Senior Assistant to the Senior VP of Advancement Services (Hybrid)

The University of Connecticut is a top-ranked national university and health-system with its flagship campus in idyllic Storrs. Designated a Carnegie Research 1 institution, UConn is the state land- and sea-grant university charged with education, research, and service to the state and nation. The University serves 32,000 students across seven campuses, 8600 first-in-family students, and boasts 25 national championships. UConn Health is a top-ranked health provider located in Farmington and delivers award-winning medical education, research, and hospital and clinical services to 1.3 million patients a year.

With record-applications, back-to-back Men's Basketball National Championships, and a strategic location equidistant from Boston and New York City, UConn is poised to continue its meteoric rise as New England's top public University guided by a new strategic plan.

To meet the strategic objectives of the University, UConn Foundation is embarking on a historic campaign to support the University's trajectory. With students at the forefront, the campaign will also elevate faculty, groundbreaking research, sustainability, and a thriving community on campus that fuels the state. We seek the top talent in the country to join Husky Nation and invite inquiries and applications. We are committed to a caring and inclusive work culture, professional and leadership development, and flexibility for high achievers with a passion for higher education.

The UConn Foundation is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. We celebrate diverse perspectives and are committed to a welcoming environment that will value your unique experiences and identity. We recognize that a true commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion requires ongoing education and action, and we strive for continued growth each and every day.

We're looking for dedicated professionals to drive success and excellence and exemplify our values of integrity, empathy, kindness, accountability, collaboration, transparency, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

POSITION SUMMARY

In this Senior Assistant position, you will provide support to the Senior Vice President of Advancement Services in all aspects of their role, as well as providing support to their direct reports as needed. You will support the SVP in the planning and coordination of presentations, reports, and training. You will manage on-going Advancement Services department request workflows and critical project management documents (including project plans) and ensure that Advancement Services department materials are provided in a timely and professional manner to senior university and foundation staff as well as board members as appropriate. You will serve as a key customer service liaison in support of end-user training sessions, management of data confidentiality agreements for volunteers and University staff, and Requests for Service (RFS).

The Senior Assistant must always maintain a high level of tact, professionalism, attention to customer service, and attention to the data protection and confidentiality standards of the UConn Foundation.

In this role, you will:

• Schedule meetings and proactively manage the calendar of the Senior Vice President. Schedule training sessions and coordinate travel arrangements for the SVP, and in some cases their direct reports. Assist in gathering materials for meetings, tracking and following up on agenda items.
• Manage the stock transaction process in a timely manner with a focus on donor designation, accuracy and processing time; must work closely with the Finance and the Pledge and Gift Management Department.
• Manage the volunteer confidentiality agreement process, and partner with the AVP of IT and Cybersecurity to track vendor security reviews.
• Draft a variety of presentations and/or reports; submit and track contracts and workflow related to the execution of vendor contracts.
• Manage the Requests for Service (RFS) queue for the Advancement Services Department customer requests working closely with the Senior Director of Programming Services. Review RFS outstanding items report weekly, confirm delivery dates with assigned staff, and make the SVP aware of potential issues with key deliverables.
• Serve as a liaison between the SVP and their direct reports in the maintenance of the Advancement Services Project plan including attending key project status meetings as determined by the SVP of Advancement Services.
• Manage Advancement Services expenses, creating and submitting Requests for Disbursements (RFD's) as appropriate and track annual budgets monthly.
• Coordinate, provide materials and schedule Advancement Services end-user training sessions for Foundation and University staff. Serve as a key training liaison between end-users, the business analysts, data analyst, and Operational Trainer.
• Proactively coordinate, schedule and create the agenda for Advancement Services Division meetings.
• Always model and articulate the Foundation's organizational core values.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Engagement

Collaborate with Foundation and University stakeholders on Advancements Services requests, training sessions, and the scheduling of cross-departmental meetings.

Leadership

Provide visible leadership across the entire organization by engaging in organization-wide activities such as departmental meetings, all-staff meetings, and staff events.

To be successful in this role, you should:

• Be a champion for inclusion and diversity both internally and externally.
• Possess a high level of motivation and ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Demonstrate strong customer service skills and the ability to work with Donors, and University and Foundation staff.
• Be able to handle multiple tasks, to assess and order priorities, and to track details in a fast-paced environment.
• Possess excellent written and oral communication skills, including proofreading.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, tact, and diplomacy.
• Be able to build productive, beneficial relationships with a broad range of constituencies.
• Be familiar with the use of computers and information management tools, such as CRMs (Blackbaud).
• Demonstrate integrity when dealing with confidential information.
• Demonstrate attention to and concern for others.
• Be able to work to the demands of the position, which may exceed a 40-hour work week.

Education and Experience

We provide a broad set of requirements to be inclusive of people of all backgrounds and experiences. If you think you have the skills for the position, we want to hear from you. Even if this is not the right role, we may know of opportunities elsewhere or have future opportunities that better match your skill set.

• Associate's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 4+ years of experience in an executive level administrative capacity or similar role.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite and donor management systems.

Salary:

The expected salary for this position is $65,000+. It will be commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also placing an emphasis on internal equity.

Benefits:

Benefits start from day one. We offer medical, dental, and vision plans and will make an annual contribution to your health savings account if enrolled in one of the high-deductible health plans offered by the Foundation.

In addition, there are a few other perks to being a UConn Foundation employee:

• We offer a generous contribution to your 403(b) retirement plan to help you plan for retirement.
• We place an emphasis on work/life balance. In addition to a hybrid schedule, you will receive thirteen paid holidays, five weeks of paid time off per calendar year, and additional sick time.
• We invest in your professional development. Aside from opportunities to participate in various trainings, committees, and conferences throughout the year, you will also be eligible for partial tuition reimbursement after one year of employment.

Please inform a Human Resources Representative if you need any assistance completing any forms or participating in any part of the application process due to a disability.