Item 3.D-May 10, 2013
ADMINISTRATIVE FACULTY POSITION DESCRIPTION QUESTIONNAIRE
To expedite and facilitate the PDQ review process, please send the PDQ and Org Chart electronically to
marshag@unr.edu for discussion and for initial review before routing PDQ for approval signatures.
Questions - call UNR Faculty HR at 682-6114
INSTRUCTIONS: See http://www.unr.edu/hr/compensation-and-evaluation for complete instructions.
Incumbent(s) Name (if applicable): Janet Sanderson
Position #(s): 17356
Current Title: Assistant to the President
Current Range: 2
(JCC:77010;3D)
Department:
College/Division: Office of the President
Account #(s): 1101-101-0001
Action Proposed: (check all that apply)
( ) New position: Proposed Range:
Proposed Title:
(X) Title Change, Proposed Title: Executive Assistant to the President
(X ) Proposed Reassignment from Range 2 to Range 3
( ) Revised PDQ only (no change in range or title)
( ) Line of Progression (show titles below)
Range:
JCC (Current
or new HR
assigned):
I certify that the statements in this description are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge.
____________________________________________________________
Employee’s Signature
__________________
Date
I/we have reviewed the statements in this form and they accurately reflect the job assignments.
____________________________________________________________
Immediate Supervisor’s Signature
__________________
Date
____________________________________________________________
Director/Chair/Dean
Marc Johnson, President
__________________
Date
Approved for Salary Placement Committee review.
____________________________________________________________
__________________
Pres / Vice Pres / Vice Prov Signature Jannet Vreeland
Date
Vice Provost and Secretary of University
Action Approved by the Provost/President (Completed by Faculty HR):
76669 Range:
3
Pos #(s): 10798
JCC:
EEO: 3D
Eff: 5/1/2013
Approved Title: Executive Assistant to the President
Employee signs on “final” stamped approved PDQ and sends to HR for personnel file.
Employee Signature:_______________________________________________ __________________
Date
Printed Name: ____________________________________________________
Rev: 10/1/2012
Position Description – Executive Assistant to the President
Page 2
1. Summary Statement: State the major function(s) of the position and its role in the
university. Attach an organizational chart with positions, ranges, and names for the division
which reflects the position in it as well as those supervised in the department. (This section is
used for advertisement of the position.)
The Executive Assistant to the President serves as the primary support administrator for the President
of the University of Nevada, Reno. The incumbent is responsible for providing effective
communication, developing correspondence and reports, coordinating the President’s calendar,
assisting in the planning of the day-to-day operations of the office, and supervising classified staff.
These activities include financial, personnel, and office administration. Other responsibilities include
representing the President’s Office at selected meetings and attending other presidential functions.
2. List the major responsibilities, including percentage of time devoted to each. Provide
enough detail to enable a person outside the department to understand the job (percentage
first with heading and then bulleted information).
30% - Business Operations Management
 Manages activities of the President’s Office
 Acts as resource for faculty and staff in areas of protocol for the President’s Office
 In consultation with the Assistant Vice President (AVP) establishes procedures and
recommends improvements in work methods, techniques and systems in President’s Office
 Implements decisions with regard to workflow, operations and changes within the President’s
Office
 Strategically manages the President’s schedule by problem solving issues; making decisions
and prioritizing president’s activities; organizing meetings and appointments to maximize time;
and meeting with constituents to organize and manage issues to ensure maximum time
efficiency
 Plans and monitors project deliverables and timelines and take corrective actions as needed
 Manages special initiatives including tracking and feedback/assessment
 Resolves problems and deals with issues before they escalate to the President
 Manages presidential meetings and appointments by preparing agendas, researching issues,
identifying key issues with constituents, briefing the President AVP on issues and political
ramifications; advising constituents as to acceptable/preferred format for information; attending
certain meetings as representative of the President’s Office; following-up on task assignments
and preparing status reports
 Prepares detailed and complex correspondence
 Interacts directly with the offices of state legislators, city councilmembers, county
commissioners and other elected officials
 Coordinates and attends presidential functions which includes evenings and weekends
 Consults with appropriate members of the campus community and off-campus sources,
search documents and other materials, brief the President and provide reference materials
 Anticipates the needs of the President in preparation for meetings and presentations
 Develops and oversees document tracking process and procedures
 Maintains in-depth knowledge of President’s schedule, meetings and issues of significance.
 Consults with the President in developing meeting timelines, strategies and membership of
committees
 Provides administrative support for AVP
Position Description – Executive Assistant to the President
Page 3
20% - Coordination with the Board of Regents, Chancellor, and Nevada System of Higher
Education (NSHE)
 Attends meetings associated with Board of Regent preparation, to include documenting
strategies and working with senior staff to complete the assigned tasks and submit the
responses to the president before forwarding to the Board
 Works directly with General Counsel to track and gather Board of Regents items, which
includes resolving issues and complying with the Board requirements for submission to the
appropriate committees
 Provides follow-up to requests made of the President from the Chancellor’s office, which
includes coordinating input and/or data from multiple offices on campus and incorporating this
information into a single, cohesive response for the President’s review
 Obtains information and drafts responses to inquiries received from the Chancellor or the
Board of Regents
15% - Fiscal Administration of President’s Office Budget
 Manages the President’s Office budget, audits accounts as well as develops the President’s
annual and biennial budgets
 Ensures compliance with regard to position control
 Prepares and analyzes reports and makes recommendations for reallocation of funds within
the President’s Office
 Prepares a variety of fiscal reports and projections as necessary
 Advises the President of processes, staff and equipment needed to meet the needs and
expectations of the office and then carries out the planned improvements
15% - Human Resource Administration and Supervisory Responsibilities
 Supervises the assignment of workload, special projects and duties to the classified staff and
provides best solutions for tracking of mail, requests for president’s signature, travel
arrangements for the president, telephone etiquette and other responsibilities
 Organizes cross-training and skill enhancement for classified staff in President’s Office
 Coordinates faculty and classified searches within the President’s Office
 Oversees the personnel documents for all staff and faculty under the President’s direct
supervision
 Ensures that personnel and affirmative action regulations are strictly adhered to for annual
faculty contracts, searches and employment of personnel in the President’s Office and for the
direct reports of the President
10% Facilitate Strategic Planning
 Triages inquiries: screen, research, evaluate and determine best course of action
 Assesses the significance or potential significance of the inquiry
 Responds independently to inquiries by providing information, policies, other
 Using discretion, institutional knowledge and political protocol, develops and implements best
course of action to optimize opportunities (e.g. arrange meeting with President; connect caller
with other resource, organize committees, other)
 Identifies relevant stakeholders and facilitate cultivation of relationships
 Follows up on course of action by conducting research, implementing Presidential directives,
liaising with internal and external agencies, organizations and individuals
 Stays well-informed of issues, problems and subjects of importance to the President
10% - Project Research
 Initiates research, report writing, and recommendations based on minimal direction and
information from supervisor
 Conducts interviews, policy research and analysis to resolve issues and respond to inquiries
Position Description – Executive Assistant to the President
Page 4
3. Describe the level of freedom to take action and make decisions with or without
supervision and how the results of the work performed impact the department, division and/or
the university as a whole.
Level of Freedom:
The Executive Assistant is responsible for effective utilization of the President’s time and makes
independent judgment in maximizing the President’s schedule. The position ensures that the
information the President acts upon is accurate and is provided in a format that leads to the best
possible decision. This requires freedom to act and then report what has occurred. Independent
action is required in order to react to changing priorities.
Impact:
Failure to perform in this position can have negative consequences for the President and constituents.
Poor prioritization of projects/schedule would result in inefficient use of the President’s time.
Insufficient or misleading information would be detrimental to good decision making by the President.
Overbooking can result in the President not attending appropriate events. Failure to appear at
appropriate events can result in negative publicity and poor relationships with constituent groups like
the Legislature and potential donors.
4. Describe the knowledge, skills (to include cognitive requirement and verbal and written
communication), and abilities (to include task complexity, problem solving, creativity and
innovation) essential to successful performance of this job (in bullet format).
Knowledge of:
 Budgeting and fiscal management to include accounting and/or finance processes and
procedures - financial statements, relationships between revenues, expenses, and cost
allocations
 Higher education structure, policies and procedures
 The principles and practices of human resource administration and supervision
 Project planning and management
 Local, state and national business and political environment based on personal experience,
associations and contacts
 General professional business ethics and standards, customer service, policy formation and
program development
Skills:
 Proficiency in use of a personal computer and current software applications including but not
limited to Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and email)
 Excellent verbal and written communication
 Excellent interpersonal and human relations skills
 Excellent organizational and time management skills
 Excellent creative problem solving skills
 Judgment and decision-making skills
 Sound administrative, organizational, managerial, program development and dataanalytic/evaluation skills
 Supervisory skills
Ability to:
 Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
 Multi-task, organize, and prioritize work projects
Position Description – Executive Assistant to the President













Page 5
Interact effectively with faculty, staff and administration at various levels of responsibility
Work with sensitive and confidential issues
Supervise office staff, and conduct interviews
Take initiative and use own judgment
Work well as a team member as well as independently
Research issues, provide summary of facts, and make recommendations
Communicate with tact and diplomacy with internal and external contacts
Work evenings and weekends as needed
Work with diverse populations and understand and appreciate diversity in the workplace
Facilitate exchange and coordination of information between multiple units
Demonstrate tact and diplomacy in communicating with internal and external contacts
Work under deadline pressure
Maintain professional business and work ethics and standards
5. Describe the type of personal contacts encountered in performing the duties of the job.
Explain the nature and purpose of these contacts: i.e., to provide services, to resolve
problems, to negotiate.
Internal
University administration, faculty,
staff
Reason for Contact
To provide and seek information and clarify issues
External
Chancellor, NSHE
Public
Community Leadership
State, City & County Officials
Reason for Contact
To provide and seek information and clarify issues
To provide and seek information and clarify issues
To provide and seek information and clarify issues
To provide and seek information and clarify issues
6. Indicate the minimum qualifications which are necessary in filling this position should it
become vacant. Please keep in mind the duties/responsibilities of the position rather than the
qualifications of the incumbent.
a.
Minimum educational level, including appropriate field, if any.
Bachelor’s Degree from a regionally accredited institution
b.
Minimum type and amount of work experience, in addition to the above required
education necessary for a person entering this position.
Bachelor’s Degree and four years, or a Master’s Degree and two years, of experience
working with senior level managers
Preferred Licenses or Certifications: None
c.
Indicate any license or certificate required for this position.
None