Executive Assistant

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Why join Harvard Law School?

Join a community that combines excellence in legal education and scholarship with a deep commitment to justice. Here at Harvard Law School (HLS), you’ll find an environment that values who you are and encourages you to grow, inspire others, and make a meaningful impact. Wherever you are in your career journey, HLS is a place where you can thrive, contribute, and be part of something bigger.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School (PON) is an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to developing the theory and practice of negotiation and dispute resolution in a range of public and private settings. PON exists as a consortium between Harvard, MIT, and Tufts, but also partners with many other organizations and practitioners in the Boston area and beyond.   

The Program, working in collaboration with Harvard Law School’s Faculty Support Services Department (FSS), seeks an experienced Executive Assistant (EA) to work with the Program’s Chair. The EA will fill a multi-faceted role providing faculty and administrative support to the Program’s Chair, who works at both Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, and will provide administrative support to the Managing Director and program as a whole.  

The Executive Assistant will also be part of the larger network of Faculty Support Services (FSS) at Harvard Law School.  FSS provides approximately 200 faculty members and instructors with the high-quality assistance they need to successfully teach, conduct research, and advance scholarship. While each assistant works directly with members of the faculty—often acting as a liaison between students, other instructors, and various Law School and University administrative departments, the department comprises a collaborative and supportive team of assistants who are committed to collecting and sharing the most effective methods of administrative support.  

As an Executive Assistant you will: 

• Be the principal point of contact and liaison for University constituents, faculty, and staff, as well as external contacts from the press, government, and other universities.  
• Manage busy and complex individual calendars to schedule and provide comprehensive support for meetings, events, office hours, appointments, and classes – all from scheduling to completion, within PON and externally as well.  
• Manage, track, and help triage and respond to internal and external communications between the chair, managing director(s) and other parties, including by monitoring confidential email accounts, tracking messages in need of response, ensuring appropriate follow-through from directors, and assisting with drafting communications as helpful and appropriate.  
• Work with directors to track, prioritize, and execute on their respective professional deliverables and obligations. Proactively identify tasks that would benefit from administrative support and take initiative to assist with those tasks as helpful and appropriate.  
• Support the Chair in his teaching at both Harvard Law School and the Harvard Business School by posting course materials, announcements, and student assignments/office hours via Canvas, the course management platform. Compile course packets and obtain copyright for course materials and prepare teaching materials such as seating charts and notes. Arrange all AV needs for the course, schedule office hours, enter grades, and prepare exams. Manage process for student paper submissions that are independent of classes.   
• Help to develop and maintain a comprehensive and organized electronic filing system for PON.   
• Use Concur, Oracle, and B2P (Buy-to-Pay) financial platforms to process payments, invoices, reimbursements, and corporate card statements. Edit and coordinate contracts as needed. Monitor faculty and PON expenditures and prepare periodic reports synthesizing budgetary information. Facilitate the hiring process for student workers and PON team members from posting to start date and onboarding. Facilitate offboarding as appropriate. 
• Assist in supporting regularly occurring conferences and lectures, including arranging media, catering, guest outreach, materials, accommodation, and travel. This includes working with other faculty, assistants, programs, and PON staff to coordinate and plan such events.   
• Make complex domestic and international travel arrangements, accommodations, and itineraries for PON team and visitors to the Law School.     
• Perform general office duties including photocopying, filing, ordering office supplies, placing catering orders, and reserving space for meetings and events. Proofread and process student recommendation letters. 

Basic Qualifications

5 or more years of administrative support or related experience in a business or customer service environment. Education beyond high school may count toward some, though not all, experience. 

Additional Qualifications and Skills

We are looking for people who have: 

• Solid working knowledge of office processes and systems, and of related computer software and electronic communications tools.  
• Experience providing complex administrative support to one or more people.  
• Ability to work across teams and with a variety of projects and constituencies (HLS FSS, HLS PON, HBS FSS, etc). 
• Curiosity and creative problem-solving skills, the ability to work independently and ask good questions.  
• Ability to prioritize work and remain highly organized with a high level of attention to detail, and a proactive approach to work, especially given competing priorities. 
• A high level of professionalism and reliability, and an understanding of the importance of maintaining confidentiality 
• Ability to bring their authentic selves to work and contribute to a diverse and positive work culture. 

Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week. Full time, M-F.

Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position

Pre-Employment Screening: Identity

Other Information:

All offers are made my HLS Human Resources.

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Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 054. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.