Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Description Join Us in Transforming Healthcare Education At Joyce University, every role contributes to a shared mission: empowering students to succeed and strengthening the future of healthcare. Behind every exceptional student experience is a team of dedicated professionals working together to create the systems, support, and operational excellence that make success possible. As Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), you'll play a critical role in helping Joyce University deliver on that promise. This is more than an executive support position. You'll serve as a trusted partner to the COO, helping coordinate priorities, drive strategic initiatives, foster collaboration across the university, and ensure important work moves forward with clarity and accountability. The Impact You'll Make As Executive Assistant to the COO, you'll play a critical role in helping the university execute its most important priorities. Through exceptional organization, proactive problem-solving, and thoughtful coordination, you'll help create the alignment and accountability that drive operational excellence. As a trusted partner to the COO, you'll help ensure strategic initiatives move forward, teams stay connected, and important work gets done. Simply put: your work helps move the university forward so students can move forward, too. How You'll Contribute Executive Partnership & Leadership Support

• Manage the COO's complex calendar, scheduling priorities, travel arrangements, and executive logistics
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the COO
• Prepare executive correspondence, presentations, reports, agendas, briefing materials, and meeting documentation
• Manage confidential and sensitive information with the highest level of discretion and professionalism
• Anticipate executive needs, proactively identify potential challenges, and recommend solutions that improve efficiency and effectiveness

Strategic Initiatives & Project Coordination

• Monitor and track strategic initiatives, operational priorities, and executive commitments to ensure timely execution
• Coordinate cross-functional projects and special initiatives by managing stakeholders, timelines, deliverables, and status reporting
• Develop project plans, executive summaries, dashboards, and progress reports that support informed decision-making
• Identify risks, escalate concerns appropriately, and help remove barriers that could impact project success
• Support operational planning and execution across key university priorities

Communication & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Facilitate communication and collaboration across university departments to support operational excellence and organizational goals
• Coordinate follow-up activities and accountability for leadership meetings, operational committees, and strategic initiatives
• Build strong working relationships with leaders, faculty, staff, vendors, and external partners
• Support communication efforts that keep teams aligned, informed, and moving toward shared objectives
• Serve as a trusted resource who helps connect people, priorities, and information across the organization

Meetings, Governance & Operational Coordination

• Coordinate executive, operational leadership, committee, and project meetings from planning through follow-up
• Prepare agendas, meeting materials, and supporting documentation
• Document decisions, action items, and commitments while ensuring timely follow-up and accountability
• Coordinate logistics for leadership retreats, board meetings, accreditation activities, special events, and university initiatives
• Maintain organized records, filing systems, and documentation in accordance with university policies and regulatory requirements

Financial & Administrative Operations

• Assist with budget administration activities, including processing invoices, purchase requests, expense reports, and reconciliations
• Conduct research and prepare concise analyses, summaries, and recommendations to support executive decision-making
• Maintain records, reporting systems, and operational documentation
• Utilize technology and AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, reporting, communication, and workflow efficiency
• Support special projects and university initiatives as assigned

What's in It for You At Joyce University, we invest in the success and well-being of our employees. As part of our team, you'll enjoy:

• A generous self-directed PTO policy
• Paid holidays and a 401(k) with employer match
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Fully paid short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Professional development opportunities and world-class continuing education assistance
• A supportive, collaborative team environment where your voice matters

Requirements

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Five or more years of executive administrative support experience
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, PowerPoint, Zoom, and collaboration tools
• Demonstrated experience managing confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and prioritization skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or Bachelor's degree
• Experience supporting executive leaders
• Experience in higher education, healthcare, or a similarly complex environment
• Experience coordinating projects, initiatives, or operational activities across multiple stakeholders

You'll Thrive In This Role If You

• Anticipate needs and take initiative without being asked
• Enjoy creating order and clarity in fast-moving environments
• Balance multiple priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail
• Build trusted relationships across teams and leadership levels
• Communicate with professionalism, confidence, and empathy
• Approach challenges with curiosity, resourcefulness, and a solutions-oriented mindset
• Take ownership and consistently follow through on commitments

Join Our Mission At Joyce, your work has visible impact. Every initiative you help coordinate, every challenge you help solve, and every partnership you help strengthen contributes to a better experience for students, employees, and the university community. Here, your expertise matters. Your growth is supported. And your work helps create the operational excellence that makes student success possible. Together, we're creating a future where every student—and every team member—can, should, and will succeed.