Assistant to the Head of School
Assistant to the Head of School
Position available: Assistant to the Head of School, full-time. Open until filled.
Since 1964, Seattle Country Day School has been inspiring gifted children in grades K-8 to discover their potential through inquiry. Students are the center of a dynamic learning and discovery process. Experienced teachers focus on intellectual and character growth, attending to the social, ethical, and emotional needs of students. Small classes generate curiosity and innovation through inquiry learning, and provide opportunities for collaborative experiences with a curriculum rich in mathematics, science, technology, humanities, and the arts.
Seattle Country Day School affirms that attracting, supporting, and embracing a diverse community is critical to fulfilling its mission of educating gifted students, and seeks diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds in its faculty in order to reflect the diversity inherent in a multicultural city and society. The school is committed to diversity among students, faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical challenges.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of three years of office experience required;
- Strong written and oral communication skills as well as a professional manner both over the telephone and in assisting visitors, parents, students, faculty, and staff;
- Ability to work and communicate well with all members of the school community;
- Tech savvy with working knowledge of a variety of software platforms and databases;
- Exceptionally organized, accurate, and flexible, and be able to work independently in a fast-paced, multi-task environment;
- Ability to talk on the phone;
- Ability to sit and keyboard up to 8 hours per day;
- Effectively handle competing priorities and multiple projects;
- Must be able to assist with school-related errands that require a personal vehicle.
Responsibilities
Under general supervision, provides administrative support to the Head of School. Supports the Head’s leadership role, and performs administrative and operational tasks to maintain an effective and well-organized office. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Executive Assistant Responsibilities
- Supports the head’s daily operation of the school, short and long-term goals, and institutional projects
- Maintains needed files, notebooks and other materials for the Head of School.
- Produces letters, minutes, reports, and mailings as needed.
- Sets appointments for the Head of School and maintains HOS master schedule.
- Maintains a welcoming atmosphere in the Head’s office by attending to the needs of guests.
- Attends meetings to become aware of other events occurring in the greater school community and to make others aware of general things going on in the Head’s office.
- Provides required reporting to the State of WA and school member associations and affiliations to maintain and keep in good standing all approvals, certifications, and membership status.
- Prepares agenda for HOS meetings and attends meetings to keep track of action items.
- Assures rooms are reserved on campus for various meetings involving the Head of School.
Board Assistant Responsibilities
- Prepares for and attends Board of Trustee meetings.
- Records minutes of meetings.
- Organizes and archives board materials.
- Updates board notebooks yearly.
- Schedules meetings and keeps board members apprised of meetings.
- Organizes and prepares for board gatherings and events, including New Trustee Orientation and the Board retreat.
- Sends board and board committee minutes and agendas to board members.
- Assists in tracking board membership terms and in orchestrating acknowledgement of board service.
General Responsibilities
- Serves as support to the operations manager and office administrative assistant during times of absence.
- Mirrors the head’s principles of good practice (NAIS Principles of Good Practice - Head of School).
- Embodies and communicates the school’s mission, vision and core values.
- Provides a sense of stability in an ever-changing environment.
- Is accessible, approachable, and welcoming, managing confidential situations with discretion, respect, and sensitivity.
- Understands and promotes the standards and policies of the school, providing leadership as standards and policies evolve.
- Fosters a partnership between faculty and staff to create a positive environment for students’ academic and social-emotional learning.
- Establishes and cultivates community relations by maintaining open and candid dialogue with all of the school’s constituencies.
- Respects, affirms, and protects the dignity and worth of each member of the community, and exhibits moral and ethical behavior.
- Sets professional boundaries, collaborating with constituents within those boundaries.
- Takes an active part in the full life of the school.
- Vigorously engages in his/her own professional development; is a life-long learner who enhances his/her skills, using state-of-the-art technologies to maintain high standards of performance to efficiently and effectively produce work products.
- Is familiar with and complies with all policies and regulations as put forth in the school’s documents.
- Since safety and security are everyone’s responsibility, takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, faculty, staff, equipment, materials and facilities.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Salary and Benefits
This position is full-time. Salary is negotiable, depending on qualifications. Benefits include Medical, Dental, Life/LTD, Retirement (TIAA CREF-Employer Matched), Section 125 plan.