Job Opportunity: Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Dictionary Society of North America
Duties include maintaining and updating the membership database; packing and shipping individual journals, newsletters and directories as required; preparing mailing labels and arranging bulk mail shipping and invoicing, updating files; creating email lists from database information; and supporting the Executive Secretary with other clerical and management tasks as required. In addition, the assistant will help upload or alter information on the DSNA website as needed. Knowledge of Excel, MS Access, and HTML is essential.
Someone with expertise in the digital humanities is necessary and an interest in language, linguistics, lexicography, anthropology, communication, literature, or another related field is very important. Explaining vagaries of website and databases to executive secretary is necessary (speaking slowly and using mono-syllabic words is preferable).
This position enables the assistant to understand how a scholarly organization works and how scholarship happens, whether it is in relation to the journal, the newsletter, the membership, social media, or budgeting. The assistant will learn how on-hands work allows a learned organization to function in a changing world. Moreover, the position provides access to luminaries in linguistics, editing, lexicography—both in universities and in the field. This position will add depth to the CV because it will demonstrate practical experience with what happens behind the scenes, as well as providing opportunity to experience what academic administration can be.
Hours are flexible, depending on the ebb and flow of work. The hours can range from about 1 per week to about 10. One in-person meeting every-other-week in Brooklyn or Jersey City is required, as is regular email or phone consultation. Other hours will be scheduled at the convenience of the Executive Secretary and the Assistant. The DSNA office is not open during CUNY holidays and breaks.
Salary will be $5,000 to be paid in monthly installments of $500 at the beginning of each month September through July. There will be no payment in January or August. Work needs to commence immediately.
Please send a letter, a resume (CVs are less helpful) as well as contact information for two references ASAP to:
Rebecca Shapiro, Ph. D., Executive Secretary Dictionary Society of North America Department of English CUNY–New York City College of Technology 300 Jay St. Brooklyn, NY 11201 rshapiro@citytech.cuny.edu