Letter from President Henking: alumni gifts up 40%

Susan Henking's latest missive to the external community is worth reading in full, but of particular note is the announcement that Shimer's alumni giving rate is up from 10% to 14%.  Given the unique characteristics of the Shimer alumni community -- particularly its many fractious subsets and Shimer's high historic rate of attrition -- that's quite an achievement.  (And you can be a part of it by donating to Shimer now.)

Among additional highlights, the good Dr. Henking's letter includes an overview of recent personnel changes, which will be of interest to all followers of les affaires Shimeriennes:

[W]e've reconfigured four positions and created two new ones.

• Janet Henthorn's position has been expanded to include additional admissions support.
• Marc Hoffman's position has become more focused and is now renamed Director of External Relations & Chief Information Officer.
• Isabella Winkler has moved into the President's Office; her position has changed to Director of Strategic Communications & Special Assistant to the President.
• Joseph Fitzpatrick has taken on some urgent organizational and managerial tasks and is now Chief Operations Officer as well as Dean of Students.

We've also added an Executive Assistant to the President to handle my travel and calendar as well as to support Development, and will be hiring a full-time staff member responsible for payroll, AP, and parts of HR.

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Shimer College is hiring

Spread the word:

Shimer College, an independent four-year Great Books college located minutes from downtown Chicago, is seeking an Executive Assistant to the President to perform a full range of multifaceted administrative duties. This position is responsible for complex responsibilities and special projects requiring a high level of discretion and initiative. The Executive Assistant interacts closely with a wide variety of internal and external Shimer College constituents on matters requiring the attention or notification of the President and/or other chief officers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensures the smooth and professional operation of the President's office; makes decisions of an administrative nature and executing those decisions and functions to completion; informs the President (or designee) of potential problems concerning faculty, staff, students, and other constituents.
Anticipates the President's work-related needs to make sure she is best prepared for daily operations and decision-making.
Completes a variety of administrative tasks for the President including managing an extremely active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; composing and preparing correspondence that is sometimes confidential; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.
Plans, coordinates, and ensures the President's schedule is followed and respected.
Assists the Development Office in organizing and implementing Presidential functions.
Staffs the President for key functions and events.
Works closely and effectively with the President and senior team to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately.
Prepares and distributes agendas and supplemental materials for Presidential meetings, and attends a variety of meetings, preparing minutes as directed by the President.
Assists in providing meeting and management services to the Board of Trustees through coordinating and organizing meetings, events and activities.
Prioritizes conflicting needs; handles matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.
Screens visitors, and telephone calls; retrieves, sorts and distributes mail. Provides accurate pertinent information regarding rules, regulations, and policies.
Follows up on contacts made by the President and supports the cultivation of ongoing relationships.
Monitors the office budget and orders supplies.
Handles special projects and other duties as assigned.

REPORTING STRUCTURE
The Executive Assistant reports to the President of the College. In the absence of the President, daily supervision will be provided by the Director of Strategic Communications & Special Assistant to the President or another designee of the President.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Assistant will directly supervise 1 to 3 student employees assigned to the Office of the President. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

Strong organizational skills to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, board members, external partners, and donors.
Expert written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving.
Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently.
Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/student service.
Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment.
Forward-looking thinker who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.
Strong Microsoft Office Suite skills and the ability to learn databases.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's Degree required. Minimum of two years prior experience as an administrative assistant with demonstrated skills in maintaining the highest level of diplomacy, confidentiality, and trust. Higher Education experience highly desired. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL EFFORT
Fast-paced, indoor environment frequently requiring multi-task functioning. May work around standard office conditions. Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation. Lifting and moving items may be required. Required lifting may be broken down into less heavy, manageable components. Movement to and from other departments on campus. Travel to President's residence may be required during normal work hours and occasionally on evenings or weekends for special functions.

HOW TO APPLY
Shimer College is an equal opportunity employer. We offer ambitious individuals a work environment based on collaboration, accountability, creativity, and diversity. Position begins at $30,000 and includes a competitive benefits package.

Please send a resume and cover letter to hr_jobs_24@shimer.edu
Application Information
Contact: Human Resources
Shimer College
Email Address: hr_jobs_24@shimer.edu

(via HigherEdJobs)