Executive Assistant to Assist Dean of Communications and Public Affairs

Exs And N14

Administrative & Executive Support

• Manage the Assistant Dean’s calendar, scheduling meetings, appointments, and engagements, ensuring effective time management and prioritization.
• Plan, coordinate, and support events that require cultural awareness, protocol knowledge, and sensitivity to diverse audiences; this may include multi-day or multi-venue programs and research into potential program areas, participants, and logistical requirements.
• Coordinate internal and external meetings, including scheduling, room bookings, catering, logistics, and the preparation of agendas, briefing materials, and other relevant documents.
• Prepare, proofread, and format correspondence, memoranda, reports, presentations, and other materials on behalf of leadership, ensuring accuracy, professionalism, and consistency.
• Serve as the first point of contact for the Assistant Dean, responding to phone, email, and in-person inquiries with professionalism, discretion, and efficiency.
• Maintain accurate and well-organized departmental files, records, and documentation in both digital and physical formats to ensure accessibility and effective information management.
• Develop and maintain spreadsheets, databases, reports, queries, charts, and analyses to support departmental tracking, reporting, and decision-making.
• Administer budgets and expenditures on behalf of the Assistant Dean of Communications and Public Affairs, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely processing.
• Coordinate the preparation and submission of budget materials, reports, and supporting documentation.

Team Collaboration

• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive team culture by contributing positively to departmental communication, coordination, and shared goals.
• Coordinate and participate in regular team meetings, workshops, and planning sessions to support alignment, information sharing, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain documentation, shared resources, and knowledge repositories to support knowledge retention, accessibility, and consistency across the team.
• Support the development and maintenance of efficient workflows, systems, and processes that enhance team coordination and operational effectiveness.
• *Other duties, as assigned by the Assistant Dean*

Minimum Qualifications (education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 2–3 years’ experience in executive support, office administration, or project coordination.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office scheduling platforms, and digital collaboration tools.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills with keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; able to work with discretion and professionalism.

Preferred Qualifications (Education, Experience, Certifications, Skills)

• Experience in a higher education, communications, or creative environment.
• Familiarity with Smartsheet, Fresh Service, Adobe Acrobat, Canva, digital asset management and CRM tools.
• Working knowledge of event planning, office management and office logistics.
• Multilingual skills (English and Arabic) a plus.

Key Competencies

• Strong attention to detail, with the ability to organize work efficiently and maintain accuracy across multiple priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage professionally and effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to follow through on assignments, manage competing deadlines, and deliver high-quality work in a timely manner.
• Proactive approach to learning, problem-solving, and taking initiative in support of departmental needs.
• High level of professionalism, reliability, discretion, and commitment to contributing positively to a team-oriented environment.
• Knowledge of Education City’s communications ecosystem and stakeholder environment is preferred.
• Working knowledge of institutional policies, standards, and best practices, with the ability to support their consistent application.
• *The target budgeted minimum starting salary for this position is $51,350 annually.
• Offers will be based on candidate experience and education, as well as equity within Northwestern University.*
• *Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status.
• View Northwestern’s*
• *non-discrimination statement*
• *.
• Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance.
• View*
• *additional information on the accommodations process*
• *.*