Executive Administrative Specialist

The University of Iowa; Iowa City (IA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Job summary

The University of Iowa seeks an Executive Administrative Specialist to provide executive-level administrative, organizational, and operational support to the Associate Vice President for Facilities Management and FM Directors.

This on-campus role coordinates calendars, communications, and meetings while handling confidential matters with professionalism and discretion, including supervision of student employees.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Professional experience 1–3 years in related administrative, operational, or program support.
• Experience coordinating calendars, meetings, logistics, materials, and follow-up items.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and time-sensitive requests.
• Discretion, sound judgment, and professionalism handling confidential matters.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Ability to work respectfully with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Commitment to providing responsive, service-oriented support to internal/external customers.

Responsibilities

• Prioritizes and coordinates executive and departmental administrative operations including calendars, meetings, records, logistics, and follow-ups.
• Implements processes, tools, timelines, and communication strategies for reports, surveys, dashboards, and communications.
• Exercises discretion in HR-related matters, including routine approvals and information sharing, maintaining confidentiality.
• Provides operational leadership and supervises student employees, escalating significant issues to leadership as needed.
• Ensures compliance with university policies and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Discretion

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration

Tools

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

Bring your organizational expertise, sound judgment, and commitment to exceptional service to the University of Iowa Facilities Management team as an Executive Administrative Specialist. In this highly visible role, you will provide executive-level administrative, organizational, and operational support to the Associate Vice President for Facilities Management and FM Directors. As a trusted point of contact for the Office of the AVP and FM Administration, you will coordinate priorities, communications, meetings, and follow-up; manage confidential and time-sensitive matters with professionalism and discretion; and help advance Facilities Management initiatives through responsive service and cross-functional collaboration. This position also supervises student employees who provide administrative support to the Office of the AVP. This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization.

Duties to include:

Independently prioritizes and coordinates executive and departmental administrative operations, including calendars, communications, meetings, records, logistics, follow-up activities, and workflow management based on urgency, operational impact, and leadership direction.

Determines and implements appropriate processes, tools, timelines, and communication strategies for reports, surveys, dashboards, recognition activities, administrative functions, and departmental communications, while interpreting and applying established policies and procedures.

Exercises delegated authority and discretion in administrative and HR-related matters, including routine transaction approvals, information sharing, issue resolution, and coordination with internal partners, while maintaining confidentiality and compliance with university policies.

Provides operational leadership and recommendations on non-routine matters, including supervision of student employees, analysis of workflow and customer service issues, and escalation of matters involving significant policy, financial, legal, compliance, personnel, or strategic implications to appropriate leadership.

Location: University Services Building (USB)

Schedule: 8:00am-5:00pm, This position requires regular on-campus presence and is not eligible for remote or hybrid work arrangement.

For a full job description, please send an e‑mail to the contact listed below.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Professional experience, typically 1–3 years, in related administrative, operational, or program support.

Experience coordinating calendars, meetings, logistics, materials, and follow-up items.

Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and time-sensitive requests.

Demonstrated discretion, sound judgment, and professionalism in handling confidential or sensitive matters.

Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.

Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.

Demonstrated ability to work effectively and respectfully with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Demonstrated commitment to providing responsive, service-oriented support to internal and external customers.

Desired Qualifications

Five or more years of progressively responsible administrative, executive, or program support experience.

Experience providing direct support to executive or senior‑level leadership.

Experience interpreting, applying, and communicating university policies, procedures, and regulations.

Experience in higher education facilities management or a complex institutional setting.

Experience developing reports, dashboards, surveys, tracking tools, or presentation materials.

Experience coordinating cross-functional programs, committees, or working groups.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.

Successful candidates will be required to self‑disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. State agency employers in Iowa are required to use E‑Verify to confirm employment eligibility. University of Iowa employees, including those who work remotely or out‑of‑state, are subject to E‑Verify.

Joining the University of Iowa means becoming a vital part of the Hawkeye community, where your work directly impacts education, research, and student success.

Enjoy exceptional health coverage, university‑paid life insurance, robust retirement plans, and generous leave policies. Benefit from 24/7 support services, well‑being resources, and access to UI Health Care specialists. Grow professionally with advanced training, leadership development, and tuition assistance.

Iowa City offers a great quality of life with world‑class performances at Hancher Auditorium, Big Ten athletics, top‑ranked public schools, and outdoor recreation.

Join us in making a difference at a leading Big Ten university and premier public research institution.

Additional Information

• Classification Title: Admin Services Specialist
• Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
• Schedule: Full-time
• Work Modality Options: On Campus

Contact Information

• Organization: Finance & Operations (General)
• Contact Name: Brooke McMurl

Equal opportunity employer

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.

Persons with disabilities who need assistance or accommodations with the application or interview process may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services, [phone] or [e-mail] . For jobs in UI Health care Leave & Disability Administration at 319-356-7543.