Senior Administrative Assistant

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; St. Louis (MO); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is seeking a Senior Administrative Assistant for a hybrid schedule, on-site at least three days per week. The role provides advanced administrative support to multiple scientific Principal Investigators and their laboratories, and serves as a mentor to other administrative staff.

The position requires strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, with experience in payroll proxies, travel coordination, and project support in a scientific

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 5-7 years administrative experience, preferably in scientific/academic/research environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to multiple PIs and laboratories, including complex tasks.
• Manage calendars and schedules for assigned PIs and labs.
• Approve time-off requests, time sheets, and PAFs for new hires and changes.
• Process corporate credit card and expense reimbursements in SAP Concur.
• Coordinate lab meetings, invites, reminders, and speaker schedules.
• Arrange domestic and international travel, visa processes, and shipments.

Skills

Leadership & mentoring

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Communication & interpersonal

Time management & multi-priority

Discretion & professionalism

Teamwork

Process improvement

Project coordination

Scientific terminology communication

Education

High School diploma

Associate or Bachelor degree preferred

Tools

MS Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel)

Outlook

Google Docs

Google Calendar

Job description

Job DetailsJob Location: Saint Louis - Saint Louis, MO 63132Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: High SchoolThe Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has a full-time, non-exempt Senior Administrative Assistant position available. The position is hybrid, allowing for both in-office and remote work and requiring the individual to be on-site at least three (3) days per week. The Senior Administrative Assistant provides advanced administrative support to several scientific Principal Investigators (PI) and their respective laboratories. This position will also serve as a subject matter expert and mentor for other administrative assistants within the department.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to several scientific Principal Investigators (PIs) and their laboratory teams, including more complex laboratories
• Manage calendars and schedules as needed for assigned PIs and laboratories
• Serve as a proxy in payroll by approving time off requests, punch changes, and time sheets and completing personal action forms (PAFs) for new hires, terminations, employee changes, and labor allocations related to assigned laboratories
• Serve as a proxy for assigned PIs in SAP Concur to process corporate credit card and expense reimbursements
• Coordinate lab meetings – reserve room space for meetings, send meeting invites and reminders, create meeting schedule, schedule speakers, etc.
• Greet visitors, manage incoming calls, and assist with guest logistics for meetings
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements, including conference registrations and visa process, while being a good steward of Center funds
• Create domestic and international shipments and associated tasks, including filling out customs forms, estimating duties, etc. when necessary
• Assist with administrative tasks for lab members which may include assisting with room reservations, reimbursements, time sheets, and purchasing
• Arrange housing and assist with visas for temporary / visiting scientists for assigned laboratories
• Assist with job postings for assigned laboratories through the applicant tracking system, including coordinating and tracking applicant screenings and interviews
• Assist with onboarding new hires in assigned laboratories, including coordinating with safety department to ensure training is scheduled and completed
• Maintain and develop relationships through ongoing communication with internal and external stakeholders
• Manage and execute complex special projects as determined by management, which may include cross-departmental efforts or process improvement initiatives
• Serve as a subject matter expert and resource for other administrative assistants, providing guidance on procedures, systems, and best practices, as well as writing and maintaining standard operating procedures
• Assist in onboarding and training new administrative assistants to ensure consistency in processes, tools, and organizational standards
• Support continuous improvement of administrative workflows by recommending and implementing efficiency-enhancing solutions
• Other duties as assigned

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities

The successful candidate will uphold and strengthen the Center’s core values of collaboration, innovation, integrity and respect, diversity and inclusion, stewardship, and environmental sustainability. They will demonstrate initiative, reliability, and sound judgment in handling sensitive information. In addition to outstanding organizational, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills, the candidate will be able to effectively manage multiple complex priorities in a dynamic, team-oriented environment.

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills with the ability to support and guide peers
• Excellent attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Advanced knowledge of administrative procedures, project coordination, and organizational systems
• Comfort with scientific terminology and ability to communicate effectively with scientists and external collaborators
• Commitment to continuous learning and process improvement
• Proven experience supporting senior-level staff or complex projects
• Solid computer knowledge with proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel) and Outlook is required; experience with Google Docs and Google Calendar is preferred
• Must possess the ability to work independently and manage multiple, competing complex priorities, anticipate needs, and exercise discretion and professionalism
• Strong commitment to teamwork and fostering a positive, collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum 5-7 years of administrative experience, preferably in a scientific, academic, or research environment