Executive Assistant to the Provost

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

About the role

The executive assistant to the Provost serves as a senior administrative partner in the Office of Academic Affairs, providing comprehensive executive support while managing academic operations, coordinating strategic initiatives, and facilitating institution-wide academic workflows. While primarily aligned with Academic Affairs, the executive assistant may also provide coordination and support to other divisions as needed to ensure institutional continuity and effective service. This role extends beyond traditional executive assistant functions, encompassing faculty lifecycle management, academic space planning, process digitization, and interdepartmental coordination. The executive assistant acts as a trusted advisor to the Provost, supervises the Academic Affairs administrative assistant, and serves as a strategic liaison across key university units.

Responsibilities

• Executive Support to the Provost
  • Manage high-level scheduling, executive correspondence, and meeting preparation with discretion and sound judgment.
  • Coordinate agendas, materials, and follow-up for Provost-led meetings and academic initiatives.
  • Serve as a central communication point for Academic Affairs, facilitating timely and informed decision-making.
  • Provide support to other senior leaders or divisions as appropriate based on institutional needs and executive direction.
• Faculty Lifecycle & Human Resources Coordination
  • Oversee onboarding, offboarding, contract coordination, and reappointment processes for faculty in collaboration with Human Resources and academic leadership.
  • Ensure compliance with credentialing, policy, and documentation requirements in collaboration with the Provost and SACSCOC liaison.
• Academic Space and Scheduling Management
  • Lead the assignment of faculty offices and classrooms across academic units.
  • Support 25Live scheduling system operations and data reporting.
  • Collaborate with the Registrar's Office and Facilities to optimize space utilization and support strategic planning.
• Administrative Process Oversight
  • Standardize and document operational procedures within Academic Affairs.
  • Coordinate the digitization of key academic workflows to improve efficiency and reduce administrative burden.
  • Support accreditation readiness and institutional compliance, including SACSCOC requirements.
• Cross-Campus Collaboration and Leadership
  • Serve as a liaison between Academic Affairs and campus partners, including the Registrar's Office, Human Resources, Facilities, Athletics, Business and Finance, Advancement, Marketing, Admissions, and the President's Office.
  • Supervise and mentor the Academic Affairs administrative assistant, ensuring effective support, professional development, and accountability.
  • Coordinate and support administrative staff across academic departments to promote consistency, collaboration, and shared operational standards.
  • Align academic processes with broader institutional operations and student services as appropriate.
• Financial Process Coordination
  • Support the Provost by organizing budget-related documentation, tracking submissions, and facilitating workflows for purchases and reconciliations.
  • Manage administrative aspects of purchasing and credit card documentation within Academic Affairs.
  • Monitor financial processing timelines and assist in maintaining compliance with institutional policies.
• Project and Event Coordination
  • Plan and manage logistics for Provost-led events, meetings, retreats, and strategic initiatives.
  • Coordinate cross-departmental engagement to support effective execution and results.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or a minimum of 10 years of administrative experience in higher education required.
• Experience working with Ellucian products.

Skills

• Discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment in handling sensitive information.
• Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Strong operational systems thinking and process improvement skills.
• Proficiency with enterprise platforms such as Microsoft Office, 25Live, and digital workflow systems.

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private, comprehensive institution founded in 1891, with its traditional campus located in Hickory, North Carolina, a city of more than 40,000. The university has additional graduate centers in Asheville, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lenoir-Rhyne is less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, and the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area has a population of about 365,000. The university now offers more than 45 undergraduate and 20 graduate degree programs to approximately 2,400 students. Lenoir-Rhyne University seeks to liberate mind and spirit, clarify personal faith, foster physical wholeness, build community, and promote responsible leadership for service to the world. Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Lenoir-Rhyne is open to people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds.