Executive Assistant

The Role

Maynooth University is committed to a strategy in which the primary University goals of excellent research and scholarship and outstanding education are interlinked and equally valued.

We are seeking applicants for the post of Executive Assistant to join the team in the Education Department to assist in the administrative work and support of a range of activities, primarily relating to high-volume undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The successful applicant will work as part of an administration team and report to the Administrative Officer. This is a challenging position and the candidate must be able to demonstrate an ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines on their own initiative. The person must be discreet, trustworthy and capable of dealing with confidential material.

Principal Duties

Administrative and other duties:

This will include but is not limited to:

• Supporting the department, primarily in relation to front-office duties and high-volume academic programmes;

• Providing a point-of-contact service for the Education Department, effectively answering a wide range of queries from prospective and current students and colleagues across the university;

• Planning and organising own work and monitoring progress towards tasks in cooperation with the Administrative Officer;

• Working closely with Programme Leaders to manage course administration, including timetabling, organising assessments and examinations;

• Preparation of confidential documents, including complex exam spreadsheets;

• Communicating with students pre- and post-registration and directing students to appropriate services throughout the academic cycle;

• Supporting interaction between academic staff and university systems as appropriate;

• Working in a collegial manner to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues in the Department and across the university;

• Assisting in managing events on behalf of the Department;

• Developing and maintaining spreadsheets and databases to produce management information that is accurate and reliable for decision-making;

• Representing the department as required at Open Days, Orientation and Induction events, Postgraduate Open Evenings, etc.;

• Undertaking any other duties which may be assigned from time to time by the Administrative Officer.

Applicants should note that at certain periods, there may be a requirement to work outside normal office hours. It may not be possible to take annual leave at certain periods for this position. This is a full-time office-based position.

The ideal candidate will have:

Essential

• A minimum of two years administrative experience, preferably in the educational sector or equivalent;

• An agile, flexible approach to work, with a proven ability to handle a variety of tasks;

• Capacity to work in a collegial manner to build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues in the Department and across the university;

• Capability of working on own initiative, shaped by guidance from university policies, school policies, and advice from colleagues and Head of Department;

• An ability to demonstrate an outstanding level of administrative and organisational skills, including evidence of managing complex workloads and successfully completing concurrent tasks with high-quality output to strict, challenging and often conflicting timescales;

• Advanced knowledge of MS Office suite (in particular the ability to work with Excel spreadsheets), file management, and a demonstrated ability to learn and use new information systems effectively;

• Excellent communication skills for dealing with occasional staff and students who are on and off campus;

• A proven ability to work in a team environment and share tasks with colleagues;

• An excellent ability to liaise effectively with staff, students and members of the public in a professional manner and represent the department externally when required;

• An ability to work with confidential material, including examination results, in a discreet manner and maintain the highest professional standards;

• The ability to exercise discretion and confidentiality with information and documentation in line with the university’s principles and values of integrity and ethical behaviour.

Desirable

• Working knowledge and understanding of MU Apply, Teams and Moodle.

Department

The Department of Education is a dynamic and growing department committed to developing innovative educational ideas, school-university partnerships and close links with the community. It has 22 full-time academic members of staff and offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees including Initial Teacher Education for post-primary teachers through the Professional Master of Education and Bachelor of Science with Education. The Department’s postgraduate offerings focus on professional programmes in Educational Leadership and Education Guidance Counselling, and it offers two doctoral programmes: PhD and EdD.

The University

Maynooth University is a very distinctive university, a collegial institution focused on science and engineering, humanities, and social sciences, and equally committed to research, teaching and community engagement. Located in Ireland’s only university town, its distinctive features and character owe much to its unique history and heritage. It provides a high-quality educational experience to over 15,000 students on a campus with 18th-century roots and 21st-century dynamism.

The strategic trajectory and accomplishments of Maynooth University, in the 25 years since its establishment as an autonomous public university, are exceptional and a source of great pride to the university community, staff, students and alumni. Maynooth University in 2024 ranked in the top 90 global Times Higher Education (THE) Young University rankings, placing 86th in the world.

Maynooth University’s growing global reputation is based on the originality, quality, importance and impact of its research and scholarship, commitment to teaching and learning, the quality of academic programmes, and its leadership in widening participation in higher education. The sources of success are the dedication of its staff and the energy and engagement of its students.

Maynooth University is a place of lively contrasts – a modern institution, dynamic, rapidly growing, research-led and engaged, yet grounded in historic academic strengths and scholarly traditions. With over 15,000 students, Maynooth offers a range of programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels in the humanities, science and engineering, and social sciences, including business, law and education. The University also offers a range of international programmes and partnerships.

Maynooth’s unique collegial culture fosters an interdisciplinary approach to research, which its world-class academics bring to bear in tackling some of the most fundamental challenges facing society today. The University’s research institutes and centres consolidate and deliver this impact as vibrant communities of learning, discovery and creation. Research at Maynooth also is very much central to its teaching, and the University prides itself on placing equal value on its research and teaching missions.

Maynooth University’s Values

Our values define who we are, what we believe in and how we act as a community. They underpin our future success and guide our expectations of ourselves and each other. Our values apply to everyone in the University community:

• Integrity

• Collegiality

• Responsibility

• Freedom of expression

• Ambition

Tenure

This is a full-time, temporary post for a specified purpose (temporary cover of absence), which is anticipated to be 6 months duration. If the absence ends earlier than expected, the appointee will be provided with appropriate notice in line with the terms of their contract.

Salary

Executive Assistant: €32,030 – €48,430 p.a. (13 points)

Appointments will be made in accordance with public sector pay provisions.

Hours of work

A 35-hour working week is in operation in respect of full-time positions (pro-rated for part-time positions). This can be reviewed or adjusted from time to time through national agreements.

Location

The place of work is the campus of Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare.