Job Listings

Job Description

The CPES Administrative Assistant conducts specialized and complex administrative activities in support of the Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES), a research center formed by more than 10 faculty members, 8 administrative faculty and support staff, and 100 graduate students and visiting scholars. The CPES research program comprises an industry consortium with more than 90 companies, a multi-million-dollar project portfolio funded by the consortium itself and other industry and government sponsors, and state-of-the-art research facilities in Blacksburg and Arlington, VA. The Assistant provides direct support to the CPES Director, the CPES Deputy Director, who is also the Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation in Energy Systems, and the Industry Program Director, who oversees the operations of the CPES industry consortium.

The activities of the Assistant include coordinating and scheduling meetings, managing the calendars for the CPES leadership team, domestic and international travel arrangements, assisting in preparation of presentations, letters, memos, and institutional replies on sensitive topics, and facilitating effective interaction within and without the university. The CPES leadership team is constantly engaged in collaborative activities with state and government agencies, universities, and companies from around the world, and the Assistant must be able to communicate regularly with equivalent and/or higher-level personnel within those entities. The CPES leadership team relies on the Assistant to set up effective and efficient processes that allow them to focus time and effort strategically to achieve key center and university goals. The Assistant must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities including confidential and sensitive matters.

The Assistant activities in support of the CPES Industry Program include: scheduling and arranging meetings, visits and workshops; supporting the CPES Annual Conference, exhibitions at international conferences, and industry program reviews; collecting and organizing research-related data for the CPES annual report, including the generation of original content and news articles for the CPES website; supporting the processing and facilitating the review of intellectual property generated by CPES; and creating invoices and reports from templates, among others.

The ideal candidate must be professional, organized, flexible, and self-directed, and must have strong interpersonal skills, maintain strict confidentiality, and be an effective communicator. Core responsibilities include:

• Develop an in-depth understanding of the priorities, needs, and roles of the CPES leadership team to commit appropriately time to those requesting access to them.
• Coordinate the activities of the leadership team.
• Independently prioritize, plan, coordinate, and oversee logistics for meetings and conferences with individuals and entities internal and external to the university.
• Develop, review, edit, and draft presentations, memos, and letters in collaboration with the leadership team.
• Independently research and compile materials needed for presentation and/or decision making purposes.
• Anticipate leadership needs and proactively solve problems and independently handle issues as necessary.
• Maintain vacation and on call schedules for the leadership team.
• Maintain the strictest levels of confidentiality.
• Other special projects and duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree OR a combination of training and experience exceeding a related bachelor's degree.
• Demonstrated high-level administrative experience supporting executive-level individuals within a fast-paced and demanding environment.
• Advanced computer skills and demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (including Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Excel), Google Apps (including Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Maps, Forms, etc.) and Adobe Creative Cloud (at least Acrobat).
• Proven experience adapting to a variety of software collaboration platforms.
• Prior experience working in team-oriented and multi-cultural environments.
• Experience coordinating international and domestic travel arrangements.
• Proven ability to cultivate positive working relationships, build and maintain a team-based approach, and gain the trust and respect of all levels of internal and external constituencies.
• Demonstrated ability to perform duties with a high level of professionalism, confidentiality, flexibility, discretion, judgment, diplomacy, and tact.
• Ability to multi-task, adapt to changing priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to maintain strict accuracy and be hyper-sensitive to details.
• Exceptional planning and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated international exposure and experience of collaborating with people and institutions from many countries with different languages and cultures.
• Familiarity with at least one foreign language.
• Proven editing and writing skills.
• Prior experience at Virginia Tech or other higher education environment.
• Prior experience of working in engineering research environment.
• Experience creating and maintaining policy and procedure documentation.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a professional demeanor when managing the public.

Pay Band

4

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

$45,000-$75,000 per year

Review Date

October 2, 2023

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Ling Li at lindalee@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.