Administrative Assistant Job Description Sample

The following items offer sample language from a variety of sources to help craft or review a position description. Several examples are provided to allow schools to choose those that best match the culture of the school and the requirements of the specific position. 

Job Summary Example

The administrative assistant supports all types of campus operations including answering phones, assisting with student attendance, finding substitutes, day-to-day scheduling, data input, supply ordering, daily office upkeep, mail, and school-specific email. This position supports the division / department director in maintaining the routine functions of the academic day and school year. In addition, the administrative assistant assists with special activities, some of which involve attendance at evening events. The administrative assistant must exercise excellent judgment and communication skills to deal with a broad spectrum of people, including faculty, staff, administration, students, and parents. This position handles sensitive and confidential information regularly, so diplomacy, tact, and discretion are essential skills.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Supporting the Division or Department Head

• Meet weekly with the administrator to discuss administrative and campus needs.
• Arrange and coordinate meetings, schedule appointments, and maintain calendar to ensure there are no scheduling conflicts, appointments are on-time, and materials are available.
• Schedule parent conferences, instructional rounds, 1:1 meetings, and annual reviews.
• Manage, document, and maintain the division/department budget.
• Execute weekly or monthly division/department newsletter.
• Assist in planning faculty meeting agendas and new faculty orientation.
• Take notes and summarize discussions at various meetings.
• Prepare, gather, and format information for internal and external distribution including writing memos, compiling data for reports, editing, and proofreading.
• Make travel and accommodation arrangements

Operational

• Be a warm, welcoming presence and greet all guests at the front desk.
• Ensure that the phone is answered in a quick, warm, and upbeat manner during regular school hours.
• Screen and direct phone calls.
• Assist with check-in, check-out, inquiries, and deliveries.
• Sort incoming mail and attach appropriate file/information to facilitate action if required.
• Manage online updates to the school calendar.
• Maintain and organize student records.
• Execute student records requests.
• Support planning and execution of school events, including prom and graduation.
• Assist with campus events.
• Support state compliance requirements.
• Maintain and update handbooks for students, parents, and faculty.
• Serve as an integral part of the crisis management team.
• Keep all necessary office supplies in stock by maintaining inventory and proactive ordering.
• Arrange for office equipment maintenance.

Working with Faculty and Staff

• Maintain daily record of faculty absences.
• Arrange substitute teachers in case of teacher absences.
• Track faculty and staff time off requests and help department chairs coordinate substitutes.
• Maintain an approved list of substitute teachers.
• Handle logistics for classroom field trips.
• Manage expense report process.
• Help staff navigate company systems and processes.
• Order faculty supplies.
• Order student supplies.

Working with the School Community

• Organize and mail correspondence to families
• Maintain communication about schedule changes to parents, teachers, students, and admin team members.
• Assist the registrar and other support staff, as needed.
• Support the school in maintaining a work environment that fosters learning, respect, open communication, collaboration, and teamwork.
• Juggle competing demands and constituencies while keeping students’ well-being at the center of all decisions.
• Coordinate and arrange meetings, prepares agendas, and reserves facilities.
• Organize assemblies and activities.
• Maintain and update the school’s master calendar.
• Enforce safety protocols of the school to mitigate on-campus risks.
• Collaborate with facilities team to ensure campus facilities are safe, clean, and aesthetically appealing; create facilities requests as needed.

Other Duties or Responsibilities

• Attend events as needed or requested by the school
• Flexibility required to occasionally work more than 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week to complete assignments.

Common Qualification Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred. 
• 2-3 years of administrative assistance experience desired. 
• Commitment to early morning shift.
• Flexibility to extend work hours on an as-needed basis for events and campus needs. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Sample Skill Requirements

• Supportive nature and ability to stay upbeat in difficult situations.
• Patient and understanding.
• Ability to develop positive relationships with students, parents, teachers, and the community.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while juggling and prioritizing multiple, competing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate.
• Bring joy, a sense of humor, and a delight in children to the tasks at hand.
• Possess a can-do attitude and a willingness to take on whatever needs to be done that may be outside of the job description.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Strong customer focus.
• Patience and problem-solving approach when addressing issues.
• Ability to embrace change with flexibility.
• Ability to speak clearly and concisely in written and oral communication.
• Solid listening and communicating skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply data.
• Motivation to achieve goals and meet deadlines.
• Ability to stay upbeat even in difficult situations.
• Excellent proofreading skills.
• Ability to handle confidential matters.
• Ability to work independently and follow through on assignments with minimal direction.
• Skill in managing a complex calendar.
• Strong collaboration skills and cross-cultural competency.
• An interest in and openness to professional growth and development.
• A sense of humor, warmth of personality, and energy.
• Exceptional time-management skills.
• Ability to anticipate needs, have a sense of urgency, be proactive, and conscientious.
• Ability to handle sensitive and/or confidential material and information with discretion and good judgment.

Technology Skills

• Well-versed in technology and ability to teach others new technologies.
• Highly proficient with G Suite (Gmail, calendar, docs, sheets, form, slides, etc.), data-management systems, bulk email tools, and other office software.
• Organize and maintain the electronic student file system.
• Creating digital presentations.

Sample Requested Documents

• Cover letter indicating the candidate’s particular interest, qualifications, experience, and how they are a fit for this position.
• Current resume
• 3-5 references