Executive Assistant, Academic Leadership & Faculty Affairs

Harvard University; Massachusetts; Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition assistance

Retirement plans

Wellbeing resources

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard University seeks an Executive Assistant to the Academic Dean and senior academic leadership. The role provides high-level administrative and project support, manages complex calendars, coordinates governance activities, and liaises across faculty and central offices to enable strategic initiatives.

Four-day on-campus presence is expected during the academic year with hybrid options in summer; strong discretion and collaboration skills are essential for success in a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Five+ years of progressively responsible administrative experience, preferably supporting senior leadership in higher education.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced administrative support to academic leadership, including calendar management, meeting coordination, correspondence, and briefing materials.
• Track action items and ensure timely follow-up on priorities and initiatives.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Serve as backup support for the Dean’s Office and Administrative Dean’s Office as needed.
• Coordinate faculty meetings, Faculty Council meetings, committee meetings, workshops, and other academic governance activities.
• Support faculty-related processes, special initiatives, and strategic planning efforts.
• Serve as a liaison between faculty, academic leadership, and University offices to facilitate communication and collaboration.
• Support strategic projects and initiatives led by the Dean’s Office and Office of Academic Affairs.
• Develop and maintain systems, workflows, and processes that improve operational effectiveness.
• Assist with data collection, reporting, document preparation, and project tracking.
• Coordinate and execute faculty meetings, leadership events, accreditation reviews, Visiting Committee activities, workshops, lectures, and other special events.
• Manage logistics including scheduling, communications, materials preparation, technology support, and vendor coordination.
• Support both in-person and virtual events.
• Maintain organized records, files, and documentation systems.
• Assist with budget tracking, expense processing, and administrative operations.
• Support collaboration across academic and administrative units and help manage increasing cross-functional demands.

Skills

Calendar management

Executive support

Discretion/confidentiality

Communication

Relationship management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Outlook

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Harvard University seeks an Executive Assistant to the Academic Dean and senior academic leadership. The role provides high-level administrative and project support, manages complex calendars, coordinates governance activities, and liaises across faculty and central offices to enable strategic initiatives.

Four-day on-campus presence is expected during the academic year with hybrid options in summer; strong discretion and collaboration skills are essential for success in a fast-paced,