Communications & General Counsel Executive Assistant - Barnard College : Job Details

Barnard College seeks a proactive, professional and organized individual to support the functions of two members of the senior leadership team: the Vice President & General Counsel and the Vice President for Strategic Communications and Government Relations. This role is critical in ensuring the efficient operation of both offices and requires exceptional judgment, discretion, communication skills, and the ability to manage complex schedules and sensitive information. The successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and will demonstrate a commitment to excellence, confidentiality, and service.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for both Vice Presidents, handling inquiries with professionalism and discretion.
• Draft, edit, and proofread correspondence, reports, presentations, and other documents.
• Coordinate logistics for meetings, including preparing agendas, taking minutes, and following up on action items.
• Manage complex calendars, including scheduling internal and external meetings, travel arrangements, and event coordination.
• Maintain organized filing systems (digital and paper), ensuring easy access and confidentiality.
• Leverage technology to facilitate smooth and efficient operations of both offices.
• Manage department-wide calendars and support staff coverage by assisting with the tracking and coordinating of PTO requests.

• Support day-to-day operations of both offices, including procurement of supplies, expense reporting, invoice tracking, and budget tracking.
• Prepare legal documents, monitor court dockets, and perform other paralegal tasks under the supervision of an attorney.
• Printing and organizing documents for the Vice Presidents and department, and facilitating signatures.
• Liaise with internal departments and external stakeholders on behalf of the Vice Presidents.

• Support cross-functional initiatives involving legal affairs, communications, public affairs, and government relations.
• Track timelines and deliverables for ongoing projects and affirmatively provide regular updates to the Vice Presidents.

Skills, Qualifications & Requirements:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of 5 years of administrative experience, preferably in a higher education, legal, communications, or government environment
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Excellent organizational, time management, and multitasking skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• High proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and digital collaboration tools (e.g., Zoom, Google Workspace)
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, as well as collaborate across departments
• Quick learner with strong attention to detail

Preferred:

• Proficiency or expertise using Workday systems
• Experience supporting senior executives in legal, public affairs, or higher education contexts
• Comfort and diplomacy in interfacing with high-level external stakeholders and government officials
• Paralegal experience
• Notary license

This job is an on-site, in-person role 5 days a week. Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000 annually. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company: Barnard College

Time Type: Full time