Executive Staff Assistant

Michigan State University; East Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Michigan State University’s Graduate School seeks an Executive Staff Assistant to provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School. This position coordinates executive communications, manages a complex calendar, arranges travel, supporting meetings and events, governance activities, and strategic initiatives.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organizational and communication skills, discretion with

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent with strong word processing, typing, shorthand and grammar.
• Five to eight years of related university administrative experience.
• Experience supporting senior leadership in higher education preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate executive communications and manage the Dean's calendar and travel.
• Support meetings and events, governance and committee activities.
• Prepare administrative correspondence and meeting materials; assist with transcripts and records.
• Oversee Graduate Student Travel Fellowships: eligibility, awards, recordkeeping, funding.
• Coordinate materials for meetings, travel and events including briefs, reports, presentations and follow-ups.
• Review ETDs for formatting, verify documentation, communicate revisions to students and approvals.
• Manage endowed fellowship administration and NSF fellowship processing.
• Oversee graduate assistant credit load reporting and enrollment coordination.
• Ensure compliance with enrollment requirements and assist with funding and parking coordination.

Skills

Calendar management

Travel coordination

Executive support

Communication

Discretion

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

MS Office Suite

Outlook

Database software

Job description

Position Summary

The Michigan State University Graduate School seeks an Executive Staff Assistant to provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate School. This position is responsible for coordinating executive communications, managing a complex calendar, arranging travel, supporting meetings and events, facilitating governance and committee activities, and assisting with initiatives that advance the Graduate School’s strategic priorities.

Serving as a central point of coordination for the Dean’s Office, the Executive Staff Assistant works closely with graduate students, faculty, academic and administrative units, university leadership, and external partners. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organizational, communication, and customer service skills; sound judgment; attention to detail; discretion in handling confidential information; and the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

• Makes travel arrangements, manages conference registrations, prepares required documentation, and reconciles travel reimbursements.
• Manages the Dean’s complex calendar, coordinating strategic meetings, travel, events, and leadership commitments.
• Prepares administrative correspondence, manages mail review and distribution, and provides meeting transcription support.
• Manages Graduate Student Travel Fellowships, including eligibility review, award processing, recordkeeping, and funding reconciliation.
• Proactively coordinates and assembles materials needed to prepare the Vice Provost for Graduate Education Dean of the Graduate School for meetings, travel, and events, including agendas, briefings, reports, presentations, background information, and follow-up items.
• Reviews Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) for formatting compliance, verifies required documentation, communicates revisions to students, and approves submissions for publication.
• Manages endowed fellowship administration, including application processing, committee coordination, award communications, fellowship processing, and record maintenance.
• Manages Graduate Assistant credit load reporting by verifying enrollment and coordinating with colleges to ensure compliance with assistantship enrollment requirements.
• Manages NSF Fellowships, including stipend and reimbursement processing, enrollment verification, compliance reporting, and coordination of tuition waivers and parking permits.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired through a high school education with course work in word processing, typing, shorthand, and grammar; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive University work experience in maintaining account ledgers, word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software; editing, composing correspondence, taking dictation; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Five years of progressively responsible administrative experience supporting senior leadership within a higher education environment, including management of confidential information, executive office operations, and complex calendaring.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate the needs of Graduate School leadership, independently prioritize competing and time-sensitive responsibilities, exercise sound judgment, resolve complex issues, and effectively manage work in a dynamic, fast-paced academic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• Other skills and/or physical abilities are required to perform the duties of the position.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Submit: Resume, cover letter, references

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

Grad.msu.edu

Bidding eligibility ends October 13, 2026, 11:55 PM