Title: Secretary of the College
Department: Office of the President
Duration: Indefinite
Employment Status: Full time - 40/hrs per week
Job Summary
Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Secretary of the College (“Secretary”) serves both as the corporate secretary of the College and the board secretary. Playing a central role in supporting the Board of Trustees, the incumbent is custodian of board and institutional records and manages records-related compliance obligations with the guidance of General Counsel; and works closely with colleagues in Institutional Advancement to support donor stewardship of trustees and emeritus trustees. The Secretary is the liaison between the Board Chair, the President’s office, senior executive officers and the board members; the focal point for communication with the Board, facilitating the flow of information to and among the trustees, senior management and the College’s constituencies; and confidential staff to a number of board committees.
Job Duties
- 40% - Plan and coordinate quarterly board meetings: Working with the President, Chief of Staff, and Board Chair, organize agenda for quarterly board meetings. Schedule and coordinate three quarterly board meetings, one annual board retreat, and both regular and special committee meetings. Coordinate logistics for hybrid board and committee meetings and retreats. Record and track Board attendance and determine the presence of a quorum for voting for all full board and committee meetings. Prepare minutes for all Board committee meetings. Develop and/or manage materials for Board and committee meetings: work with senior administrators and their executive assistants to prepare, maintain and distribute materials, packets, and minutes. Track substantive issues that arise during committee and Board work and follow up with senior administrators regarding planning, progress, and resolution of those items. Work with the Office of the President events staff to plan quarterly board dinners and other social and community engagement as part of quarterly meetings and annual retreat. - (Essential)
- 25% - Oversee all Board communications: With the Board Chair, manage Board-related communications (written and verbal), ensuring the timely flow of information to and among trustees; between the trustees and Office of the President, senior leadership, and other internal stakeholders; and between the trustees, and applicable external entities. Respond to trustee questions and requests, including assistance with board portal and other technical logistics to access Board materials. Triage and respond to complaints and inquiries addressed to the Board. Coordinate Board participation in major campus events such as Convocation and Commencement. Invite trustees to other campus events of note in a coordinated and thoughtful manner. Manage the Board portal/app, Board web presence, and Board email account. Provide technical support and training for trustees, administrative liaisons and their assistants. Liaise with designated student and faculty representatives and help integrate them into Board committee work. Provide substantive training for trustees, administrative liaisons, and student and faculty representatives on matters such as Board governance and policies, confidentiality, and committee protocols. - (Essential)
- 20% - Serve as confidential staff to the Chair, Executive Committee, and Nominating & Governance Committee: Assist chair of Nominating & Governance Committee with trustee evaluations, trustee nominations, and monitoring board composition. Collaborate with Institutional Advancement’s prospect research group to develop biographical profiles of prospective trustees and honorary degree recipients. Provide administrative support for the recruitment and selection of new trustees and ensure trustees have a comprehensive, positive, and appropriate orientation. Coordinate follow-up on Executive Committee decisions and other committee decisions as needed. - (Essential)
- 15% - Serve as custodian of institutional and Board records: Maintain Board records, including By-Laws, policies and resolutions. Interface with the College’s General Counsel on legal matters. Sign and seal official College documents. - (Essential)
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, communications, or other fields related to position responsibilities. Ten years of progressively responsible administrative or related experience within and outside of higher education. Three years of experience working in collaboration with senior leadership. Demonstrated record of success in developing and maintaining strong working relationships with administrators, faculty, students, staff, trustees and both internal and external partners; demonstrated ability to build consensus and positive relationships based on trust, predictability, and communication. Proven experience in budget planning and management, presentations and training. Ability to analyze, synthesize and organize data, and present findings in a comprehensible manner for different audiences. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google drives/folders/forms, Adobe Acrobat, Web Editing, and social media applications or any combination of productivity programs applicable to position responsibilities. Demonstrated ability to be detail-oriented and thorough; skilled at anticipating and preventing potential problems and handling a wide variety of tasks with efficiency and accuracy. Strong commitment to a quality work product. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally, in writing and electronically. Effective interpersonal skills as evidenced in the ability to collaborate with a variety of constituencies. Demonstrated commitment to justice, equity, inclusion & diversity. Demonstrated skill in adapting to and performing work effectively in high-volume, high accountability, confidential environment with multiple and changing priorities. Effective organizational, logistical, time management and planning skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks/projects simultaneously, prioritize and fulfill the functions of an office in a timely manner. Ability to self-motivate and work independently. Ability to provide effective leadership and training, and to work effectively and professionally across functions, disciplines, levels, and with diverse groups.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree or other advanced degree
EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $95,000 - $110,000/yr
If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.
