Administrative Assistant

Presidio Knolls School; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

403(b) retirement plan

Staff tuition remission

Job summary

Presidio Knolls School seeks an Administrative Assistant to join the front office team, providing warm and professional service to students, families, staff, and visitors. The role supports scheduling, communications, and records in a busy school environment.

The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities with sound judgment. Mandarin language skills are highly desired, and the position reports to the Chief Finance & Operations Officer.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED with at least 6 months of relevant administrative or customer-service experience.
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and move work forward without constant direction.
• Excellent customer-service orientation and professional communication with children and adults.
• Fluency in Mandarin highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Serve as welcoming first point of contact for students, families, employees, visitors, and vendors.
• Resolve routine issues independently or escalate when needed.
• Anticipate front office needs and address issues proactively.
• Manage multiple priorities with accuracy and discretion.
• Assist with documentation, communications, and attendance records.

Skills

Highly organized

Initiative

Problem solving

Customer service

Professional communication

Mandarin language

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Front Office & Administrative Support | Year-round | Non-exempt

Position Overview

Presidio Knolls School seeks a highly organized, resourceful, and service-oriented Administrative Assistant to serve as a key member of our front office team. This is a dynamic, highly visible position at the center of a busy Preschool - Grade 8 independent school. The successful candidate will enjoy working with children ages 2 - 14 and interacting with families, faculty, staff, and visitors throughout the day.

We are looking for someone who takes initiative, anticipates needs, exercises sound judgment, and can confidently determine what needs to happen next without always waiting for direction. The ideal candidate is warm and approachable, calm under pressure, comfortable juggling competing priorities, and committed to providing exceptional service to our school community.

This role requires a strong sense of ownership: when something needs attention, the Administrative Assistant helps move it toward resolution rather than simply passing it along.

The Administrative Assistant reports to the Chief Finance & Operations Officer and supports the Business Office and broader administrative team. Scheduled hours are 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, year-round.

About Presidio Knolls School

PKS was founded on the idea that a progressive educational model can be combined with rigorous Mandarin immersion to create a vibrant, innovative school where children will thrive in a joyful environment. Since 2008, we have grown rapidly and established a unique position in the Bay Area’s independent school community.

The progressive philosophy of Presidio Knolls School embraces kids as co-collaborators in their education, valuing their voice and agency to shape their own learning journey. The school has a commitment to social-emotional learning that permeates the culture of the school.

Essential Functions

• Serves as a welcoming and highly responsive first point of contact for students, families, employees, visitors, and vendors, providing consistently warm, professional, and solutions-oriented service.
• Takes ownership of questions and problems, using sound judgment to resolve routine issues independently and identifying when matters should be escalated.
• Anticipates the needs of the front office and school community and proactively addresses issues before they become problems.
• Manages multiple competing priorities and frequent interruptions while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, discretion, and follow-through.
• Responds calmly and effectively to the unexpected, from a sick child or concerned parent to a last-minute schedule change or operational need.
• Builds positive relationships with students across the school and is comfortable supervising, reassuring, redirecting, and assisting children ranging from preschool through middle school.
• Maintains awareness of activity across the school and helps ensure that information, questions, and requests reach the appropriate people quickly.
• Assists with document preparation and staff and parent communications as needed, including tracking medications and medical records.
• Maintains office supplies and materials for the administrative office area.
• Tracks student lunch orders and coordinates distribution across the school.
• Maintains accurate records for school purchasing, order processing, and receipt of approved purchase requests from teachers and administrative staff.
• Coordinates and schedules meetings, rooms, and required equipment, and supports the administrative leadership team with scheduling needs.
• Coordinates field trips with Division Heads and faculty and assists with staff travel arrangements.
• Supports preparation, logistics, and setup for school events.
• Serves as a key point person for students who are injured or feeling unwell by providing basic care within school protocols, communicating with parents, and supervising students until pickup when needed.
• Contacts parents regarding attendance and maintains accurate daily attendance records in the school database.
• Maintains school and student files in accordance with regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Uses and supports routine office technology and equipment, including computers, printers, copiers, databases, and communication platforms.
• Contributes positively to employee morale and maintains a warm, professional demeanor with all constituencies.
• Supports other administrative and school needs as they arise.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED and a minimum of six months of relevant administrative, customer-service, school, hospitality, or equivalent experience; an equivalent combination of training and experience will be considered.
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail and follow-through.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work independently, identify what needs to be done, and move work forward without constant direction.
• Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment; able to assess a situation, identify options, and determine an appropriate course of action.
• Exceptional customer-service orientation and a genuine desire to be helpful.
• Warm, approachable, and professional communication style with both children and adults.
• Genuinely enjoys working with children and adolescents and is comfortable engaging with students ages 2-14 with warmth, patience, appropriate boundaries, and good judgment.
• Able to remain calm, flexible, and solutions-oriented when plans change or unexpected situations arise.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities and frequent interruptions in a busy school environment.
• Able to distinguish between issues that can be handled independently and those requiring escalation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to handle confidential student, family, personnel, and school information appropriately.
• Comfortable learning and using technology, including internet, email, databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and other administrative platforms.
• Ability to respond appropriately in an emergency and communicate with school staff and/or emergency personnel.
• Experience in a school, youth-serving organization, administrative office, hospitality, or similarly service-oriented environment preferred.
• Fluency in speaking, reading, and writing Mandarin highly desired.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Regularly sit, talk, hear and visually monitor and great visitors.
• Occasionally lift and move up to 45 lbs.
• Work at a desk and computer screen for extended periods of time.
• Turn, bend, reach and occasionally use a ladder.
• Work effectively in a busy, often distracting environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.

Compensation: $30-$38 per hour, commensurate with experience and qualifications. PKS also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including employer-paid health benefits, retirement contributions, paid time off, and other school-specific benefits.

Presidio Knolls School offers equal opportunity to all, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, and national origin, ethnicity, age, sex or disability or other protected class status under any applicable laws. Employment will be contingent on successful completion of a background check.

Benefits

Presidio Knolls School is committed to fostering a workplace where talented educators and professionals thrive. We prioritize competitive compensation, robust benefits, and a supportive culture that values innovation, reflection, and collaboration. Our 2026 benefits package includes:

Signature PKS Advantages

• Monthly commuter benefits up to $325/month, PKS subsidizes $60
• A unique bicultural learning environment that promotes personal growth, intentional practice, and collective purpose

Financial Well-Being

• 5% Employer match contribute to your 403(b)-retirement plan
• Salaries aligned with Bay Area market rates, with annual cost-of-living adjustments
• Tuition remission for staffulty children enrolled at PKS, to 75% off one enrolled child, subject to eligibility and availability

Comprehensive Health Coverage

• 100% employer- paid medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance for employees
• Affordable options for spouse family coverage
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for healthcare and dependent care
• Wellness benefits and EAP
• Mental health benefits via Springhealth

Paid Time Off & Holidays

• Paid holidays in accordance with the school calendar
• Non-exempt admin / support employee accrued 120 hours / year
• Accrual of 10 sick days annually

School Culture & Appreciation

• Regular staff appreciation lunches
• Monthly Birthday celebration
• Complimentary Tickets to our annual Gala
• Celebration lunch as part of our Lunar New Year Festival
• Happy Hour Events: past events have been Ping Pong, Karaoke, SF Giants game, Holiday Party, End of School Year Celebration