Executive Assistant position, one year term, 37.5 hours/week, salary range $60,000 - $70,000

About the Organization

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada's leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region's intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of students coming from outside of the province. This position will support Dr. Christine Chambers within her three separate leadership roles as: 1) Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (CIHR-IHDCYH); (2) Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Children's Pain and Professor in the Departments of Psychology & Neuroscience and Pediatrics at Dalhousie University; and 3) Scientific Director of Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP). The CIHR-IHDCYH and SKIP teams are based at Dalhousie University in the Collaborative Health and Education Building (CHEB) in Halifax, NS (with CIHR-IHDCYH also working closely with CIHR offices in Ottawa and across Canada) and the research lab is based in the Centre for Pediatric Pain Research at the IWK Health Centre.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Scientific Director and Professor, the Executive Assistant will provide experienced, executive-level administrative leadership while balancing the demands of several roles, teams, and projects. The position will help facilitate the Scientific Director's work across three independent teams and will liaise among them.

The EA must exercise impartiality and sound judgement in balancing priorities in relation to each team by anticipating needs, being organized, and working ahead, while anticipating potential problems and taking preventative steps.

This is a pivotal administrative role and the individual will provide exceptional administrative leadership. We are looking for someone who is resourceful with keen organizational and relationship building skills. If you are innovative, tech-savvy, and thrive on building and improving processes, this is the role for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and optimize a busy schedule while considering priorities, time zones, and timelines of internal and external staff, interest-holders and partners.
• Manage domestic and international travel logistics, including travel arrangements and bookings, Visa and vaccination requirements, conference/event registration, prepare travel binders and itineraries, and submit and track financial reimbursement claims.
• Sort, prioritize, and draft a high volume of daily emails, ensuring urgent matters are brought up and/or are addressed and followed up on in a timely manner.
• Ensure full briefings and preparation for meetings, presentations, performance appraisals for senior staff, and other activities by ensuring resources are prepared ahead of time with the support and input of key staff in each of the three teams and by staying apprised of significant matters, deadlines, events, and emergent issues.
• Prepare speaking and briefing notes, official correspondence, documents, forms, agendas and reports, including taking minutes at meetings and events, as well as maintaining paper and electronic filing systems to ensure efficient storage and retrieval.
• Coordinate and plan events and meetings, including booking rooms/venues, consult with participants, gather and prepare meeting documents, and organize catering and audio-visual needs.

Note

Hybrid role: The successful applicant will be eligible for hybrid work (combination of in-person work on campus and remote work) as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements and university guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Business/Office Administration diploma with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience (or equivalent combination of training and experience).
• Must possess a high degree of professionalism, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and be highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and thorough.
• Strong interpersonal skills for liaising with interest-holders, senior leadership, and representatives from partner organizations.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team and be able to balance competing priorities to meet deadlines in what can periodically be a high-pressure environment.
• Ability to work productively and collaboratively with all three dynamic and innovative teams will be critical, including members from across Canada.
• Strong computer and calendar management skills, including Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and experience with video conferencing and webinar technology.
• Experience with international travel logistics.
• Demonstrated high degree of discretion, tact, and sensitivity, and ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy.
• Ability to adhere to CIHR, SKIP, IWK, and Dalhousie University's policies, procedures, and guidelines, as appropriate.
• The successful applicant will be required to obtain Federal government security clearance once hired.

Assets

Experience working within complex academic, health research, non-profit and/or governmental structures is preferred. Strong assets include bilingualism (French/English), experience with human resource functions such as performance appraisal and management.

Application Consideration

Please upload your resume and a cover letter detailing why you feel you would be the best candidate for this position by clicking 'Apply Now.'

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Diversity Statement

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi'kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity