Job Description

The MIT Center for Constructive Communication (CCC) brings together more than 50 researchers in AI, computational social science, digital interactive design, and learning technologies with software engineers, journalists, civic designers, and community organizers to understand and address deepening societal fragmentation.

We seek a Sr. Administrative Assistant who will be the director’s primary administrative assistant. The ideal candidate has Executive support experience, with a keen desire to handle complex 1 on 1 support. The successful candidate will be a motivated self-starter with superior interpersonal skills to handle complex administrative responsibilities of the director under minimal supervision. The Sr. Administrative Assistant will develop an understanding of the Center’s research, relationships, funding, and ecosystem in support of the overall enterprise. The Sr. Administrative Assistant must be able to interact effectively with a diverse community comprised of researchers, students, collaborators, industry members, and visitors; both exercise independent judgment and work within a team-oriented and no-job-is-too-small culture; analyze and interpret widely varying situations; anticipate needs; be comfortable working in a demanding, fast-paced environment with the ability to work on multiple tasks concurrently, shift tasks quickly and successfully balance and prioritize workload. 

Responsibilities

• Manage a highly complex calendar, including independently prioritizing requests for Director’s time.  Coordinate arrangements for multiple meetings and maintain files for easy access to background material, provide briefs and agendas for daily schedule. Prepare materials such as research on bios to reporting on the meetings for advisory and sponsor meetings and maintain filing. Ensure due dates and timelines are communicated and followed-up on.
• Represent Director to high-level internal and external constituents. Utilizing knowledge of the Center’s research and relationships, answer questions and determine appropriate course of action for sensitive issues and matters of significance that may have high visibility within Center, MIT, and external to the Institute. Attend Center meetings and other meetings as needed keeping track of action items and follow up.
• Main point of contact between senior staff in keeping them up-to-date about the director’s commitments, both internal and external.
• Anticipate  the director’s needs, perform general administrative duties for Director, including triage of communications directed to him, respond, re-direct, and prioritize requests, prioritize and re-route mail for action, etc.
• Learn and manage a vast network of contacts. Establish and maintain influential and strategic relationships with internal and external contacts.
• On behalf of the Director, keep all personal information updated, e.g., biographical data, C.V.
• Coordinate meetings chaired by the Director; attend and prepare materials for meetings and follow up on action points as required including logistics.
• Manage ad hoc and special events and projects as requested by the Director including agendas and schedules of individual visitors and delegations from industry, corporate sponsors, foundations, and other universities.
• Research, draft, edit and/or proofread correspondence and other written material such as recommendation letters for both internal and external audiences, including responding independently.
• Coordinate complex travel arrangements for meetings, develop itineraries, organize and submit documentation for reimbursement – including travel for Director’s guests.
• Coordinate and field speaking and appearance requests along with logistics, communication, tracking, preparing the director with supporting documents, etc.
• Ensure Center website general pages are up to date.
• Provide back up assistance, as needed, on financial activity such as reimbursements, purchasing, etc. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

• High school diploma or its equivalent;
• At least five years of experience in an administrative setting;
• Ability to proactively engage and anticipate needs;
• Handle multiple tasks concurrently and set priorities, and meet deadlines;
• Demonstrated proficiency with English grammar and composition; excellent editing/proofreading skills; attention to detail with extreme accuracy;
• Consistent and diligent, excellent judgment; strong critical thinking and problem solving skills; ambitious and takes ownership in everything they do;
• Well-developed organizational skills;
• Strong email management skills; 
• Proficiency with Google applications (GoogleDoc, Google Sheets, etc.), Apple Keynote, Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Adobe.

PREFERRED:

• At least five years of experience working with C-suite managers;
• A bachelor's degree in business administration and management, communications or public relations or similar;
• Experience with SAPgui, Concur, and Dropbox.

This position is 40 hours/week Monday-Friday.