Senior Administrative Assistant, Office of the Provost

Toronto, ON, Canada

Full Time

Governance, Regulatory & Government Affairs

Experienced

We are looking for the visionaries, the change-makers, the self-starters who are seeking more from their career. Change begins with the small decisions we make, each day, to support each other and strive to create inspiring incredible educational experiences for all students, no matter where they are or how they learn. This concept connects deeply to the idea that, in choosing a career with Yorkville University, you will have the opportunity to push boundaries, flex your creativity and inspire positive change for so many people. It’s also a call-back to the transformative power of education itself.

Our core values put the student experience at the center of what we do, reflecting who we are and aspire to be. If you want to shine a light on academic excellence, be empowered to make an impact on the transformation of the Canadian post-secondary education landscape, and work collaboratively beyond levels, join us.

Who we need

Reporting to the Provost and the Senior Vice President of Governance, Regulatory and Government Affairs, we are looking for a Senior Administrative Assistant. As the new Senior Administrative Assistant, you will ensure the seamless execution of administrative tasks, projects, and meetings while providing vital support to this dynamic, innovative, and fast-paced executive office. You will take a proactive approach to problem-solving and process improvement, performing all duties with professionalism, critical thinking, discretion, and exceptional organizational skills.

This is a hybrid role, working 2-3 days a week in our downtown Toronto office.

Who you are

You are an experienced, highly organized, proactive Senior Administrative or Executive Assistant. You have the best practices, technical skills, and administrative knowledge to work with minimal direction and support executive leadership. You are collaborative, analytical, and genuinely motivated to be part of a progressive university. You have the relationship and trust building skills to create engagement with and adoption of new ideas and strategies. You can operate proactively, with considerable discretion, speed, and efficiency.

What's in it for you

Impact. We are disrupting education, and you will be an invaluable player. This is a stepping stone to the next level of administration in higher education. You will have the autonomy to manage your days, introduce best practices, take ownership of high-profile projects, and earn recognition for your impact.

Exposure. You want to make an impact at a progressive, private university, supporting the Office of the Provost. You will gain exposure to and insights into the university’s strategic direction, academic policies, faculty and programs, research initiatives, and resource management.

Career development. This is a rewarding career move for someone driven, curious and passionate about education, relationship management, and organizational processes. Opportunities for your future here include growing your ownership in this highly valued senior administrative role, leading consultative projects, engaging in higher-level stakeholder engagement, or growing into other results-driven roles.

As our new Senior Administrative Assistant, you will:

Provide confidential support to the Office of the Provost. You will manage the day-to-day and overall function of the office, ensuring efficiency, responsiveness, accuracy, and strategic impact in all actions. You will identify, monitor, and articulate critical action items and brief the Interim Provost and Senior VP on issues, updates, and key information before every meeting and engagement. You will manage and prioritize their schedules, coordinate meetings, and inform them of upcoming commitments. You will proactively anticipate their needs for meetings and conferences, researching and recommending solutions.
Represent the Office. You will nurture collaborative working relationships within the Office and across the university, positioning yourself as a go-to resource. You will respond to and prioritize all inquiries, requests for information, and communications, exuding a genuine interest in sharing knowledge, assisting with processes, and solving issues proactively and as they arise. You will manage incoming correspondence, redirect it, and respond as appropriate. You will maintain professionalism and confidentiality in all administrative activities and stakeholder interactions.
Coordinate events and meetings. You will schedule virtual and in-person meetings and events. You will develop agendas and background material and serve as a record keeper for committees and meetings, ensuring accurate and organized meeting records. You will arrange travel plans, including itineraries, and reconcile expenses while preparing travel and expense reports. You will organize team events to foster goodwill and further professional working relationships.
Manage documentation. You will draft complex documents, prepare reports and presentations, proofread and edit materials, and maintain orderly records and archives of critical documents. You will manage and update documentation using SharePoint.
Support projects. You will play a supporting role in driving the success of processes and initiatives across the organization. You will provide administrative and analytical support for special projects. You will identify and resolve inefficiencies in internal processes and procedures. You will create project schedules, track deliverables, and develop reports on project progress. You will schedule, organize and lead project meetings with other internal departments and client meetings related to the project.
Nurture the team culture. You will apply your commitment to fostering a collaborative, positive, diverse, and inclusive people culture. You will support the VP with coordinating team events, celebrations, and culture-building activities.

You have:

The background. You have an undergraduate degree and strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. You have progressive growth in an administrative support and relationship management role, working with senior leadership in a multi-vertical organization. You may be coming from a public or private higher educational institution, a national nonprofit organization, a government office, or a similarly complex organization. You have extensive experience managing complex and shifting schedules, coordinating meetings, conducting research, building processes, writing documentation, creating reports, and leading projects. You have a growth mindset and embrace the opportunity to be mentored, to grow, and to learn.
The ownership. You are curious, energetic and driven to perform effectively in a demanding, high-growth, fast-paced environment. You hold yourself accountable to high standards of confidentiality with an awareness of sensitive information. You can balance autonomy and independence with executive collaboration and cross-functional teamwork. You are passionate about representing the initiatives and work of the Office of the Provost and our organization.
The project management skills. You have experience planning and coordinating projects from end to end. You are a creative problem solver, able to balance and change priorities, anticipate and respond to issues, and manage all the details. You focus on accomplishing every milestone, ensuring processes are followed, and proactively dealing with obstacles.
The technical skills. You have expertise in MS Office Suite, including Teams, and you are highly proficient in SharePoint and project management tools such as Smartsheet. You can collect, organize and analyze data, drawing insightful conclusions for real-world problem-solving.
The interpersonal skills. You have exceptional oral and written communication skills. You can build strong interpersonal relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, including senior executives, faculty, staff, and external partners. You have the confidence, maturity, and business acumen to represent the Office of the Provost. You can influence without authority, manage conflict, and nurture trust at any level.

Why work at Yorkville University?

An atmosphere that successfully blends an entrepreneurial culture with education. We value innovation and continuously look towards expanding our programming, working with the latest research, tools and solutions. As a private school with government approval of our offerings, we have the opportunity to do more, stay current and be future-forward.
The chance to accelerate your career and disrupt education by responding to the needs you see and purposefully challenging the status quo. Everything we do here is about delighting and engaging our employees - and ultimately our students- from mentorship to teaching, from creative outlets to analytical ones.
A place where all individuals feel welcomed in the academic and workplace environments and can bring their authentic selves to the educational and work spheres. We celebrate the full range of human diversity and we acknowledge that equal access to opportunities and services may require the removal of barriers that equity-seeking communities experience in trying to obtain this access.
The opportunity to grow with access to free courses, certifications and programs - right up to our Masters' offerings.
An appreciation for the insights and skills you bring to work with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including a wide breadth of wellness services and a work-life balance.

Join us

We welcome and appreciate candidates with a range of backgrounds and experiences. If you have 70% of the qualifications we are looking for, express your interest.

What you can expect from our hiring process:

A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor discussing your interest in the role and the company.
A writing assignment to be completed and shared in advance of the next step.
An interview with the Senior VP of Regulatory and Governance and the Interim Provost. You will be able to share your experience in supporting senior leaders, project management, and contributing to the efficient function of a large team.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are a critical component of life at Yorkville University and Toronto Film School and we are committed to making these values an integral part of our culture. We encourage applications from all qualified applicants, including women, persons with disabilities, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), people from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Questioning, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual + (LGBTQ2SIA+) community and other equity-seeking groups.

Yorkville University is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ('AODA'). If you require accommodation for disability, please notify Human Resources at 1-877-429-4029.

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