Administrative Specialist - Office of Community Health

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Duke University Health System
Office of Community Health
In partnership with Duke University Office of Community Affairs

Work arrangement - hybrid (4) days in office, Monday - Thursday (remote on Friday)

Job Class Description

The Administrative Specialist provides advanced, high-level administrative, operational, and financial support to the Chief Community Health and Social Impact Officer and other senior leaders and professional staff within the Office of Community Health (OCH) at Duke University Health System. This role also provides coordinated administrative partnership support to the Office of Community Affairs (OCA) at Duke University, strengthening alignment across Duke Health and Duke University in support of shared community engagement, social impact, and health equity priorities.

Serving as a strategic administrative partner, the Administrative Specialist applies independent judgment, strong organizational skills, and cultural humility to manage complex workflows, financial processes, and stakeholder coordination across a matrixed academic health system and university environment.

Key Responsibilities

Executive, Community Health & University Partnership Support (Approximately 60%)

• Provide proactive, high-level administrative support to OCH executive and professional staff, including management of complex calendars, meetings, travel, and competing priorities aligned with community and institutional commitments.
• Provide administrative partnership support to the Duke University Office of Community Affairs, assisting with coordination of shared initiatives, meetings, and communications that span Duke Health and Duke University.
• Support alignment between OCH and OCA by coordinating schedules, materials, and logistics for joint leadership meetings, community advisory bodies, and cross-institutional initiatives.
• Anticipate and resolve scheduling conflicts independently, ensuring seamless coordination across Duke Health and Duke University stakeholders.
• Serve as part of a collaborative, rotational administrative team supporting front desk and office operations, modeling professionalism, hospitality, and responsiveness for community partners and campus collaborators.
• Partner with administrative colleagues across Duke Health and Duke University to support enterprise-wide and university-community engagements.
• Prepare advanced presentations, briefing materials, executive summaries, reports, and dashboards related to community health, equity, and social impact initiatives.
• Develop and maintain complex databases, trackers, and spreadsheets to support program operations, community partnerships, and reporting requirements across OCH and OCA-supported initiatives.
• Compile, analyze, and synthesize data from internal systems, community partners, and Duke University collaborators; summarize findings for leadership and stakeholders.
• Draft, proofread, and edit professional correspondence, memoranda, and reports for internal and external audiences, ensuring alignment with Duke Health and Duke University standards.
• Serve as a key point of contact for information flow between OCH leadership, OCA colleagues, Duke Health departments, Duke University units, and community-based organizations.
• Respond to inquiries with discretion, cultural humility, and professionalism across health system and university contexts.
• Plan and coordinate logistics for community meetings, advisory councils, university-community convenings, conferences, and leadership-hosted events, including in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats.
• Coordinate and independently manage special projects and process improvement efforts that advance shared OCH–OCA priorities.
• Assist with recruitment and onboarding activities as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support community engagement and institutional impact.

Financial, Procurement & Operational Support (Approximately 40%)

• Serve as the primary financial and procurement liaison for assigned OCH executive(s), with coordination support for OCA-aligned activities as appropriate.
• Prepare and analyze financial and operational reports supporting community health, social impact, and cross-institutional initiatives.
• Assist with budget development, forecasting, reconciliation, and expenditure monitoring in accordance with Duke Health policies, with awareness of Duke University administrative processes where applicable.
• Identify spending trends and variances and communicate findings to leadership.
• Act as the first point of contact for departmental purchasing needs related to OCH and joint OCH–OCA initiatives.
• Serve as a transactional expert for Duke financial systems related to corporate cards, accounts payable, requisitions, purchase orders, and expense reporting.
• Submit and manage Concur travel, mileage, and office expenses on behalf of executive leadership, including community and university partnership activities.
• Coordinate with central finance, grants administration, and administrative offices across Duke Health and Duke University to support compliance and reporting.
• Support administrative components of grant-funded and externally supported initiatives as applicable.

Required Qualifications

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent with five (5) years of progressively responsible administrative support experience demonstrating increasing complexity and autonomy
  OR
• Associate’s degree or two (2) years of postsecondary education with three (3) years of relevant administrative experience
  OR
• An equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting community engagement, public health, health equity, or social impact initiatives.
• Experience working in both academic health systems and university settings.
• Familiarity with Duke Health and Duke University administrative and financial systems.
• Experience supporting cross-institutional partnerships and community advisory bodies.
• Demonstrated commitment to community-centered and equity-focused work.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across health system and university environments.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills in a matrixed setting.
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and emotional intelligence.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Digital fluency with Microsoft Office, collaboration platforms, financial systems, and data-tracking tools.
• Ability to analyze data and support evidence-informed decision-making.
• Commitment to Duke Health and Duke University values, including community engagement, equity, and inclusive practices.
• Ability to manage confidential information in compliance with HIPAA, Duke policies, and institutional guidelines.
• Comfort operating in a community-facing, partnership-driven, and evolving academic environment.