Administrative Specialist Oncology Services

Duke University Health System; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke University Health System in Durham, North Carolina, is seeking an experienced executive administrative professional to support senior nursing leadership, including the Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Advanced Practice.

The role emphasizes calendar management, complex scheduling, data analysis, and creating executive presentations while safeguarding confidentiality and delivering high‑level administrative support.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting senior nursing leadership or executives.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Strong organizational skills and problem solving.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities in fast-paced settings.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage complex executive calendars, appointments, travel, and meeting logistics for the senior nursing leadership team.
• Collaborate with support staff to coordinate multiple high-priority calendars and initiatives.
• Develop executive-level presentations, reports, dashboards, and other materials.
• Create and maintain complex databases ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
• Analyze data from multiple sources and prepare concise summaries with insights.
• Compose, edit, and proofread executive communications with attention to detail.
• Serve as a liaison between executive leadership and internal/external stakeholders.
• Prepare meeting agendas, capture minutes, and manage action items for governance meetings.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute staff lectures and meetings with seamless implementation.
• Respond to complex inquiries with professionalism and excellent customer service.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and coordinate conferences and events.
• Assist with budget preparation, reconciliation, and expense monitoring.

Skills

Calendar management

Executive support

Data analysis

Presentation creation

Budgeting & reconciliation

Microsoft Office

Communications

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Two years postsecondary education

Relevant experience

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Teams

Zoom

Database management

Job description

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke University Hospital

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States. The largest of the four Duke Health hospitals with 1062 patient beds, it features comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more.

General Description Of The Job Class

Provide high-level executive administrative support to senior nursing leadership, including the Chief Nursing Officer, Director of Advanced Practice and Associate Directors. This role requires exceptional organizational skills, sound judgment, and the ability to anticipate needs, solve problems independently, and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced healthcare environment. The ideal candidate is highly accountable, exercises critical thinking, communicates professionally, and takes initiative to ensure operational excellence while maintaining strict confidentiality.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Proactively manage complex executive calendars, appointments, travel, and meeting logistics for the Chief Nursing Officer, Director of Advanced Practice, and Associate Directors, anticipating scheduling conflicts and resolving them independently.
• Collaborate with executive support staff to coordinate multiple high-priority calendars, ensuring organizational priorities and strategic initiatives remain on track.
• Independently develop executive-level presentations, reports, dashboards, spreadsheets, and other materials that support informed decision-making.
• Create and maintain complex databases while ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
• Analyze, compile, and interpret data from multiple sources; identify trends and prepare concise summaries and reports with actionable insights.
• Compose, edit, and proofread executive correspondence and other professional communications with exceptional attention to detail.
• Serve as a trusted liaison between executive leadership and internal and external stakeholders, exercising discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism.
• Prepare meeting agendas, capture accurate minutes, and follow through on action items for Duke Cancer Institute Governance meetings and Oncology Patient Advisory Council meetings.
• Independently plan, coordinate, and execute the Advanced Practice Provider Lecture Series, ensuring seamless implementation and continuous improvement.
• Act as the primary resource for staff and visitors by responding to complex inquiries with professionalism, sound judgment, and excellent customer service.
• Prioritize requests, independently determine appropriate actions, and elevate issues when necessary.
• Analyze administrative processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and recommend solutions that increase efficiency and effectiveness.
• Coordinate conferences, executive meetings, and special events by anticipating logistical needs and managing all aspects of event execution.
• Assist with budget preparation, financial reconciliation, and expense monitoring by investigating discrepancies and ensuring timely resolution.
• Interpret organizational policies and departmental procedures, providing clear guidance to faculty, staff, and external partners.
• Independently lead and complete special projects while managing deadlines, communicating progress, and adapting to changing priorities.
• Create, maintain, and regularly update organizational charts and reporting structures.
• Manage quality initiatives in conjunction with leaders as needed by DCI initiative.
• Design, administer, analyze, and report findings from Qualtrics or other survey engines, making recommendations based on results.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to administrative staff, promoting collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Assist with recruiting, onboarding, training, and mentoring new administrative team members as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of departmental operations and strategic initiatives.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

High school education or equivalent with five years of administrative support experience of increasing variety, complexity and demonstration of work leadership. Two years postsecondary education with three years of experience. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Experience

Preferred skills

• Proactively manage complex executive calendars, appointments, travel, and meeting logistics for the Chief Nursing Officer, Director of Advanced Practice, and Associate Directors, anticipating scheduling conflicts and resolving them independently. Anticipate leadership needs and proactively address issues before they become problems.
• Demonstrate ownership and accountability for assignments from start to finish.
• Demonstrate advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Microsoft Excel (including formulas, pivot tables, charts, and data analysis), Microsoft Teams, and Zoom for collaboration, virtual meeting management, file sharing, communication, and presentation support.
• Think critically, analyze information, and recommend practical solutions. Prioritize competing demands with minimal supervision while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Anticipate leadership needs and proactively address issues before they become problems.
• Demonstrate ownership and accountability for assignments from start to finish.
• Demonstrate advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Microsoft Excel (including formulas, pivot tables, charts, and data analysis), Microsoft Teams, and Zoom for collaboration, virtual meeting management, file sharing, communication, and presentation support.
• Think critically, analyze information, and recommend practical solutions. Prioritize competing demands with minimal supervision while maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
• Build strong collaborative relationships and communicate effectively with individuals at all organizational levels.
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities while maintaining a high level of customer service and attention to detail.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.