Administrative Assistant to AVP for WWU Peninsulas

WWU College of Business & Economics; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 78,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Washington University in Bellingham seeks an Administrative Assistant to the AVP for WWU Peninsulas. This role provides confidential, high‑level administrative support and coordinates day‑to‑day operations across Bremerton, Poulsbo, Port Angeles and Bellingham.

The position manages calendars, travel, expenses, budgets, and communications for the AVP and leadership team, liaising with faculty, staff, and external partners. Strong organizational and people skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 5 years of progressive senior-level administrative experience.
• Advanced computer skills including Outlook, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Visio.
• Knowledge of web-based programs and database systems.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with multi-site coordination.
• Ability to handle confidential matters with tact, diplomacy and discretion.
• Experience working with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
• Experience managing travel logistics and expense reimbursements (Concur).
• Willingness to travel periodically to Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Port Angeles.

Responsibilities

• Provide confidential, high-level administrative support to the AVP.
• Maintain calendar, schedule complex appointments, and coordinate with internal/external contacts.
• Arrange travel and manage expenses using Concur Travel & Expense.
• Monitor budgets, reconcile expenditures, and track allocations.
• Prepare and edit correspondence, reports, and presentations.
• Screen calls and emails; maintain confidential files for the AVP’s office.
• Coordinate cross-campus activities and external partner engagements.
• Support meetings, data reporting, and cross-divisional committee materials.

Skills

Outlook

Teams

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Visio

Stakeholder management

Travel coordination

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or 5 years of progressive senior-level administrative experience

Tools

Concur

Job description

Administrative Assistant to AVP for WWU Peninsulas

Position Title Administrative Assistant to AVP for WWU Peninsulas

About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department

The mission of Western Washington University - Peninsulas is to empower individuals and communities across the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas through high-quality, accessible, higher education. Through innovative programs and partnerships with Olympic College and Peninsula College, we provide diverse pathways to academic excellence and career success. By aligning our curriculum with the evolving needs of the region and prioritizing engagement with local industries, we aim to foster a culture of lifelong learning and economic vitality. With a commitment to equity, inclusivity, and community collaboration, we strive to cultivate leaders who will positively impact the social, cultural, and economic landscape of the Peninsulas and beyond. WWU Peninsulas offers a suite of 10+ Bachelor’s degree programs in cybersecurity, business, environmental programs and more.

About the Position

The Assistant to the Associate Vice President for WWU Peninsulas (AVP) provides confidential, high-level administrative support assistant to the AVP and assists with the day-to-day operations of the AVP’s office. The Assistant performs a broad range of administrative and strategic support services for the AVP and the AVP’s leadership team, exercising judgment and discretion in handling matters of a confidential and sensitive nature.

This position serves as a point of contact and provides administrative coordination between the AVP’s office and constituents across the university, including students, faculty, and staff at WWU Peninsulas locations in Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Port Angeles as well as executive offices, college deans, and academic and administrative leadership in Bellingham. The Assistant builds and maintains effective working relationships across all of these locations, ensures consistent communication and follow-through on cross-site initiatives, and represents the AVP’s office professionally with internal and external partners, including occasional attendance at community, partner, and other events with the AVP or as assigned.

Associate Vice President Support

Assists with highly confidential issues and projects for the AVP that are sensitive in nature, including personnel matters, contracts, and correspondence.

Maintains and manages the AVP's calendar, independently scheduling and prioritizing complex, high-volume appointments and coordinating with high-level internal and external contacts.

Arranges and confirms travel accommodations; processes travel requests, reconciles expenses, and manages reimbursements using Concur Travel & Expense Management.

Serves as budget authority support for the AVP; monitors and processes budget transactions, reconciles expenditures, and tracks spending against allocations.

Drafts, edits, and proofreads correspondence, reports, presentations, and other materials on behalf of the AVP, ensuring compliance with university format and branding standards.

Screens and prioritizes calls, emails, and visitors for the AVP; independently resolves routine inquiries and redirects others to the appropriate staff.

Maintains confidential and official files for the AVP's office.

Cross-Campus & Constituent Relations (Peninsula Sites and Bellingham)

Serves as a point of contact for students, faculty, and staff at the Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Port Angeles sites, as well as executive offices and college deans in Bellingham.

Coordinates logistics for the AVP's travel and engagements at peninsula locations, including scheduling, room/AV arrangements, and materials preparation.

Coordinates with site directors/coordinators at each location to align administrative processes and resolve logistical issues.

External Partner & Event Coordination

Serves as a point of contact for external partners on behalf of the AVP, including government agencies, employers, and educational partners (K-12 districts, community and technical colleges, and other institutions).

Coordinates communication and logistics with government agencies (e.g., city, county, state, and tribal partners) relevant to the AVP's regional partnerships and initiatives.

Attends community or external events with the AVP as assigned

Tracks external partner communications, agreements, and action items, and follows up to ensure timely completion.

Prepares briefing materials and background information for the AVP's meetings with government, employer, and educational-partner stakeholders.

Meetings, Data & Reporting

Organizes and supports recurring faculty, staff, and student meeting series, including scheduling, agenda development, materials preparation, minute-taking, and follow-up on action items.

Requests, gathers, and maintains documents from multiple offices; organizes and prepares data reports and summaries for the AVP's review and distribution.

Works collaboratively with academic and administrative offices across campuses to compile accurate, timely information for decision-making.

Assists in preparing materials for cross-divisional committees, councils, or advisory groups associated with the AVP's office.

Systems, Budget & Office Administration

Serves as the AVP office's subject‑matter resource for administrative and financial systems (e.g., budget/finance systems, travel and expense systems, document management, scheduling tools).

Processes and tracks budget authority transactions for the AVP; reconciles records and assists with periodic budget reporting.

Maintains office supplies, equipment, and records.

Prepares and maintains standard operating procedures and administrative documentation for the office.

Staff Recruitment & HR Coordination

Assists with running staff searches for the AVP's office and affiliated units, including initiating requisitions, posting positions, and tracking searches through the applicant tracking/recruitment system (e.g., PageUp).

Works closely with Human Resources throughout the recruitment and hiring process to ensure compliance with university policies, classification requirements, and search procedures.

Coordinates search committee logistics: scheduling committee meetings and interviews, distributing candidate materials, collecting evaluations, and communicating with candidates.

Assists with reference checks, offer coordination, and new‑hire onboarding paperwork in partnership with HR.

Maintains recruitment files and ensures required documentation is complete and retained per HR and records‑retention guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 5 years of progressive senior‑level administrative experience


• Demonstrated advanced computer skills, including advanced experience with Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Visio.


• Demonstrated knowledge of web‑based programs and database systems.


• Demonstrated effective organizational and time‑management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple sites.


• Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and ability to handle difficult and sensitive situations with tact, diplomacy, and confidentiality.


• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, students, and administrators across multiple campus locations and with outside agencies.


• Demonstrated ability to represent an executive office professionally with external stakeholders, including government agencies, employers, and educational partners.


• Demonstrated experience managing travel logistics and processing expense reimbursements (e.g., Concur or comparable system).


• Ability and willingness to travel periodically to Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Port Angeles

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with an ERP/finance system (e.g., Banner), budget/finance tools, SAP Concur Travel & Expense Management, and a recruitment/applicant tracking system (e.g., PageUp).


• Experience coordinating staff searches and working directly with Human Resources on recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes.


• Experience supporting an executive-level office (Provost, Vice President, or Associate Vice President) in a higher education setting.


• Experience coordinating administrative operations across multiple or remote campus locations.


• Experience preparing data reports, dashboards, or summaries from multiple source offices.


• Experience building and maintaining relationships with community partners, government agencies, employers, or educational institutions.


• Familiarity with academic affairs, extended/regional education programs, or shared governance structures.

Special Requirements

• Regular travel to regional sites (Bremerton, Poulsbo) is required; a valid driver’s license may be required.


• May require occasional evening or weekend availability to support meetings or events at any site.

Conditions of Employment

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60‑days of hire. Please reach out to [e-mail] if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary Hiring range is $78,364 - $90,117/year depending on qualifications and experience. Through longevity position tops out at $101,871/year.

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

Closing Date Notes Application review begins November 17, 2026; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex . Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [e-mail]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services , 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (\"The Clery Act\"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off‑campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at [e-mail] . The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report .

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check .