Assistant to the Chair & Communications Coordinator

About the College of Architecture, Art and Planning

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University (Cornell AAP) is home to nearly 1000 students, 120 faculty, and 70 staff members who come together from around the world to take up some of today's most urgent challenges and advance research, inquiry, and approaches to designing, making, and doing that build a more just and sustainable future.

A vital college at one of the nation's foremost research universities, Cornell AAP bridges fields and faculty with five departments, 19 degree programs, 18 faculty-led labs, and the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities, a platform for building partnerships that make change in our cities and communities nationally and internationally.

Cornell AAP's departments include Architecture, Art, and Planning, as well as the new multicollege Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate, jointly led by the S.C. Johnson College of Business, and the multicollege Department of Design Tech, administered by Cornell AAP in partnership with Cornell Bowers CIS, Cornell Engineering, the College of Human Ecology, and Cornell Tech. The college is housed across three locations (Ithaca, New York City, and Rome, Italy), each with world-class facilities and cutting-edge technologies.

Cornell AAP is about acts of transformation. We are committed to building a caring, inclusive, and rigorous community around our shared priorities - Creative + Critical Practices; Sustainability + Social Impact; Design + Emerging Technologies; and the Future of Cities + Development - that enable us to reimagine and reshape the world in radically new ways, every day.

About the Department of Architecture

The Department of Architecture at Cornell dates to the founding of the institution; it is one of the oldest programs of its kind, and has a long and distinguished tradition of design, scholarship, and teaching. Degree programs in the department include a professional Bachelor of Architecture, professional Master of Architecture, post-professional Master of Science Degrees in Advanced Architectural Design and Advanced Urban Design, and a doctoral program in the History of Architecture and Urban Development. Cornell Architecture students and faculty benefit from the Material Practice Facilities in AAP and a world-renowned library collection, and participate in an expanded footprint that includes AAP NYC and Cornell in Rome. The department engages urgent global issues through a foundation of conceptual thinking and processes of making, and is committed to architectural practices informed by and embedding within evolving and dynamic social, environmental, and technical contexts.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Department Manager, the Assistant to the Chair will provide broad-based, comprehensive administrative support and project assistance to the chair of the Department of Architecture by:

• Keeping the chair's calendar up to date; scheduling meetings and other events for the chair, taking into consideration class schedules, department and other committee schedules, and other potentially conflicting chair obligations.
• Reviewing, prioritizing, and tracking the chair's correspondence and email, which often contains very sensitive and confidential information and must be handled appropriately.
• Drafting responses for the chair or ensure that issues are distributed to other staff as appropriate.
• Being responsible for follow-up to ensure timely and complete response on chair's behalf.
• Under general direction, drafting, writing, and editing various correspondence, reports, and presentations.
• Coordinating, prioritizing and assisting with preparation of logistics and itineraries for meetings, lectures, events, receptions, etc.
• Coordinate complex travel arrangements, travel reimbursements, etc. for the chair.
• Providing administrative support for academic position searches, preparation of dossiers and other materials for promotion/tenure reviews, and other similar confidential department matters, as directed.
• Serving as the Department website content manager.
• Collecting and updating program information, events, opportunities pages, profiles for faculty and staff.
• Feeding news stories to the college website content manager.
• Generating or overseeing the creation of newsletters, announcements, and invitations to lectures, openings, and other events.
• Providing editing and graphic design work in consultation with AAP Communications, for departmental publications, communication pieces, and special projects.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Success Factors

You will be considered competitive for this role if you engage:

• Strategic Prioritization and Organizational Skills: Effectively manage the chair's growing list of tasks, ensuring a balance between immediate needs and long-term priorities with good judgment. Anticipate and plan schedules, reminders, and meetings to support the chair in maintaining connectivity and fulfilling essential commitments.
• Empathy and Team Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment by demonstrating empathy, active listening, and an understanding of the team's diverse perspectives. Navigate college relationships with a keen sense of hierarchy and internal dynamics to ensure smooth communication across departments.
• Adaptable Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Utilize strong written and verbal communication skills to act as a seamless liaison between the chair, faculty, and broader department, knowing when to communicate independently and when to seek direct input. Demonstrate discretion and tact when handling sensitive information.
• Commitment to Inclusivity and Growth: Show genuine interest in promoting a well-functioning and inclusive department that aligns with Cornell's mission. Engage in professional development opportunities to enhance individual growth and contribute to a team culture that values continuous improvement and respect for all members.

This Assistant to the Chair & Communications Coordinator is a full-time central role within the dynamic staff team in the Department of Architecture administrative office located in Sibley Hall. Core office hours are between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM. We are able to offer and support flexibility on start and end times, based on the semester, evaluating the needs of the semester, and determined or agreed upon with your supervisor.

What We Need

• A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.
• Associate's degree with 2-4 years related administrative experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple, competing priorities in a busy office environment.
• Ability to interact with individuals at many different levels and diverse backgrounds in a professional, diplomatic, and courteous manner, providing exceptional customer service.
• Ability to anticipate needs, independently troubleshoot and resolve problems. Excellent and proven organizational, planning, time management and interpersonal skills.
• High level of oral and written communication skills essential, including ability to compose and format e-mail and other correspondence in a clear and concise manner.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with tact and discretion.
• Excellent judgment and diplomacy.
• Must exhibit flexibility, initiative and follow-through on work issues and activities as well as the ability to work cooperatively with others.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, especially Outlook calendar and email management an absolute must.
• Proven web maintenance experience and proficiency required. Occasional evening and weekend work will be required.
• Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it's ok if you don't.

• Bachelor's degree.
• Prior experience as an executive assistant.
• Familiarity with various graphics and web software, including Adobe Creative Suite (particularly Photoshop and In Design), and content management systems (e.g., Drupal).
• Familiarity with the academic environment.

Rewards and Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

No Visa Sponsorship is available for this position.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information.

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