Senior Administrative Assistant

American University•Washington, DC

17d•$26 - $29•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Administrative Assistant provides administrative support in American University's Division of University Advancement, primarily assisting the Assistant Vice President of Alumni Relations (AVP) and other staff members as directed. The role supports alumni relations programs and volunteer initiatives that increase engagement across AU's 160,000-plus-member alumni network. The position interacts with senior administrators, alumni, volunteers, and donors, and may supervise student and/or part-time staff. Responsibilities include general administrative support; coordinating Alumni Board meetings and volunteer communications; maintaining alumni volunteer records and CRM data; and supporting volunteer engagement and stewardship. The position is full-time, 35 hours per week, with availability to work some nights and weekends. It is hybrid, with work on campus three to four days per week. Employment offers are contingent on successfully completing a background check.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
A minimum of 1–3 years of successful experience in alumni, donor, or community relations for educational institutions or nonprofit organizations.
Ability to independently formulate long-range objectives and manage varied programs and services.
Ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently.
Demonstrated organizational and decision-making skills, including follow-up abilities.
Mature and professional attitude, customer/client focus, highly developed interpersonal skills, and an energetic, detail-oriented approach.
Clear, concise reporting and writing style.
Computer literacy, particularly with Microsoft Word and Excel.
Successful completion of a background check is required for a hiring offer.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
2–4 years of relevant experience.
At least one year of experience in volunteer management.
Training and/or experience managing community initiatives and/or programs.
Intercultural communication skills or a level of intercultural competence.

Responsibilities

Assist with events, schedule meetings and appointments, and maintain the AVP's travel calendar and arrangements.
Process mail, answer phones and personal and shared email inboxes, and make on-campus deliveries or pick-ups.
Conduct basic desktop research, including gathering names, phone numbers, addresses, career information, and degree information.
Reconcile the AVP's credit card transactions.
Draft internal and external emails and correspondence, and produce mailings and meeting materials.
Manage logistics and communications for four quarterly AU Alumni Board meetings, including reserving space, arranging catering, and preparing materials.
Manage logistics and communications for the annual AU Alumni Board new member orientation.
Coordinate with Alumni Board members to schedule calls and committee meetings, encourage participation, and send reminders.
Maintain and update rosters for the AU Alumni Board and other alumni relations volunteer leadership groups.
Provide secondary support for other alumni volunteer leadership groups, including the Mosaic Collective, career, enrollment, and regional chapters.
Update contact reports, engagement, biographical, and demographic information in the Ellucian CRM Advance database.
Maintain CRM data hygiene and organization so engagement activities, event lists, and alumni volunteer leader lists remain up to date.
Use CRM and MicroStrategy reports and dashboards to support data-driven evaluation and refinement of alumni engagement programs and activities.
Manage volunteer stewardship projects, including congratulations letters, birthday and anniversary mailings and emails, and direct outreach to volunteer leaders.
Coordinate direct outreach to volunteer leaders by the AVP, VP, and alumni relations directors; compile and distribute relevant content; and regularly audit volunteer coding in the CRM.
Perform other duties as assigned.