages incoming correspondence and inquiries, triaging requests and determining appropriate responses or referrals.
• Drafts correspondence, briefing materials, memoranda, and reports that support the Dean’s communication and leadership responsibilities.
• Ensuring that communications from the Dean’s Office are professional, timely, and aligned with the College’s strategic priorities.

Understanding the Higher Education Landscape

Maintains awareness of the operational environment of a large research university and supports tasks associated with managing an academic unit.

Examples of responsibilities may include:

• Preparing briefing materials for university leadership meetings
• Supporting strategic planning and implementation activities
• Assisting with accreditation-related documentation and meeting coordination
• Coordinating materials for faculty governance and leadership meetings
• Managing logistics related to donor engagement and community partnerships
• Supporting events connected to research initiatives, alumni relations, and external partnerships
• Assisting with preparation of presentations and reports connected to university and state priorities

Operational Oversight of the Dean’s Office

• Oversees the daily administrative operations of the Dean’s Office and ensures the office functions smoothly and professionally.
• Develops and maintains systems that improve efficiency and clarity in the office, including document management, scheduling systems, communication processes, and workflow procedures.
• Supervise staff and student employees and provides guidance to staff, student employees, and regarding visitors and office processes and expectations.

Event Coordination and Leadership Support

• Provides logistical and operational support for events involving the Dean, including meetings, leadership retreats, community engagement activities, donor events, and college celebrations.
• Ensures events reflect the professionalism and mission of the College while supporting efficient planning and coordination.

Travel Coordination

• Coordinates all aspects of the Dean’s travel, including scheduling, documentation, logistics, and reimbursements.
• Ensures travel aligns with the Dean’s broader schedule and strategic priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent with at least five years of experience in administrative or office support roles, or a Bachelor’s degree with three years of related experience. Additional education may not be substituted for this experience requirement.

Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
• SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
• A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
• Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
• Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting senior leadership in higher education or a complex organization
• Demonstrated experience managing executive calendars and prioritizing competing requests
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative in administrative decision-making
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience coordinating complex meetings, events, and travel
• Proficiency with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive in addition to the traditional Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) signifying basic productivity as well as digital collaboration and cloud management. 
• Experience managing communications with multiple stakeholders
• Ability to maintain professionalism and composure in fast-paced environments
• Experience supervising staff and student employees
• Familiarity with university operations, governance structures, and academic environments