Staff Assistant - Development & Alumni Relations, Sanford School of Public Policy

Duke Careers • Durham, NC

1d • $20 - $31

About The Position

At Duke, we celebrate individuality and the unique perspectives that each member of our community brings. As the Staff Assistant – Development & Alumni Relations (Level 9), you’ll be a vital part of a collaborative, mission‑driven team supporting alumni, donors, faculty, and leadership within the Sanford School of Public Policy.
The Staff Assistant provides comprehensive administrative, financial, and logistical support for the Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) team. In this role, you will maintain smooth operations, support strategic initiatives, and ensure Duke’s development and alumni engagement efforts are executed with accuracy and professionalism.

Requirements

• Two years of post‑secondary education in secretarial science or business field.
• Four years of related clerical/administrative experience.
• Excellent communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.
• Customer‑service orientation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, public policy, or related field.
• Experience in development, higher education, or finance.
• Familiarity with SAP, Concur, WORKS, DADD, Enquire.
• Event or donor‑relations experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a central administrative partner for the DAR team, ensuring efficient daily operations and smooth coordination across projects, programs, and communications.
• Manage office workflow systems, including digital organization, shared drives, and version‑controlled documents.
• Provide high‑level administrative support to faculty and DAR leaders.
• Track, monitor, and reconcile budgeted funds.
• Support internal communication workflows and project tracking.
• Assist with onboarding and office resource management.
• Serve as a welcoming point of contact for visitors and partners.
• Utilize key Duke systems including Outlook, DADD, SAP, WORKS, Concur, Zoom, and Teams.
• Manage diverse financial transactions aligned with Duke policy.
• Prepare purchase orders, check requests, contracts, and vendor agreements.
• Oversee vendor communication and invoice resolution.
• Reconcile monthly statements across multiple funds.
• Serve as a Corporate Card Initiator.
• Assist with annual budgeting and financial reporting.
• Coordinate travel for the Associate Dean and Director of Development.
• Prepare briefings, itineraries, and follow‑up materials.
• Update donor information following travel.
• Assist with planning and executing school, campaign, donor, and alumni events.
• Maintain and update alumni data in DADD.
• Resolve lost contact and ensure data accuracy.
• Complete assigned projects supporting DAR priorities.

Benefits

• Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family- friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree