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About the Role

Presidio Knolls School seeks a highly organized, resourceful, and service-oriented Administrative Assistant to serve as a key member of our front office team. This dynamic, highly visible position is at the center of a busy Preschool - Grade 8 independent school. The successful candidate will enjoy working with children ages 2 - 14 and interacting with families, faculty, staff, and visitors throughout the day. This role requires a strong sense of ownership and initiative, anticipating needs, exercising sound judgment, and confidently determining next steps without always waiting for direction. The ideal candidate is warm, approachable, calm under pressure, comfortable juggling competing priorities, and committed to providing exceptional service. The Administrative Assistant reports to the Chief Finance & Operations Officer and supports the Business Office and broader administrative team.

Responsibilities

Serves as a welcoming and highly responsive first point of contact for students, families, employees, visitors, and vendors, providing consistently warm, professional, and solutions-oriented service.
Takes ownership of questions and problems, using sound judgment to resolve routine issues independently and identifying when matters should be escalated.
Anticipates the needs of the front office and school community and proactively addresses issues before they become problems.
Manages multiple competing priorities and frequent interruptions while maintaining accuracy, professionalism, discretion, and follow-through.
Responds calmly and effectively to the unexpected, from a sick child or concerned parent to a last-minute schedule change or operational need.
Builds positive relationships with students across the school and is comfortable supervising, reassuring, redirecting, and assisting children ranging from preschool through middle school.
Maintains awareness of activity across the school and helps ensure that information, questions, and requests reach the appropriate people quickly.
Assists with document preparation and staff and parent communications as needed, including tracking medications and medical records.
Maintains office supplies and materials for the administrative office area.
Tracks student lunch orders and coordinates distribution across the school.
Maintains accurate records for school purchasing, order processing, and receipt of approved purchase requests from teachers and administrative staff.
Coordinates and schedules meetings, rooms, and required equipment, and supports the administrative leadership team with scheduling needs.
Coordinates field trips with Division Heads and faculty and assists with staff travel arrangements.
Supports preparation, logistics, and setup for school events.
Serves as a key point person for students who are injured or feeling unwell by providing basic care within school protocols, communicating with parents, and supervising students until pickup when needed.
Contacts parents regarding attendance and maintains accurate daily attendance records in the school database.
Maintains school and student files in accordance with regulatory and compliance requirements.
Uses and supports routine office technology and equipment, including computers, printers, copiers, databases, and communication platforms.
Contributes positively to employee morale and maintains a warm, professional demeanor with all constituencies.
Supports other administrative and school needs as they arise.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED and a minimum of six months of relevant administrative, customer-service, school, hospitality, or equivalent experience; an equivalent combination of training and experience will be considered.
Highly organized with excellent attention to detail and follow-through.
Demonstrated initiative and ability to work independently, identify what needs to be done, and move work forward without constant direction.
Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment; able to assess a situation, identify options, and determine an appropriate course of action.
Exceptional customer-service orientation and a genuine desire to be helpful.
Warm, approachable, and professional communication style with both children and adults.
Genuinely enjoys working with children and adolescents and is comfortable engaging with students ages 2-14 with warmth, patience, appropriate boundaries, and good judgment.
Able to remain calm, flexible, and solutions-oriented when plans change or unexpected situations arise.
Comfortable managing multiple priorities and frequent interruptions in a busy school environment.
Able to distinguish between issues that can be handled independently and those requiring escalation.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to handle confidential student, family, personnel, and school information appropriately.
Comfortable learning and using technology, including internet, email, databases, word processing, spreadsheets, and other administrative platforms.
Ability to respond appropriately in an emergency and communicate with school staff and/or emergency personnel.
Experience in a school, youth-serving organization, administrative office, hospitality, or similarly service-oriented environment preferred.
Fluency in speaking, reading, and writing Mandarin highly desired.
Regularly sit, talk, hear and visually monitor and greet visitors.
Occasionally lift and move up to 45 lbs.
Work at a desk and computer screen for extended periods of time.
Turn, bend, reach and occasionally use a ladder.
Work effectively in a busy, often distracting environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
Love being helpful and take satisfaction in making things run smoothly for other people.
Notice what needs to be done and are often already working on it before someone asks.
Enjoy working with children of different ages, from preschoolers who may need reassurance to middle school students who need clear expectations.
Are warm, welcoming, and genuinely enjoy interacting with families, colleagues, and visitors.
Can have three things happening at once, decide what is most important, and remain calm and friendly.
Are comfortable making reasonable decisions independently while knowing when to ask for help.
Enjoy solving everyday problems and finding practical solutions.
Take pride in accuracy, organization, responsiveness, and closing the loop.
Are flexible and comfortable when the day’s priorities change.
Love collaboration, iteration, and innovation, and are ready to roll up your sleeves and pitch in wherever needed.
Want to contribute to the life of a busy, joyful school community.
Applicants are required to provide a complete list of prior educational employers as part of the application process.
By applying for this position, you consent to the school contacting all prior educational employers listed on your application to inquire about any credible complaints, substantiated misconduct investigations, or disciplinary actions, as required by California law.

Skills

Organization
Attention to detail
Follow-through
Initiative
Independent work
Problem-solving
Sound judgment
Customer service
Communication (written and verbal)
Interpersonal skills
Calmness under pressure
Flexibility
Adaptability
Time management
Multitasking
Discretion
Technology proficiency (computers, internet, email, databases, word processing, spreadsheets)
Emergency response
Mandarin fluency (highly desired)

Location

Presidio Knolls School

Work Type

Year-round
Full-time

Experience Level

Minimum of six months of relevant administrative, customer-service, school, hospitality, or equivalent experience

Education Level

High school diploma or GED

Salary/Compensations

$30-$38 per hour

Benefits

Employer-paid health benefits
Retirement contributions
Paid time off
Monthly commuter benefits up to $325/month (PKS subsidizes $60)
5% Employer match contribute to your 403(b)-retirement plan
Salaries aligned with Bay Area market rates, with annual cost-of-living adjustments
Tuition remission for staffulty children enrolled at PKS, to 75% off one enrolled child, subject to eligibility and availability
100% employer- paid medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, and life insurance for employees
Affordable options for spouse family coverage
Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for healthcare and dependent care
Wellness benefits and EAP
Mental health benefits via Springhealth
Paid holidays in accordance with the school calendar
Non-exempt admin / support employee accrued 120 hours / year
Accrual of 10 sick days annually
Regular staff appreciation lunches
Monthly Birthday celebration
Complimentary Tickets to our annual Gala
Celebration lunch as part of our Lunar New Year Festival
Happy Hour Events: past events have been Ping Pong, Karaoke, SF Giants game, Holiday Party, End of School Year Celebration

About the Company

PKS was founded on the idea that a progressive educational model can be combined with rigorous Mandarin immersion to create a vibrant, innovative school where children will thrive in a joyful environment.
Since 2008, we have grown rapidly and established a unique position in the Bay Area’s independent school community.
The progressive philosophy of Presidio Knolls School embraces kids as co-collaborators in their education, valuing their voice and agency to shape their own learning journey.
The school has a commitment to social-emotional learning that permeates the culture of the school.
Presidio Knolls School is committed to fostering a workplace where talented educators and professionals thrive.
We prioritize competitive compensation, robust benefits, and a supportive culture that values innovation, reflection, and collaboration.

Equal Opportunity

Presidio Knolls School offers equal opportunity to all, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, and national origin, ethnicity, age, sex or disability or other protected class status under any applicable laws.
Employment will be contingent on successful completion of a background check.