Executive Assistant

Lehighbar; Bethlehem (Northampton County); On-site; USD 56,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Lehigh University is seeking an Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration, on campus in Bethlehem, PA. You will manage the VPFA’s calendar, coordinate with leadership, and handle confidential communications with professionalism.

The role requires strong writing, multitasking, and PM skills, with experience supporting senior leaders and oversight of divisional operations and minor treasury duties. Notary and PA compliance are part of the requirements.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED; Assoc./Tech degree in Business Admin preferred
• 5–8 years of work-related experience
• Active PA Notary Public certification or plan to obtain
• Expertise in Google Suite or MS Office; familiarity with PM tools
• High level of professionalism, discretion and confidentiality
• Strong writing and communication skills for liaising with senior leaders
• Exceptional multitasking and time management and PM abilities
• Understanding of university finance, operations and governance structures

Responsibilities

• Manage VPFA's complex executive calendar to align with divisional priorities
• Oversee daily office operations and participate in the executive leadership team
• Act as VP’s diplomat and gatekeeper, handling confidential communications
• Liaise for three Board committees: Finance, Audit, Campus Operations & Planning
• Lead project management for VP initiatives; track milestones and prepare decks
• Draft/edit executive reports and division-wide announcements with Communications Director
• Foster relationships across university departments to align with campus goals
• Exercise discretion when handling sensitive data and external communications
• Oversee executive expense management and banking liaison; support treasury processes
• Manage divisional HR processes including recruitment and promotion workflows
• Provide high-level administrative support ensuring compliance and efficiency

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Writing skills

Multitasking

Time management

Project management

Discretion / confidentiality

Education

High School Diploma or GED; Business Administration degree preferred

Tools

Google Suite

MS Office Suite

Project management tools

Job description

At Lehigh University, the Division of Finance and Administration powers the institutional strength behind world-class education and research. As Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President, you will manage the administrative command center of this vital division. This is a role of direct impact and high trust, ideal for a professional who pairs sharp diplomatic acumen and institutional perspective with absolute operational precision.

Position Number: S76230

This position is a Grade: 9 - 40 with an approximate salary range of $56,030-$68,190 and is subject to change based on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Key Accountabilities

• Serve as a proactive strategic partner to the VPFA, managing a complex executive calendar to ensure time allocation directly aligns with divisional priorities and institutional goals.
• Oversee daily office operations and actively participate on the executive leadership team, contributing to divisional strategic planning, goal-setting, and overall operational excellence.
• Act as the VP’s primary diplomat and gatekeeper, managing high-stakes internal and external relationships, complex travel, and confidential communications with exceptional discretion and professionalism.
• Act as the strategic liaison for three Board of Trustees committees (Finance, Audit, and Campus Operations & Planning), seamlessly managing agendas, briefing materials, official minutes, and action-item tracking across three annual cycles.
• Serve as the lead project manager for high-visibility VP initiatives, taking full ownership of milestone tracking, agenda design, presentation deck development, and meeting execution.
• Draft, edit, and manage high-level executive reports, presentations, and division-wide announcements—partnering closely with the Director of Communications to maintain a unified tone and consistent institutional voice.
• Foster strong, collaborative relationships across university departments to keep the Finance and Administration division seamlessly aligned with broader campus goals.
• Exercise exceptional discretion when handling sensitive institutional data and communicating on behalf of the Vice President to internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee executive expense management and credit card approvals while serving as a primary operational liaison to banking partners and providing backup assistance for daily treasury processing, reconciliations, and internal audits.
• Manage divisional HR processes, facilitating key search, recruitment, and promotion request workflows and approval pipelines on behalf of leadership.
• Deliver high-level administrative support across core administrative functions, maintaining operational compliance, account administration, and process efficiency across the division.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED; Associate's or Vocational/Technical Degree in Business Administration preferred
• Five to eight years of work-related experience
• Active Pennsylvania Notary Public certification, or commitment to complete certification requirements upon hire
• Expertise in Google Suite or MS Office Suite, familiarity and use of project management and collaboration tools
• High level of professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, adaptability, and proven ability to provide high-level support to a busy senior leader
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills for liaising with senior leaders and external partners
• Exceptional multitasking, time management, and project management abilities
• Understanding of university finance, operations, and governance structures

Why Lehigh

Lehigh offers a working environment where administrative excellence is genuinely valued alongside scholarly achievement. As part of a university community in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, you'll have access to strong retirement contributions, comprehensive health coverage, generous paid leave, and meaningful tuition benefits for employees and eligible dependents. The Finance and Administration division operates with a commitment to institutional integrity and continuous improvement. Lehigh University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate. We are committed to a culturally and intellectually diverse community, and we seek qualified candidates to contribute to the university’s mission.

Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing an accommodation for any part of the interview or hiring process may contact Lehigh's Accommodations Specialist.

Special Considerations

• The duties of the position do not allow for a remote work option; the employee in this position will be required to work on campus where they can be fully accessible to the Lehigh community.

Successful completion of standard background checks including but not limited to: social security verification, education verification, national criminal background checks, motor vehicle checks, PATCH, FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Clearance and credit history based upon the requirements of the position.