Senior Administrative Assistant

General Description of Position: 

The Senior Administrative Assistant supports the Rubin Observatory by providing a variety of high-level administrative functions. The person in this role exercises initiative, independent judgment and discretion while anticipating the needs of the Operations Director. As a member of the Program Operations Team the Senior Executive Coordinator will also have specific duties and functions related to the overall operation of Rubin Observatory 

The position is based in Tucson, Arizona. Preference will be given to qualified internal candidates.

Essential Functions: 

• Schedule meetings and appointments and manage travel itineraries 
• Manage calendars and assist in preparing for meetings including booking physical meeting rooms and/or virtual connections (Zoom etc) includes helping to connect hybrid meetings setting up meeting notes on a variety of platforms (e.g., Google, Confluence) and in some cases taking notes during meetings. onboarding, maintaining contracts, following up on report inputs while liaising with various parts of the organization as appropriate. 
• Assist with boards, workshops and review meetings overall start to end organization, these could be offsite and as large as 300 attendees.  
• Reconcile departmental credit card statements and submit travel expenses claims for the Operations Director and occasionally staff members. 
• As a member of the Program Operations Team assist with, or independently carry out, a variety of tasks as assigned such as requisition submission, office space tracking, staff onboarding, ordering supplies, general duties that include interfacing with various parts of the organization as appropriate. 
• Occasionally handle time-sensitive matters outside normal business hours 
• Prepare routine and advanced documents including letters, memoranda, reports, financial data, and/or review them for quality keeping confidential information within the proper bounds.  
• Maintain organized filing system of paper and electronic documents, tracking of own tasks through ticketing system and contributing work using collaborative tools. 
• Propose creative solutions to a wide variety of challenges, including logistics, administration, conflict resolution and laboratory-wide issues. Draw on experience and use sound judgement to plan and accomplish goals. 
• Audit procedures/processes and recommend management action to improve efficiency 
• Serve as a liaison as needed in meetings, daily activities, and special events; may interact with vendors and staff on behalf of the Director 

Other Functions: 

• Other duties as assigned. 
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else. This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer.  
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position or subordinates of this position as defined in the Vela Award Management system.

Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities: 

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field, or equivalent combination of experience and education. 
• Minimum 5 years of administrative experience 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills: ability and desire to cooperate, coordinate, and interface with all levels of personnel, both internal and external to the organization, with a positive attitude 
• Strong ability to coordinate activities: prioritize tasks, provide guidance and direction to staff  
• Proficiency in use of personal computer applications for word processing, spreadsheet preparation, presentation software, database and project management, etc.  
• Exercise independent judgment, take initiative, and recommend effective action.  
• Ability to develop expert knowledge of company and departmental policies and processes. 

Desirable Qualifications 

• Proficiency in spoken Spanish 

Physical Demands: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

This work is mostly carried out in an office environment. Long periods of sitting may be required. For full list of physical please see official job description. Some Travel may be necessary in or outside the contiguous United States. 

Veterans, disabled individuals or wounded warriors needing assistance with the employment process should request assistance at employment@aura-astronomy.org 

Salary Range: $63,600-$69,900. The final salary will depend on skills, qualifications and experience.

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement plan contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment. Details on benefits can be found at https://hr.aura-astronomy.org/employee-benefits-guide/ 

The position will remain open until it is filled. To be considered in the first round of reviews, please submit your application by October 16, 2024.

• Please submit a cover letter and a CV or resume, PDF files preferred. Please name any attachments with the following format: Lastname Docname. 
• Application documents that are not uploaded as part of the application may be sent to employment@aura-astronomy.org. 
• Please enter 3 professional references in your application (references will only be contacted later in the recruitment process). 

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of 49 US institutions and 3 international affiliates that operates world-class astronomical observatories for the National Science Foundation and NASA. AURA’s role is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that advance innovative astronomical research. In addition, AURA is deeply committed to public and educational outreach, and to diversity throughout the astronomical and scientific workforce. AURA carries out its role through its astronomical facilities. 

As a recipient of U.S. Government funding, AURA is considered a government contractor and is subject to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations. As an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, AURA does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender identity expression, lawful political affiliations, veteran status, disability, and/or any other legally protected status under applicable federal, state, and local equal opportunity laws. The statements below as well as the requests for self-identification are required pursuant to these regulations. We encourage your participation in meeting these federal reporting requirements which are included for protection and to assist us in our recordkeeping and reporting. Your responses are kept strictly confidential.