Executive Assistant & Communications Coordinator

Date Posted: 04/02/2025
Req ID: 42344
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Dept of Italian Studies
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00040811

Description:

About us:

The Faculty of Arts & Science is the heart of Canada's leading university and one of the most comprehensive and diverse academic divisions in the world. The strength of Arts & Science derives from our combined teaching and research excellence in the humanities, sciences and social sciences across 29 departments, seven colleges and 46 interdisciplinary centres, institutes and programs.

We can only realize our mission with the dedication and excellence of engaged staff and faculty. The diversity of opportunities and perspectives within the Faculty reflect the local and global landscape and the need for curiosity, innovative thinking and collaboration. At Arts & Science, we take pride in our legacy of innovation and discovery that has changed the way we think about the world.

The Department of Italian Studies is the largest Italian department outside of Italy, and receives considerable support from students and the community. We are one of the very few departments of our kind in North America that offers a specialization at the doctoral level in both Italian literature and Italian linguistics. Our department members consist of a number of established scholars who have produced 40 books in the past five years. We offer our department members considerable resources and opportunities, including collaboration with colleagues across the country and abroad.

Your opportunity:

Under the direction of the Chair, the Executive Assistant (EA) & Communications Coordinator plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth and professional operation of the Chair's Office in a dynamic, multi-faceted environment. Acting as the first point of contact for the department, the EA & Communications Coordinator provides high-level executive support while fostering a collegial and responsive office environment. This role encompasses a full range of administrative and communications responsibilities, including managing the Chair's schedule, handling confidential matters, drafting correspondence and reports, and supporting key academic processes such as faculty searches, tenures, and promotions.

In addition to administrative duties, the EA & Communications Coordinator assists with departmental communications, including maintaining website content and supporting social media activities across platforms like Instagram & Facebook. The incumbent also helps coordinate alumni engagement, advancement initiatives, and event logistics.

With strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and a commitment to excellence, the EA & Communications Coordinator plays a central role in enhancing the visibility and effectiveness of the department while upholding a high standard of professionalism and discretion.

Your opportunity:

Under the direction of the Chair, the Executive Assistant (EA) & Communications Coordinator plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth and professional operation of the Chair's Office in a dynamic, multi-faceted environment. Acting as the first point of contact for the department, the EA & Communications Coordinator provides high-level executive support while fostering a collegial and responsive office environment. This role encompasses a full range of administrative and communications responsibilities, including managing the Chair's schedule, handling confidential matters, drafting correspondence and reports, and supporting key academic processes such as faculty searches, tenure, and promotion.
In addition to administrative duties, the EA & Communications Coordinator assists with departmental communications, including maintaining website content and supporting social media activities across platforms like Instagram & Facebook. The incumbent also helps coordinate alumni engagement, advancement initiatives, and event logistics.
With strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and a commitment to excellence, the EA & Communications Coordinator plays a central role in enhancing the visibility and effectiveness of the department while upholding a high standard of professionalism and discretion.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Acting as the first point of contact for general enquiries
• Coordinating meeting schedules, agendas, materials, action and follow-up items
• Drafting internal and external communications
• Taking and distributing meeting minutes
• Maintaining information on digital platforms
• Applying established standards when administering academic search activities
• Collecting documentation required to carry out the tenure and review processes from senior leadership
• Determining logistical details and activities for events and/or programming

Essential Qualifications:

• Advanced College Diploma (3 years) in Business or Administration or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum three years recent and related senior secretarial/executive assistance experience in a fast paced and dynamic academic or related professional work environment.
• Extensive experience in efficiently overseeing an executive schedule/calendar, making travel and hotel arrangements.
• Experience providing administrative and coordination of support for all University of Toronto academic processes, as well as preparing and coordinating all related documents.
• Demonstrated experience in event planning, including coordinating logistical details, booking and managing event spaces, programming activities, setting up audio-visual and computer equipment for events, arranging appropriate accommodations and catering services
• Experience creating and maintaining confidential faculty personnel, grant, and disciplinary files.
• Experience administering academic human resources processes and policy.
• Experience in supporting multiple priorities, projects and committees.
• Experience compiling, drafting, editing and preparing reports and correspondence on behalf of Senior Management (e.g. Chair/Director) for internal and external sources.
• Experience creating and coordinating social media content, including creating, scheduling, posting and monitoring posts across various platforms, with a focus on visually oriented media (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn).
• Strong decision-making abilities—able to multitask and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Advanced MS Office skills (Word, Outlook Calendar, Excel, Adobe Acrobat).
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with a superior ability to oversee an executive's schedule.
• Intermediate skills with a content management system (WordPress or Drupal).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and have the ability to concisely summarize information and prepare correspondence.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a superior service orientation and ability to deal tactfully, and effectively with students at all levels, staff and faculty, as well as the general public.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to balance competing priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, showing initiative and good judgment and also the ability to work cooperatively and be a team member.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Approachable
• Diligent
• Intuitive
• Multi-tasker
• Organized
• Self-directed

Note:

• This position is required to be onsite 5 days per week, therefore this role is not currently eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, pursuant to University policies and guidelines, including but not limited to the University of Toronto's Alternative Work Arrangements Guideline.

Closing Date: 04/11/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 10 -- $70,844. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $90,595. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial
Lived Experience Statement

Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.