Merakey Jobs

Working/Functional Title

Executive Staff Assistant

Position Summary

Basic Function

Provides support for the Associate Vice President for Development (AVPD), including managing the AVPD's calendar, reconciling expenses, and fundraising and stewardship support. This position requires an organized, collaborative, innovative, experienced, flexible, and enthusiastic professional who possesses strong communication and customer service skills, is adept at preparing reports, has a strong attention to detail, can independently prioritize tasks that require immediate attention, and can maintain highly confidential information.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative Support:

• Manages the AVPD calendar in alignment with strategic priorities.
• Drafts correspondence and presentation materials.
• Interacts with external constituents (donors and prospects) with a high degree of professionalism, integrity, and customer service.
• Keeps confidential files.
• Plans logistics and agendas for meetings and events.
• Makes travel arrangements and manages conference registrations; reconciles travel reimbursements.
• Manages and reconciles expenses for the AVPD in alignment with MSU policies. 
• Collaborates with the Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA) staff provide central office support including managing central resources, ticket distribution, and event coordination.

Development Support:

• Schedules donor and prospect meetings on behalf of the AVPD.
• Tracks follow up from donor meetings, including entering contact reports, coordinating with development officers on post-meeting correspondence, and delegation of action steps.
• Collects and drafts briefing and donor meeting materials for VPUA and other leaders in collaboration with development teams.
• Pulls development, fundraising and portfolio reports for the AVPD's review and analysis.
• Forecasts, monitors, and analyzes team member reports and unit fundraising activity.
• Takes a proactive approach to working with the AVPD to ensure objectives and strategic plans are met.

Responsibility for Health/Safety of Others

No assigned responsibility.

Impact on Programs/Services/Operations

Errors in the dissemination of information to the public or within the University could cause reputational damage and be a serious inconvenience to other people both within and outside the University and have an adverse impact in the development of support and goodwill for the University.

Work Environment

Standard office environment. The job requires moderate physical effort and involves sitting in place, viewing a VDT screen, or typing up to 70% of the time.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired through a high school education with course work in word processing, typing, shorthand, and grammar; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive University work experience in maintaining account ledgers, word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software; editing, composing correspondence, taking dictation; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

At least five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive University work experience in confidential office protocol and calendaring.

Knowledge of the University structure, policies and procedures, graphic design experience, database familiarity; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

CONFIDENTIALITY and discretion are imperative.

The ability to demonstrate leadership among staff assistants and provide outstanding cu