Staff Assistant- Part Time

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Job Description: We are seeking a detail-oriented Assistant to support a Duke University Professor Dr. Jean-Philippe Gibert. This role involves on-time, high-touch inbox handling, coordinating meetings and events, managing schedules for visiting professors/speakers, and facilitating travel logistics. The ideal candidate will possess skills typical of personal/executive/staff assistants, tailored to the unique environment of an academic setting. This position is remote, but will include three in person meetings per semester as well as brief daily phone or zoom conversations early in the day with the faculty.

Time-Commitment: 4 hours per day from Monday to Friday. Probation period of one month.

Key Responsibilities:

• Email and Inbox Management (40%):
  • Efficiently organize and prioritize the professor's email.
  • Draft and send correspondence on behalf of the professor.
• Meeting and Event Coordination (40%):
  • Schedule, coordinate, and confirm academic and professional meetings.
  • Organize logistics for seminars, lectures, and events involving visiting professors and speakers.
• Travel Logistics and Scheduling (5%):
  • Arrange travel itineraries including flights, accommodations, and ground transportation.
  • Coordinate with conference organizers and other institutions as required.
  • Liaise with Gibert lab Manager Andrea Yammine to turn in expenditure reports and receipts after travel.
• Administrative Support and Task Management (15%):
  • Provide general administrative support to the professor in their day-to-day academic lab, including uploading lectures to Canvas, organizing the logistics for Gibert lab meetings, scheduling, and outings.
  • Manage and track multiple tasks and projects using task management software like Monday.com or Asana.
  • Maintain and update calendars, ensuring efficient time management.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Attention to Detail:
  • Strong organizational skills with a keen attention to accuracy and detail.
  • Ability to manage complex schedules and prioritize effectively.
• Communication Skills:
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Proficient in drafting professional emails and documents.
  • Comfortable communicating with various levels of academia and administration.
• Office and Software Proficiency:
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Google docs and worksheets, Slack.
  • Familiarity with schedule management tools and software including Outlook calendar, Apple calendar, and Google calendar.
• Adaptability:
  • Flexibility to adapt to daily changes in schedules, needs, and tasks.
  • Proactive in anticipating and addressing potential issues.
  • Ability to creatively resolve issues and act independently when needed.
• Educational Background:
  • Minimum requirement: Work requires a general educational background normally equivalent to a full high school education plus two years post-secondary education in a business-related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Preferred: minimum requirements + 1 or 2yrs experience as an assistant.
• Additional Qualities:
  • High level of professionalism, impeccable costumer support, and discretion.
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to resolve issues on the fly, without faculty input or support if needed.

Application Process: Candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter highlighting their relevant experience and suitability for the role.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires a broad knowledge of clerical and accounting principles and practices normally acquired through two years of post-secondary education in administrative support or a related business field.

Experience

Work generally requires four years of related secretarial/clerical OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE experience to acquire skills necessary to administer complex office functions related to office management, communications, and budgetary/accounting activities.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.