Operations Associate, Alumni and Community Experiences

Department

ADV Stewardship & Events

About the Department

Advancement engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents, and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. Advancement raises $600 Million annually to support faculty and researchers, practitioners and patients, and students and programs across the University. Our work supports priorities in every division, school, department, and institute.

The Stewardship and Events team oversees and promotes the University of Chicago’s best practices in outstanding donor stewardship and events. The University’s Donor Relations and Stewardship program is committed to providing exemplary stewardship experiences, which enhance relationships with and increase the engagement of the University's alumni, donors, and friends.

Job Summary

This role provides professional support and solves straightforward problems for a broad range of business operations and academic activities. May develop and implement office procedures and policies and ensures compliance. May prepare and monitor the budget for a unit.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the lead procurement liaison for the Alumni and Community Experience team to Advancement financial operations and central procurement.
• Submits purchase orders (POs) and vendor invoices for processing and payment for the Alumni and Community Experience team.
• Manages tokens and giveaways for programs within the Alumni and Community Experience team, which includes developing standards, overseeing inventory, placing orders, and consulting with colleagues on appropriate tokens and giveaways for programs of varying scope and scale.
• Manages domestic and international packaging and shipping needs for engagement opportunities and events.
• Assists with bespoke principal gift stewardship donor engagement activities, including catering and logistics.
• In partnership with the Advancement Communications marketing team leadership, support development of project timelines for all Advancement Communications work, including providing materials and follow up to project requestors. 
• Seeks opportunities for professional development that will enhance job performance including attending webinars, seminars, building networks within the University and with colleagues at peer institutions.
• Performs some routine and complex assignments for the unit usually in the areas of finance, event planning or support services. Initiate the hiring process of students and staff for a unit, which includes the processing of payroll.
• Responsible for training office staff on office procedures and compliance protocols. Coordinates special projects.
• Assists in the monitoring of the various financial and budgetary activities, including vendors contracts.  Preparing and monitoring the budget for a unit.
• Researches and analyzes data to create reports, and may create other reports for grants and contracts.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree.

Experience:

• Minimum two years of administrative, office management, or other professional experience in a fast-paced, complex office environment.
• Background managing cross-team projects.
• Minimum one year of experience leading a project team or managing staff.
• Minimum one year of experience developing and monitoring budgets.
• Minimum one year of experience planning and executing events.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of, or ability to learn quickly, the internal workings of the University as well as the technology tools available to the Office of Alumni Relations and Development, including Phoenix (the University's Donor Relationship Management System).
• Proficient in Microsoft Windows computer environment, Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

Preferred Competencies

• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills characterized by the ability to listen, speak, and write effectively. Explain complex ideas clearly and simply.
• Manage confidential information with discretion and tact.
• Act with integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Work collegially and collaboratively in a