Executive Assistant, Partnerships Directorate

Requisition Id 14479 

Overview: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. Our diverse capabilities span a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the Laboratory to translate fundamental scientific discoveries into new technologies.

ORNL’s Partnerships organization is hiring an Executive Administrative Assistant (EA); the Partnerships organization is responsible for leading and stewarding strategic institutional partnerships, collaborative research programs with the public and private sectors, technology commercialization, regional economic development, and entrepreneurship, while working to ensure that ORNL’s research activities and results are protected, as needed, to maximize scientific and technical impact for the United States. 

Major Duties/Responsibilities:   

The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional organizational skills, exercise appropriate discretion, use good judgment, and take pride in representing ORNL standards and values in all interactions. Specifically, the EA will: 

• Proactively work to perform all necessary administrative duties, at a high level, to help ensure the success of the Partnerships organization with little administrative burden to the director.

• Maintain the director’s calendar by scheduling appointments, arranging meetings, coordinating travel, screening inquiries, and routing requests to appropriate staff members with little guidance needed. Ensure appropriate balance of meetings and office time to allow for workload completion. Take responsibility for ensuring the director stays on schedule and is uninterrupted when necessary.

• Continuously triage director’s incoming/outgoing email to ensure responses are timely, high priority messages are addressed quickly, management is not weighed down with extraneous emails and formulate a plan to complete emailed ‘asks.’ Respond to emails, on behalf of the director, when appropriate with little guidance necessary.

• Manage information and workflow by reviewing all correspondence and ensuring attention to required actions by; tracking deadlines, status, and completion of action items, deliverables, and other tasks assigned to staff. Use good judgment in engaging the director, and required staff, when needed. 

• Provide analytical and specialized administrative support - think proactively. Over time, anticipate recurring needs and allocate the director’s time, schedule meetings, make staff requests and generate timeline deadlines as needed.

• Assist the director’s direct reports, when needed, in tracking workflow and assisting with reports and other tasks. 

• Maintain a professional office atmosphere; greet and receive visitors in person, over the phone, and in writing, in a professional, courteous manner, recognizing that Partnerships must always exemplify ORNL standards. Prioritize, organize, and execute multiple tasks in limited time without a decline in the quality of products or customer service. 

• Coordinate special projects, including completion and compilation of complex reports and executive presentations. 

• Plan and coordinate senior level meetings and visits, including site access, transportation, lodging, meals, advance materials, agendas, and social activities as required. 

• Coordinate both domestic and foreign travel, generate itineraries and supporting documentation for director to use as guidance; handle all expense reimbursements.

• Ensure reports and correspondence prepared within the directorate are in accordance with established UT-Battelle/ORNL guidelines. Advise on office procedures and preparation and handling of correspondence. 

•  Establish and maintain effective and appropriate working relations with internal and external contacts such as government agencies, DOE contractors, universities, and various vendors. Understand that the Partnerships office frequently interacts with people outside of ORNL, so ensure a positive impression is created as a representative of the Lab.

• Proactively make administrative decisions and judgments within realm of responsibility and authority, using tact and discretion with little-no guidance necessary.

• Be proficient in ORNL policies and programs, be prepared to provide guidance to ORNL support staff; take on a mentoring role in this capacity.

• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote equal opportunity by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• High school diploma and at least ten years of administrative experience in prior responsible administrative support positions.

• High degree of proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (which includes Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel). Must be willing to learn a variety of business and computer systems.

• Ability to maintain a consistent work schedule during core hours to meet staff needs, with flexibility to provide surge support beyond regular hours.

• Demonstrated skill functioning in a rapidly changing setting, anticipating needs, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and sustaining top quality.

• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• An associate’s degree or higher in business, communications, or related fields, with at least five years of relevant experience.

• Thorough working knowledge of ORNL administrative policies and procedures

• Familiarity with tools for managing information flow and projects.

• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory.

• Excellent emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills.

• Experience in a media or communications office or agency.

Visa Sponsorship: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

About ORNL:

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an impressive 80-year legacy of addressing the nation’s most pressing challenges. Our team is made up of over 7,000 dedicated and innovative individuals! Our goal is to create an environment where a variety of perspectives and backgrounds are valued, ensuring ORNL is known as a top choice for employment. These principles are essential for supporting our broader mission to drive scientific breakthroughs and translate them into solutions for energy, environmental, and security challenges facing the nation.

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain individuals who demonstrate exceptional work behaviors. The laboratory provides a range of employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to support the well-being of you and your family. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also available for added convenience.

Other benefits include the following: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Contributory Pension Plan, Life Insurance, Disability Benefits, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.