Special Assistant to Vice President for Communications and E…

Reporting to the Vice President for Communications and External Relations, the Special Assistant to the Vice President serves as the chief administrative officer and director of operations for the division and advisor to the vice president as it pertains to the management, oversight, and direction of the division’s operations. The incumbent also serves as liaison between CER unit colleagues and college-wide partners to bring greater definition, clarity, and adherence to college processes, policies and procedures, and communicate issues to senior management.

The Special Assistant to the Vice President shall assist the vice president in the administration, coordination, and facilitation of the division’s day-to-day operations, coordinating and strengthening activities among the division and FIT community, and managing, coordinating, and implementing strategic initiatives related to the college’s strategic plan and fulfillment of the division’s mission.

The Special Assistant to the Vice President will work closely with the Vice President to facilitate successful completion of projects and initiatives of critical importance to the college. The position
requires exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations – personnel, processes, facilities and systems;
• Oversee operational aspects of the division’s work alongside divisional AVPs and directors to evaluate their operational needs;
• Advise the vice president on key divisional issues and goals that affect the institutional strategic initiatives and accomplishment of the division’s mission, including organizational change strategies and/or organizational redesign;
• Serve as the vice president’s liaison to effectively communicate and provide leadership and direction to managerial and support staff;
• Develop and implement clear, consistent, and effective communication strategies that uphold and strengthen the reputation of the division and FIT’s mission;
• Coordinate and manage human resources activities and provide recommendations to VP in determining/re-organizing/restructuring division of labor, staffing needs, clarifying job classifications, descriptions, and responsibilities, hiring, conducting performance appraisals, time reporting, and identifying potential professional development opportunities; and facilitating the launch of any searches for positions that need to be filled, across the division;
• Provide budget and contract management for the division by developing and implementing processes and procedures to streamline work and improve efficiency;
• By working alongside VP to develop budget documents for budget and project planning and budget monitoring;
• Reviews work of budget coordinator to assure monthly budget reconciliations and resulting analyses and reports are accurate and adhere to contract management procedures;
• Commencement *
• Monitor the division’s staff culture, professional development, and personal needs to identify potential issues that could influence and enhance staff morale and productivity;
• Anticipate, conceptualize, and plan for alternative options to address space needs by attending planning meetings, maintaining open lines of communications with director of Space Planning to convey division’s needs and requirements to arrive at a mutually acceptable short-term and long-term solutions, draft potential space allocation to address current space limitations and manage potential complex move scenarios and space layout modifications;
• Work with division leaders and staff to develop routine management and status reports that monitor key divisional performance indicators;
• Track annual performance evaluations, monthly administrative reports, leave reports and any other regular reporting requirements, across the division;
• Perform other related duties, as needed.

• Commencement Planning (year-round)

Provide management, operational, and logistical oversight and support to the planning committees to deliver successful commencement/graduation-related events by overseeing all commencement related planning, processes, documents, follow-up, etc. including:

• Working closely with committee chair to conduct initial research of suggested honorary degree nominees and Commencement speakers by the nominating committee and approved by the President; completing initial research and providing that information to writers and editors to create nominations submission packages, obtaining President’s input and approval, and assuring timely submission to SUNY (early fall);
• Serving as college’s liaison with SUNY to communicate, complete, submit, and follow-up on the honorary degree nominations, overseeing internal processes and shepherding ( once approval letter is received from SUNY until citations and certificates are received, signed and presented to honorees);
• Serving as college’s liaison with venue to confirm preferred event date(s) align with academic calendar and assure contract(s) that are consistent with institutional practices;
• Scheduling, planning, and participating in related meetings by drafting agenda, updating reference materials, taking meeting notes, distributing information to parties, as needed;
• Monitoring and updating CER responsibilities task list pertaining to commencement-related activities vis a vis master checklist (maintained by the Office of the President) and thereby maintaining both the Office of the President and EMSS staff apprised on progress of CER responsibilities;
• Serving as liaison to FIT partners, vendors, and collaborators (such as bookstore, event production consultants, etc.);
• Maintaining speakers, honorary degree, and President’s awards recipients’ lists current and distributing to digital staff for posting on website, committees and others for reference;
• Revising supporting reference documents (such as order of exercises, run of show, event timetable, etc.) and tools for committees and CER use;
• Updating and monitoring annual initial estimated budget and all costs associated with ceremonies;
• Providing chair(s) and committees abreast of vendor agreements, commitments, due dates, and payments; and overseeing payment approval process prior to submitting to EMSS for payment;
• Maintaining open lines of communications with all departments that require support and/or input into creating successful graduation ceremonies (including undergraduate and graduate studies);
• Updating and providing administrators and faculty communications re venue, cap and gown ordering, platform party reservation, general day of event matters as per schedule;
• Reviewing, updating, and collaborating with digital staff regarding commencement-related website updates and messages pertaining to cap and gown and platform party reservations;
• Coordinating with digital staff re google forms needed for various event reservation RSVPs;
• Updating undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremony scripts;
• Coordinating receipt and inclusion of all speeches to be included in scripts;
• Overseeing reproduction and distribution of paper and electronic scripts as per schedule;
• Attending at least one professional development workshop or annual conference of the National American Association of Commencement Officers to ensure best practices regarding various aspects of commencement ceremonies are employed;
• Continuously endeavoring to produce successful and memorable student-centered commencement-related ceremonies.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business management/administration or related field and ten years of progressively responsible relevant management and advisory experience, preferably in higher education or non-profit; Master’s degree preferred;
• Exceptional organizational, time management, written and oral communication, and facilitative skills;
• Excellent people skills including collegiality, diplomacy and ability to engage others;
• Proven judgment and discretion in matters of confidentiality;
• Effective analytical and problem-solving skills;
• Superb ability to make timely and sound decisions;
• Strategic thinker who anticipates future possibilities and translates them into strategies and action steps;
• Pro-active focus on continuous improvement, employing effective and efficient processes to optimize work outcomes;
• Strong management background with an emphasis on administrative operations functions;
• Possess general and functional knowledge of budget management processes;
• Comfortable asserting ability to analyze and interpret budget information for use in reporting and projecting;
• Formidable ability to work on multiple projects effectively and efficiently, both independently and collaboratively;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio; Google and other applications.

Additional Information:

Department: Communications and External Relations

Supervisor: Vice President

Days/Hours: 35 hrs/wk; Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Schedule subject to change based on the needs of the department

SUNY FIT Benefits