Executive Assistant to the Dean (4702C), Berkeley Law #88585

University of California-Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, CA is seeking an Executive Assistant to the Dean of Berkeley Law to provide high-level administrative support and coordinate operations across the Dean's Office and related units.

You will manage the Dean's calendar, prepare briefing materials, coordinate travel, handle confidential communications, and assist with teaching support and special projects, reporting to the CAO and Dean.

Responsibilities

• Lead administrative support to the Dean, managing complex schedules and meetings.
• Prepare daily briefings, coordinate travel and events.
• Screen requests and serve as gatekeeper for Dean's office.
• Ensure confidentiality and coordinate communications across units.

Job description

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth. We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan, which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.

Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride.

Departmental Overview

Berkeley Law is one of the nation's premier law schools, located at one of the world's great universities, in one of the most vibrant places on the planet. Berkeley Law is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. It is consistently ranked as one of the top law schools in the nation.

At Berkeley Law, we are committed to excellence in education and scholarship, as well as equality of opportunity. We believe we have a responsibility to use our substantial intellectual capital to help solve real-world problems and to create a more just society through clinics, research, and policy engagement. We believe that a Berkeley Law degree is a tool for change, both locally and globally, and that we should be educating the leaders of tomorrow. We maintain an environment that nurtures academic and personal growth, respects a diversity of ideas, and stimulates independent thought and critical reasoning.

Position Summary

The Executive Assistant to the Dean provides executive level support to the Dean of Berkeley Law School. The position will also be responsible for providing leadership to manage effective systems and protocols within the Dean's Office under the supervision of the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer. The position will manage the Dean's calendar, conduct research in order to prepare briefing materials, coordinate travel, manage the Dean's tasks, coordinate confidential and sensitive communications among law school units and central campus administration, provide support for the Dean's teaching, and assist the dean in his legal work. This position works closely with several Law School units including Development and Alumni Relations, Operations, Human Resources and Academic Personnel. This position assists the Dean with special projects as needed. This position will also facilitate activities and appointments between the Dean and the CAO/Deputy CAO and the Dean's Office in general.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is September 14, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Responsibilities

Executive Administrative Support

• Serves as the lead administrative support professional in a fast-paced, high visibility work environment, providing comprehensive executive administrative support to the Dean of Berkeley Law School. Coordinates and manages a complex and dynamic schedule involving internal and external meetings, events, travel, and other executive commitments.
• Manages the Dean's appointment calendar and prepares daily schedules, briefings, and check-ins to ensure the Dean is prepared for all upcoming activities.
• Serves as a primary point of contact and gatekeeper for the Dean, appropriately screening and directing requests and determining when matters require the Dean's attention, additional information, or referral to another individual or office.
• Exercises independent judgment in prioritizing competing demands, identifying time-sensitive matters, resolving scheduling conflicts, and allocating the Dean's time based on urgency, importance, and organizational priorities.
• Oversees travel and entertainment, and related logistical activities for the Dean and Dean's Office, delegating appropriate responsibilities to other support staff as appropriate, while maintaining overall accountability for timely and accurate completion. Serves as the Deans primary point of contact for these activities, ensuring responsive, high-quality service, and support throughout all activities both inside and outside of the Law School.
• Implements and maintains related administrative and business processes in accordance with Law School and University policies and procedures. Accurately interprets and clearly communicates applicable processes and policies to staff and others, explaining the rationale and operational implications of established procedures.

Administrative Operations and Process Management

• Identifies opportunities to establish, improve, strengthen, and refine internal administrative systems and processes, office procedures, and workflows to improve efficiency, service, communication, and responsiveness within the Dean's Office.
• Organizes, tracks, and monitors multiple concurrent assignments, tasks, initiatives and time-sensitive matters. Exercises sound judgment in adjusting priorities as demands shift, without sacrificing goal attainment or work quality.
• Delegates work assignments to other support staff as appropriate, assuming overall responsibility for ensuring that delegated work is completed accurately and timely. Provides training, guidance, and clarification to others regarding assigned work as needed. Develops and maintains a comprehensive tracking system and database for initiatives, assignments, deadlines, delegated work, and follow-up activities.
• Participates in the development and implementation of efficient and effective systems for managing information, projects and communications to ensure accurate and timely responses.
• Researches and implements appropriate technical and administrative solutions to address operational challenges that arise. Adapts to changes in technology, systems, and administrative practices and applies appropriate judgment regarding the use of available technologies and tools.

Executive Communications

• Serves as one of the front-line representatives of the Dean, the Dean's Office, and the Law School, managing and addressing all manner of inquiries from staff, faculty, students, campus officials, and members of the public.
• Drafts, edits, and prepares correspondence, responses, reports, communications, and other materials on behalf of the executive regarding organization operations, administrative matters, policies, procedures and other issues within the Dean's purview. Uses a high level of written and verbal communication skill and exercises discretion in tailoring communications to the audience and circumstances.
• Reviews and evaluates information received by the Dean's Office to identify emerging issues, time-sensitive matters, potential operational concerns, and other issues that may have broader implications or require immediate action. Determines appropriate follow-up and keeps the Dean and relevant leadership informed as needed.
• Coordinates with the Director of Communications and other departments leads regarding significant communications, key messages, meetings with stakeholders, and response strategies. Helps ensure that communications are timely, accurate, appropriately coordinated, and consistent with established organizational practices.
• Exercises tact, diplomacy, political acumen, and sound judgment when communicating with individuals regarding sensitive or complex matters. Determines when issues should be handled directly, referred to an appropriate office or individual, or escalated to the Dean or other senior leadership.
• Drafts and prepares responses to urgent and divisional requests. Prepares confidential reports and other material for senior staff, campus officials, systemwide officials, and other authorized recipients.

Research, Analysis and Executive Coordination

• Conducts assigned and independent research to support the Dean's work and the operations of the Dean's Office. This may include compiling, organizing, analyzing and summarizing information in order to provide briefings and background directly to the Dean in preparation for meetings, calls, events, etc.
• Anticipates potential scheduling, operational, communication, and logistical issues and conflicts. Recommends appropriate actions to the Dean, such as adjustments to schedules, priorities, meetings, or follow-up activities as circumstances change.
• Independently recognizes when additional research or information is warranted and proactively follows up with appropriate individuals and offices to ensure they have gathered as much relevant information as possible. Coordinates and follows up with others in the Law School to collect, review, and organize talking points, briefing material, prepared remarks, background information, etc.
• Makes high level internal and external contacts involving sensitive, confidential, or potentially complex matters and represents the Dean's Office with discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism.
• Maintains strict confidentiality on all matters, including sensitive topics such as personnel and employee-related information, financial information, legal or administrative matters, executive communications, and other confidential and sensitive information.
• Appropriately investigates and follows up on issues and problems that arise. Gathers relevant information to facilitate timely resolution or escalation.

Meeting and Project Coordination

• Tracks deadlines, actions items, and the status of various projects and assignments involving the Dean and Dean's Office. Develops and maintains systems to ensure that information, correspondence, records, meeting materials, and follow-up activities are organized, current, and readily accessible.
• Coordinates the logistics and implementation of the Deans standing and ad hoc committee meetings.
• Coordinates the logistics and implementation of standing meetings involving senior administrators, campus officials, faculty, departments, students and student leaders, direct reports, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Organizes and supports ad hoc committees appointed by the Dean on a broad range of issues. Coordinates information and follow-up among participants and tracks assignments and outcomes as appropriate.
• Provides accurate and timely information to the Dean and handles the details of a broad range of matters on behalf of the Dean.

General Executive Support

• Provides comprehensive administrative and operational