• The University Center for Social & Urban Research (UCSUR) has a 50-year history of conducting interdisciplinary research that is relevant to the region and beyond. The center currently has 30 staff and partners with all schools and units at Pitt. The Executive Assistant will serve as the first interaction with the center for many people and will be a regular point of contact for all staff, students, and partners. The Executive Assistant will also be the primary support for the Director, staying on top of details and organizing information and timelines to increase efficiency.
• UCSUR has recently hired a new Director and is in the process of becoming a hub for the university’s Community Engaged Research. The new Executive Assistant will be joining UCSUR at an exciting time of change and growth. It will be important to reflect UCSUR’s ethos for university-community partnerships that make positive change in the region with diverse stakeholders within Pitt, across sectors, throughout the region, and beyond. This role will require working in the office Monday - Thursday (3343 Forbes Avenue).
  We ask that your cover letter reflect your own voice and experiences (not generated by AI). Please describe your relevant background and share why you are interested in joining UCSUR and how our mission aligns with your professional goals.

Serves as the primary support to executive level roles and/or departments and acts as liaison and ensures confidentiality of high-level, sensitive information. Manages office workflow. Assists with strategic planning processes and administrative goals and priorities. Prepares budgetary functions and plans special events.

• Assist UCSUR’s Director in a wide range of tasks, including daily scheduling, communicating with internal and external stakeholders, managing project workflow (agendas, notes, tracking action steps, research literature), domestic and international travel coordination, and coordinating office logistics related to room reservations, catering, tech setup, submitting for reimbursements, etc. This will require attention to detail, ability to maintain confidentiality, strong organizational skills, and comfort learning new technology (e.g., EndNote, Canva, Concur, Monday.com, Campaign Monitor, Teams, etc).
• Play a central role in helping to make UCSUR feel open and welcoming to staff, students, partners, and other visitors. The new Executive Assistant will support annual internal activities such as organizing the office to participate in Pitt’s Gift Drive, managing logistics related to public-facing and internal center events, archiving photos, and supporting bi-monthly “Coffee & Colleagues” breaks. Strong interpersonal skills and inclusivity will be essential for success in this area.
• Support a wide range of special projects for the Executive Director and as part of UCSUR’s Operations team. This could include assisting with convening cohorts of partners, assisting in gathering information for the annual report, synthesizing information from past annual reports or stakeholder websites, facilitating annual office awards, etc. Success in this area will require interest to doing highly varied work, and comfort working independently and seeking help from other university units.

Little physical effort required. Duties are primarily sedentary. May be required to move objects up to 25 pounds occasionally.