Sr. Administrative Assistant

The University Of Chicago; United States; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Duchossois Family Institute (DFI) at the University of Chicago is seeking a highly organized Sr. Administrative Assistant to support the Director and research community.

You will manage the Director’s calendar, handle communications, and provide administrative support for grants and publications in collaboration with laboratory teams. Ideal candidates bring 7+ years of related experience, strong discretion, and excellent communication skills.

Qualifications

• Education: vocational training or equivalent in related field.
• Work Experience: 7+ years in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: not specified in posting.

Responsibilities

• Manage Director’s calendar, schedule meetings, coordinate visits, and liaise with faculty and administrators.
• Serve as first point of contact for visitors and triage inquiries with discretion.
• Support grant applications, manuscript preparation, reimbursements, and travel arrangements.
• Oversee daily office operations, room scheduling, supplies, and purchasing processes.
• Coordinate events, speaker visits, and departmental meetings including logistics.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written comms

Interpersonal and customer service

Discretion with confidential info

Problem solving

Initiative and prioritization

Teamwork and collaboration

Education

Vocational training or equivalent experience

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

WhenIsGood

Job description

Department BSD DFI - Staff

About the Department The Duchossois Family Institute (DFI) at the University of Chicago is using cutting-edge technologies and developing facilities to accelerate research and introduce novel interventions that optimize microbiome-mediated host defenses, with the goal of enhancing health. By developing new knowledge about the interactions between the human body and the microbiome, the DFI is breaking new ground that will lead to therapies that increase resistance to a wide range of diseases.

Job Summary

The job provides confidential and high-level office and location support activities by acting as a lead and coordinating the work of others. Identifies, enhances, and applies specific processes and procedures to maximize the efficiencies of the University to which the support is being provided. May ensure the correct functioning of facilities, office and/or business support services. We are seeking a highly organized and proactive Sr. Administrative Assistant to support the Director and research community of the DFI. At the center of a dynamic academic environment, this role serves as a trusted partner to faculty, staff, students, and University leadership. The ideal candidate will manage the Director’s complex calendar, act as the primary point of contact for communications, and provide administrative support for grant applications and publication manuscripts in collaboration with laboratory teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage the DFI Director’s calendar, schedule meetings, coordinate guest and faculty visits and facilitate communication between the Director, faculty, and University administrators.
• Serve as a first point-of-contact for visitors, triage emails, phone calls, responding to routine and complex inquiries with discretion and confidentiality.
• Support faculty, staff, and students by assisting with grant applications, publication manuscripts, reimbursements, and travel arrangements.
• Oversee daily office and departmental operations, including conference room scheduling, office supply inventory, key/access coordination, and general administrative support.
• Coordinate speaker visits, scientific meetings, and departmental events, managing logistics such as schedules, travel, catering, room reservations, itineraries, and day-of-event support.
• Maintain the departmental website and support laboratory and departmental purchasing, including supplies, vendor payments, and related administrative processes.
• Provides confidential and high-level administrative support for a leader.
• Stays informed of activities relating to University programs and initiatives, apprising the leader of issues when deemed necessary.
• Coordinates information flow from leader’s office to University.
• May staff Board of Directors meetings.
• Relieves leaders of administrative responsibilities.
• Initiates correspondence and other written materials under own signature or for signature of the leader.
• Triages emails and telephone calls for action.
• Resolves routine and complex inquiries.
• May act as liaison to Board of Directors.
• Prepare special reports and summaries, assists in managing daily operation of the office, and may assist in developing administrative goals and policies.
• Maintains the leader's calendar, exercising considerable discretion and judgment as to priorities and effective use of the leader's time.
• Coordinates special projects as directed by the leader.
• Prepares write ups for recommendations for operational and administrative problems.
• May manage a portion of the leader's budget, monitoring and reconciling accounts.
• Prepares financial and/or administrative reports.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).
• Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred.
• Experience: Experience in a higher education, research, or academic medical environment strongly preferred.
• Experience: Experience assisting with academic or research-related activities, such as grant submissions, manuscript preparation, faculty support, or coordinating seminars and speaker visits strongly preferred.

Preferred Competencies

• Familiarity with central administration in a complex research university environment strongly preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skillsstrongly preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills strongly preferred.
• Ability to interact with the public with courtesy, clarity, and diplomacy strongly preferred.
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information with the highest level of discretion strongly preferred.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, including the ability to identify and use appropriate resources to resolve issues effectively strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently collaboratively as part of a team strongly preferred.
• Ability to take initiative, organize priorities, and complete projects with minimal supervision strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as meeting platforms such as WhenIsGood strongly preferred.

Working Conditions

Office environment.

Job Family

Administration & Management Role Impact Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Eligibility and Background Checks

• Drug Test Required: No
• Health Screen Required: No
• Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required: No

Salary

Pay Type: Salary

FLSA Status: Exempt

Pay Range: $60,000.00 - $90,000.00

Benefits

Eligible: Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case‑by‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637. The University of Chicago is an urban research university that has driven new ways of thinking since 1890. Our commitment to free and open inquiry draws inspired scholars to our global campuses, where ideas are born that challenge and change the world. We empower individuals to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. Students in the College develop critical, analytic, and writing skills in our rigorous, interdisciplinary core curriculum. Through graduate programs, students test their ideas with UChicago scholars, and become the next generation of leaders in academia, industry, nonprofits, and government.