Opportunity
Competition #2627-OC-ET-05
Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) is looking for an Executive Assistant, President and CEO to provide high-level executive support and operational management to support the advancement of the university's strategic priorities. This position is accountable for providing comprehensive executive, administrative, and operational support to the President and overseeing the daily operations of the Office of the President
The Executive Assistant to the President plays a critical role in ensuring the effective management of the Office of the President by serving as a key liaison between the President and internal and external constituents. This position requires exceptional judgment, discretion, organizational skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic and complex post-secondary environment. The incumbent acts as a trusted partner to the President, enabling strategic priorities to be advanced through effective coordination, operational oversight, and administrative leadership.
This is a full-time temporary position starting as soon as possible until approximately the end of January 2027. Hours of work are 35 hours per week, 7 hours per day. Occasional evenings may be required to support meetings and events.
The deadline to apply is November 6, 2026.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary point of contact for individuals and groups seeking access to the President and exercise sound judgment in prioritizing and responding to inquiries.
- Monitor and manage incoming communications. Prepare correspondence, briefing notes, presentations, meeting packages, and collateral materials that are accurate, timely, and tailored to specific audiences.
- Provide strategic calendar management for the President and CEO, balancing meetings with focused work time, applying sound judgment on priorities, participants, and timing, and maintaining flexibility to respond to rapidly changing agendas. Arrange travel as required.
- Coordinate high-profile meetings and events, ensuring appropriate participation, logistics, preparation, scheduling, room and equipment bookings, catering, and travel arrangements as required.
- Provide administrative support to committees including scheduling all meetings, planning annual retreats, preparing and distributing agendas, coordinating and compiling relevant data/research for the President, and recording official minutes. Proactively assist the President with action items resulting from internal and external cabinet/committee/organization work.
- Serves as liaison between the President and other University administrators, members of the Board of Governors, public and private officials, various boards, faculty, staff, students, and the various publics served by the University by communicating and/or interpreting policy, decisions, and documents issued by the University, gathering information and providing information to the President, and representing the President’s Office when required.
- Manage budgets, expenditures, payments processing, expense claims, procurement activities, and reconciliation processes in accordance with university policies.
- Oversees and manages University projects as directed by the President and CEO, and participates in selected projects/research, providing information as requested. Monitors project budgets and costs to ensure activities are completed and correctly authorized; oversees project status reporting; and consults with team members to track agreement/contract dates, relevant data and any necessary adjustments.
- Conduct research, compile information, and prepare background materials to support decision-making, meetings and projects.
Competencies
- Healthy Spaces
- Active Inclusion
- Creative Innovation
- Collaborative Practice
- Strategic Leadership
Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in a relevant field.
- Minimum of five (5) years of progressive executive support experience.
- Previous experience within a post-secondary institution is preferred.
- Advanced proficiency of Microsoft Office 365 applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, SharePoint, Teams).
- Awareness of civic, provincial and federal government politics.
- Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with proven ability to communicate clearly, accurately and professionally at all times.
- Proven ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with key client/stakeholder groups.
- Exceptional organizational abilities, including priority setting, time management and project management skills, with experience maintaining several projects while meeting deadlines and expectations in a high-paced environment.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently, with a professional, customer-service approach.
The deadline to apply is November 6, 2026.