Sr. Administrative Assistant at J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in La Jolla, California

Job Description:

Position Summary

The Senior Administrative Assistant plays a dual role, serving as the first point of contact for visitors while providing high-level administrative support to the senior staff. This individual ensures a welcoming and professional front-office environment by managing incoming calls, mail, and guest interactions. Additionally, they assist senior leaderswith calendar management, travel arrangements, meeting coordination. The role requires exceptional communication, organizational, and multitasking skills, along with the ability to handle confidential information with discretion. This position supports smooth day-to-day operations by coordinating office activities, managing supplies, and facilitating seamless communication between executives, staff, and external stakeholders.

Essential Functions

Senior Administrative Assistant Job Duties:

• Manage senior staff calendar, including scheduling meetings, appointments.


• Coordinate travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, and transportation.


• Prepare and organize meeting agendas, materials, and minutes for executive meetings as requested.


• Screen and prioritize emails, phone calls, and correspondence for the senior staff as needed.

Receptionist Job Duties:

• Answers all incoming telephone calls promptly, professionally and politely. Routes calls and takes messages as needed.


• Greets and assists guests, vendors, and visitors to provide a welcoming experience and ensures that visitors sign in and out.


• Prepares visitor badges, and notifies the appropriate employee(s) of the visitors' arrival in a timely fashion.


• Receives, sorts, and distributes incoming mail and checks efficiently.


• Oversees parking assignments and resolves parking-related inquiries.


• Handles the distribution of products, such as primers, to relevant personnel.


• Maintains and regularly updates internal contact lists to ensure accurate communication.


• Coordinates dry cleaning services for staff as needed.


• Monitors and reorders office supplies to ensure consistent inventory levels.


• Performs other duties as assigned.


• Strictly adheres to all documented JCVI policies and procedures to include carrying out all functions required of Institute employees (i.e. completion of timesheets in an accurate and timely manner).

Prerequisites

• High school diploma or equivalency required. Minimum three years of receptionist and general office experience performing duties similar to the above required.


• Superior verbal and written communications skills; must be fluent in English.


• Cooperative and service-oriented attitude; must be able to work under pressure and maintain a professional demeanor.


• High level of discretion for confidential work and information; ability to appropriately handle critical information and sensitive situations.


• Excellent organization and time management skills; detail oriented.


• Proficiency with standard administrative procedures and office equipment.


• Flexibility to handle a variety of tasks and shift priorities simultaneously.


• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to effectively interact with all levels of staff and external contacts; ability to work as an effective team member.


• Ability to use sound judgment to effectively solve problems within the scope of the position.


• High level of initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a teammate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Moderate noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic).


• Ability to work in a confined area.


• Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to, stand, sit; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard reach, stoop kneel to install computer equipment.


• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work.


• Light to moderate lifting is required.

DISCLAIMER:

This Job Description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and requirements. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of those principal job elements essential for making fair pay decisions about the job.

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