Executive Assistant

Competition 1760

This competition is restricted to internal applicants of the University of Alberta. Please log in to verify your internal candidate status.

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits.

Location - This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person work at North Campus Edmonton.

Working at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all FirstPeoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people — from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

Working for the Department of Medicine

The Department of Medicine is the largest department in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta with over 200 academic faculty members and over 400 trainees (graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and residents). The Department of Medicine's core mission is to undertake outstanding education, research, and high-quality clinical care to provide the best possible health outcomes for Albertans. We have 14 divisions that work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary, multicultural, and ethnically diverse collegial environment.

Position Summary

The Executive Assistant (EA) provides senior-level administrative and secretarial support to the Department of Medicine Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head to ensure timely and efficient follow-through of the directives of the Chair/ Alberta Health Service (AHS) Clinical Department Head and the duties of these positions. The EA plays a major and diplomatic role in the confidentiality of the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head's office and maintains excellent relationships with the offices of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, other University Departments and Divisions, UA Administration, the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine, AHS Administration and Government, and works in a highly collegial and professional manner with internal and external physicians and support staff.

The successful candidate's responsibilities include: effective administration of the office and daily routine of the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head, by: keeping the calendar up to date and conflict-free, organizing meetings for the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head, drafting meeting agendas, composing meeting minutes, preparing meeting documents, drafting briefing notes and reports, letters and all other communications to be sent out on behalf of the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head , organizing travel for the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head and setting up requests for reimbursement of work- and travel-related costs incurred by the Department of Medicine Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head, maintaining an orderly office, coordinating work with other members of the Department Administrative team related to special projects, serving as a resource to academic and support staff, residents and students, and outside agencies. Verbally briefing the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head on all upcoming commitments, potential issues, or problems arising, while ensuring the smooth operation of the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head office.

The Department of Medicine is a complex enterprise with overlapping responsibilities to the UA, AHS Operations, and AHS Medical Affairs with multiple funding sources, the most significant of which is Alberta Health's provincial Academic Medicine and Health Services Program (AMHSP). The EA will require a strong working knowledge of UA AHS policies and procedures and have a clear understanding of the different branches within AHS to ensure the appropriate bodies are apprised accordingly. Members of the Department include full- and part-time academic physicians and staff, non-academic staff, AHS clinical staff, basic scientists, medical students, residents, and graduate students. Academic staff position descriptions involve teaching (clinical and non-clinical), research, clinical practice, and administration. This environment creates a complexity of duties along with extensive personal interactions which impinge continuously on the EA.

Duties 

Coordination & Support of the Department of Medicine Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head's Office

• Organize the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head's office and provide day-to-day support for Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head activities that can change in an instant, monitor and coordinate the Chair/AHS
• Clinical Department Head's calendar keeping in mind physical travel time and meeting locations, interact with individuals in person, by email and/or telephone.
• Coordinate all meetings for the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head, both in person and virtual.
• Draft and prepare meeting agendas, assemble meeting documents, send out meeting materials, set up the meeting room for teleconference and recording, as appropriate, take and prepare written meeting minutes, post and/or distribute meeting minutes as appropriate, prepare and follow-up on action items for Department of Medicine UA, AHS and combined Committees.
• Prepare, organize and bring forward necessary documents for meetings the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head attends in a timely fashion.
• Maintain subject filing by computer and in physical (paper) form, as appropriate. Follow information privacy rules when filing, sending and disposing of confidential materials.
• Update and maintain the Chair’s CV and annual report, as requested by the Dept. Chair.
• Coordinate all travel arrangements for the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head and for specific visitors as requested. This includes booking of flights, transport to- and from the airport, accommodations, and itinerary for meetings and conferences.
• Preparation of Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head's correspondence, meeting agendas and minutes, patient referral letters if required, research papers, special reports, and reviews, applications for funding, as directed.
• Organize materials needed to compose letters of support for nominations and awards often requested from the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head Help prepare drafts, format final versions and distribute as appropriate.
• Liaise between the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head and: Division Directions (14), Physician Site Chiefs at affiliated teaching hospitals, the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Vice-Deans and other members of the Dean’s administrative team, various University of Alberta administrative offices, AHS Zone Section Chiefs (14), AHS Zone Medical Director, Edmonton Zone and various other AHS administrative offices, the University of Calgary Cumming School of Medicine and Department of Medicine, the Ministry of Alberta Health, Associate Department Chairs for Research, Medical Education, Clinical and Faculty affairs, offices for Postgraduate, Undergraduate, Graduate programs, Career Development and Information Management Services etc.
• Respond to inquiries from Department of Medicine academic staff, Divisional Directors, affiliated hospital Physician Site Chiefs, Alberta Health Services, the Ministry of Alberta Health, University of Alberta Administrative offices, physician offices, support staff, residents, students, etc.

Preparation of Annual Activities

• Organize all Division Directors’ appointments with the Chair/AHS Clinical Department Head to review full-time faculty annual reports in November, and schedule appointments for approximately 200 full-time faculty for their personal annual review with the Chair between August to mid-November.
• Coordinate the Chair/Clinical Department Head component of the development of the Department of Medicine Annual Report Publication.
• Coordinating information for each faculty member’s Annual Review

Qualifications

• Minimum two-year diploma in office/business administration
• Minimum of 5 – 7 years of progressive experience in a post-secondary environment, in a clinical Academic Department; health care or government experience required.
• Knowledge of UA and AHS Organization policies and procedures and organizations is very strongly preferred. High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong organization and multi-tasking abilities.
• Computer proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Google applications.
• Strong command of English grammar and writing skills.
• Social and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy and confidentiality.
• Ability to maintain a highly professional and service-oriented approach.
• Essentially an unsupervised position and must have initiative, energy, and broad skills in communication.