Executive Assistant - Access, Belonging, and Student Engagement

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; La Crosse (WI); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse seeks an Executive Assistant II to provide high-level administrative support to the Vice Chancellor of the Division of Access, Belonging, and Student Engagement and to the ABSE leadership team. The role includes managing the shared reception point, handling confidential information, coordinating calendars, travel, and special events.

The position requires discretion, independence, and the ability to work with students, staff, faculty, and community partners.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent is required or applicable.
• 1–2 years administrative experience in public service, academic, or equivalent.
• Ability to manage a complex workload with multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated discretion with confidential information.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a first point of contact for the division and provide confidential support.
• Schedule meetings and maintain master calendars for the leadership team.
• Coordinate travel arrangements and manage reimbursements and expenses.
• Organize events and prepare divisional communications and newsletters.

Skills

Discretion & confidentiality

Calendar management

Communication

Office software

Education

Associate's degree or equivalent

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Tools

Workday

Microsoft 365

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Executive Assistant - Access, Belonging, and Student Engagement

Job Category

Academic Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Executive Assistant II

Job Duties

This full-time position provides programmatic and high-level administrative support to the Vice Chancellor of the Division of Access, Belonging, and Student Engagement (ABSE) and administrative support to the ABSE leadership team (Vice Chancellor, Associate Vice Chancellor, and Dean of Students/Assistant Vice Chancellor). This position requires discretion and the ability to operate within a supportive team independently and with minimal supervision. Duties and responsibilities include managing the shared reception point serving the Vice Chancellor's Office, the Student Life Office, and the Office of Civil Rights and Compliance (OCRC), supervising student workers supporting the shared reception point, functioning as a liaison between the office and faculty, staff, students and community, handling confidential information, record and file maintenance, making travel and hotel arrangements, managing delegated calendars, coordinating special events for the division and conducting special projects as requested. Successful completion of duties in the position will require gaining an understanding of the structure, staff, and responsibilities of the units within the division and their programming and working constructively with other members of the division's executive team.

The review of applications starts on October 12, 2026. Applications received on or before October 12th are prioritized and review will continue until the position(s) is/are filled. Initial interviews will be conducted virtually, with shortlisted candidates invited to campus.

UW-La Crosse does not offer H-1B or other work authorization visa sponsorship for this position. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain work authorization throughout the employment term. If you have questions regarding this, please contact Human Resources at 608-785-8013.

Key Job Responsibilities

General responsibilities

• Serve as a first point of contact for the division. Provide friendly, informative, and confidential support to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Complete research and direct inquiries as necessary.
• Order and maintain an adequate stock of office supplies.
• Maintain organized digital and physical records for the division, including those containing confidential and personally identifiable information.
• Initiate work order requests as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned in relation to the mission of the Division of Access, Belonging, and Student Engagement.

Budget and financial responsibilities

• Coordinate travel arrangements for the VC, ABSE leadership team, visitors, and job candidates.
• Process reimbursements, vendor payments, and expense reporting in a timely and accurate manner.
• Develop and maintain an up-to-date understanding of general budget and travel policies by coordinating with the Business Manager, reviewing documentation, and attending community-of practice meetings.
• In coordination with the Business Manager, conduct spend planning, account reconciliation, and maintain accurate and current documentation of expenses and purchases for the leadership team and their operational accounts.
• Serve as designated backup to the Business Manager for administrative task completion, following established procedures.

Provide administrative support

• Complete a complex range of professional administrative support tasks.
• Develop and maintain an up-to-date understanding of the responsibilities of the Vice Chancellor (VC), Associate Vice Chancellor (AVC), and Dean of Students/Assistant Vice Chancellor for ABSE. Contextual awareness and discretion are essential to protect confidentiality and perform the essential duties of this position.
• Schedule meetings and maintain master calendars for the VC and ABSE leadership team. Maintain awareness of conflicting priorities and prioritize appropriately.
• Interact daily with the VC to align priorities and discuss any emerging situations. Use judgement and discretion in alerting the VC and ABSE leadership team of matters needing attention in priority order.
• Respond to requests for information from a variety of sources, particularly in the absence of the VC. This may involve researching answers and tactfully addressing sensitive issues.
• Manage and prioritize phone calls, appointments, incoming/outgoing correspondence, and reports.
• Compose, proofread, and edit correspondence and documents as required. Documents may be of a confidential nature.
• Participate in ABSE leadership team meetings, as well as other events related to ABSE upon request.
• Develop and share agendas, take meeting minutes, and share minutes in a timely and accessible manner.
• Assist in gathering data and preparing reports related to ABSE functions and end of year reporting.
• Manage the shared reception point serving the Vice Chancellor's Office, the Student Life Office, and Office of Civil Right and Compliance, including reception, coverage, and continuity of service.
• Assist in organizing processes and procedures to ensure efficient functioning of the ABSE main office, including development and maintenance of shared reception procedures, in collaboration with the leadership team and Business Manager.
• Hire, train, schedule, and supervise student workers supporting the shared reception point, including coordination of training on reception, referral, confidentiality, and office procedures.
• Assist with organizing special events (ordering food, scheduling rooms, digital signage and campus event calendar submissions).
• Coordinate preparation and distribution of divisional communications and recurring newsletters from the VC and ABSE leadership team, including gathering submissions, formatting, scheduling, and archiving.
• Serve as one of the primary liaisons, in coordination with the Business Manager, between the VC, the ABSE leadership team, unit directors, and support staff regarding university and divisional policies, procedures, goals, and functions.
• Serve as one of the primary liaisons, in coordination with the Business Manager, between ABSE, the Chancellor's leadership team, and academic departments. Develop and maintain positive lines of communication between ABSE and other university offices.

Department

Access, Belonging, & Student Engagement

Compensation

$60,000 / year

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent as applicable.
• 1-2 years of administrative experience or equivalent as applicable: public service, academic, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to appropriately manage a complex workload with multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to use discretion and good judgement, especially regarding confidential information.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new software/skills and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Ability to respectfully relate, communicate, and respond to individuals with a variety of needs.
• Ability to work well with others in a team environment.
• Ability to work independently and set priorities as needed to meet the position's demands.
• Working knowledge of modem office practices and common office equipment: email, electronic calendars, printer/copier, etc.
• Attention to detail and excellent organization skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher.
• Experience working with Microsoft 365: Outlook, Sharepoint, Teams, Word, Excel, etc.
• Experience working with Workday or a comparable enterprise system.
• 3-5 years of broad and increasingly responsible administrative experience.
• Experience providing administrative support to executive leaders or a leadership team.
• Office management experience.
• Event and/or travel planning experience.
• Experience creating and scheduling posts to social media.
• Experience hiring and/or supervising student workers.
• Experience coordinating and developing official correspondence.
• Experience participating in strategic planning and related initiatives.
• Experience in higher education and/or a desire to grow professionally within the higher education environment.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.