Manager Executive Administration bei Southern Methodist University

Salary Range: 

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

About SMU

SMU’s more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University’s small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU’s relationship with Dallas – the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions – offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

This highly specialized position requires a self-motivated professional with a strong record of administrative experience to support the Dean of Dedman College with the day-to-day College operations, thereby ensuring seamless execution of Dedman-wide initiatives and governance processes. This includes but is not limited to handling sensitive and confidential information, such as tenure and promotion cases, maintaining a heavy calendar--including organizing travel, scheduling and managing a number of large events, organizing and managing complex records, and acting as liaison between the Dean and the SMU community and off-campus constituents and event planning. Many of these activities are exercised with considerable independent judgment.

Essential Functions:

• Administrative Support for the Dean: Managing the Dean's calendar, including scheduling appointments (with university and outside constituents), and using independent judgment to prioritize or delegate referrals. Prepare and research documents as requested by the Dean for meetings, act as reminder for pertinent university deadlines. Perform general administrative duties for Dean (booking travel).

• Dean's Office Administration: Act as 1st point of contact with administration, faculty, staff, students, and outside constituents to effectively address matters of internal/external importance to the college and university. Coordinate incoming requests, correspondence, and phone calls, answering questions and/or routing inquiries as appropriate .Prepare written responses when needed.

• Faculty Affairs Administration: Coordinate with department chairs, faculty/staff to communicate/train aspects of the university's administrative structures and procedures (e.g., faculty hiring, promotion and tenure, 3rd year reviews, retirement agreements). Prepare, compile, and interpret a variety of reports/documents. Schedule various faculty-associated meetings.

• Event Planning: Organize events (academic and non-academic), including but not limited to, academic chair meetings, faculty meetings, staff meetings, etc. Said events could include procurement of catering, venue, guest relations, compile agenda and meeting documents, creation of invitations, follow-up duties after event, as well as other duties and projects.

• Database Maintenance and HR: Maintain records, databases and organize files to track detailed information on Dedman College faculty and staff, and run pertinent reports as requested by the Dean. Work with SMU Human Resources in hiring staff, assist with training staff, and assist with HR issues.

• Other Duties: Including, but not limited to, review of Dean's office budgets. Conduct 1st check on travel and purchase approvals that need Dean sign-off.

• Occasional evening/weekend hours may be required for events, i.e. Dedman College Commencement.

   

Education and Experience:

A Bachelor’s degree is required.  A Master's degree is preferred. 

A minimum of five (5) years of experience providing administrative support to an executive or comparable senior role is required. Experience providing executive assistant support to academic dean in higher education is strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills for effective interaction with multiple constituencies on and off campus (e.g. administrators, board members, faculty, staff, students and others). Must also demonstrate a strong customer service orientation. 

Candidate must oversee and support departmental administrative processes with flexibility, ready availability, and a willingness to problem-solve. The ability to adapt to a multi-tasking (e.g., interrupt an activity to respond to a emergent need in another area) environment is essential along with the capacity for forward-thinking and seeing projects to completion.

Candidate ability to maintain confidentiality is essential. 

Candidate must be proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel). Familiarity with PowerPoint, FileMaker Pro, Blackboard and Canvas, SharePoint, Sitecore, Adobe Acrobat, Interfolio, and Adobe Photoshop is a plus. 

Candidate ability to create pivot tables and perform data entry is a plus.

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• Sit for long periods of time
• Bend, stand, kneel
• Push/pull

Deadline to Apply:

Priority consideration may be given to submissions received by November 5, 2025.

This position is open until filled. 

EEO Statement

SMU is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.

Benefits:

SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.

The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.