Sr Administrative Assistant

Grainger; Lake Forest (IL); Hybrid; USD 33,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance from day one

401(k) company match

PTO 18 days + 6 holidays

Parental leave

Safety shoes

Employee discounts

Job summary

Grainger is seeking a Senior Administrative Assistant in Lake Forest, IL. The role is hybrid, with 2–3 days per week in the office, reporting to the Manager of Administrative Services.

The position focuses on proactive executive support, calendar and travel management, and high-impact meeting coordination. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, tech-savvy, and capable of leveraging productivity tools and AI-enabled tech to enhance efficiency and decision support in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• 1+ years of administrative experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and LucidChart.
• Experience communicating essential information clearly, both in writing and verbally.
• Ability to proofread documents for grammar and punctuation.
• Ability to learn multiple software programs; reporting automation is a plus.
• A proactive approach with initiative and ownership.
• Detail-oriented with strong problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Respond to requests by asking probing questions and gathering information.
• Manage leadership meeting logistics, including venue selection and on-site support.
• Schedule travel logistics and ensure required travel documents.
• Prepare and edit memos, reports, PowerPoint decks, and SharePoint updates.
• Coordinate calendars, track action items, and support follow-ups.
• Assist with internal communications and onboarding processes.
• Support team budgeting and supply management as needed.
• Participate in department projects and trainings.

Skills

Administrative experience

Microsoft Office

LucidChart

Strong communication

Proofreading

Learning new software

Proactive approach

Attention to detail

Problem solving

Education

High School diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

LucidChart

Job description

Location:

LAKE FOREST, IL, US, 60045-5202

Work Location Type:

Hybrid

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award-winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High-Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. For more information, visit www.grainger.com .

Compensation

This position is hourly. The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $24-37/hr.

Rewards and Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage starts on day one of employment.
• Access to up to 50% of your paycheck based on hours worked before payday.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, parental leave, and other benefits.
• Safety shoes provided (where applicable).

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Senior Administrative Assistant serves as a trusted business partner to Directors and Senior Directors, driving operational excellence through proactive administrative support, strategic calendar and travel management, executive communications, and high-impact meeting and event coordination. This role goes beyond traditional administrative responsibilities by anticipating leadership needs, managing complex projects, streamline processes, and serving as a key contributor to team effectiveness in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized and tech-savvy professional with strong business acumen, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to leverage modern productivity tools, reporting automation, and AI-enabled technologies to enhance efficiency and support decision-making. Success in this role requires adaptability, attention to detail, sound judgment, and a proactive mindset focused on continuous improvement and delivering an exceptional leadership support experience.

This position is Hybrid, requiring a minimum of 2-3 days per week in the office, with the possibility of additional in-office time based on business needs. You will report to a Manager, Administrative Services.

You Will:

• Respond to requests by asking probing questions, gathering and providing information.
• Manage logistics/event planning for all leadership meetings including selecting venues, food, coordinating development of schedules, and providing on-site meeting support.
• Schedule and manage business travel logistics and ensure leader has necessary documentation for travel (Domestic/international).
• Manage multiple documents including composing, modifying, and proofreading (i.e. memos/letters, reports, PowerPoint presentations, SharePoint updates, surveys, organizational charts, or records management.
• Task and project management may include (but not limited to) managing invites, coordinating presentation content and handouts, transcribing/recording meeting notes, capturing action items, takeaways, recording audio when necessary, facilitating online questions from participants during meetings, troubleshooting technical and logistical issues, and organizing follow up activities. Effectively manage leaders’ time using strategic and proactive calendar management.
• Support leadership in planning and distributing team member and leader communications.
• Prepare personnel, purchasing and other administrative forms for the leadership teams and forward for approval and processing.
• Train and provide backup support for other Administrative Business Partners as needed.
• Support the onboarding and departure process for department team members.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the department and appropriate Company policies, procedures and operations.
• Participate in department projects and tasks including but not limited to training and team meetings.
• Monitor, maintain, and order department supplies and manage associated budget; may own other department specific processes or activities.
• Work in a change environment where quality improvement and organizational refinement is ongoing.
• This position requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to evolving business needs.

You Have:

• High School diploma or equivalent
• 1+ years of admininstrative experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and LucidChart.
• Experience communicating essential information concisely, both in writing and verbally.
• The ability to proofread documents for correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• The ability to learn multiple software programs. Reporting automation tools experience is helpful.
• A proactive approach with the initiative to anticipate needs and take ownership of responsibilities.
• Attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in all tasks.
• A problem-solving mindset, with the ability to adapt and respond effectively to challenges.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.