Executive Assistant, Gift Planning, Organizations, Sciences, and Engineering

Department

ARD Sciences & Organizations

About the Department

Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) engages alumni (~220k), current students, parents and friends of the University through intellectual, professional and social activities on campus, around the world and online. ARD 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 Gift Planning, Organizations, Sciences, and Engineering (GPOSE) team manages the overall advancement of sciences and engineering, as well as support from organizations and planned gifts to UChicago. Fundraising units under the GPOSE umbrella include Gift Planning, Physical Sciences Division, the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, and Foundation and Corporate Relations, as well as science-related campaign initiatives related to AI and Climate. The team includes five directors of development corresponding to these programs and a total team of approximately 25 individuals.

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant, Gift Planning, Organizations, Sciences, and Engineering (GPOSE), will play an integral role in supporting the Associate Vice President, GPOSE, and broader team. This position requires a proactive, self-directed individual who can manage complex scheduling, travel arrangements, hiring and talent management, budget, and other areas of administrative support effectively while maintaining a welcoming environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organizational skills and a solutions-oriented mindset, ensuring the AVPs daily operations run smoothly and allow the GPOSE team to focus on frontline fundraising priorities.

This role provides confidential and high-level office and location support activities by acting as a lead and coordinating the work of others. Identifies, enhances, and applies specific processes and procedures to maximize the efficiencies of the University to which the support is being provided. May ensure the correct functioning of facilities, office and/or business support services.

Responsibilities

• Performs advanced, diversified and confidential administrative support to the Associate Vice President, GPOSE (AVP, GPOSE) and assigned staff. Relieves executive of as much administrative detail as possible.
• Manages GPOSE office operations to help accomplish the goals of the GPOSE team. Anticipates the needs of the executive and the team. Takes initiative to pre-plan and prepare in advance of expressed needs.
• Maintains the AVP, GPOSE’s calendar. Schedules, coordinates, and facilitates meetings, conferences and special events. Exercises discretion and judgement on priorities plus effective use of executive’s time.
• Manages the AVP’s budget by monitoring and reconciling accounts using UChicago’s General Expense Management System (GEMS). Prepares financial administrative reports as required or as needed, in coordination with ARD Financial Operations team.
• Facilitates team hiring and onboarding of new staff; maintains familiarity with UChicago’s Workday HRIS and works in alignment with ARD HR policies.
• Facilitates project management and activities often involving AVP direct reports on behalf of AVP e.g. coordinating Dean’s Intro to ARD sessions. Compiles data, statistics and other information as needed using various sources. Coordinates support staff and may manage staff directly.
• Drafts agendas and creates materials. May coordinate complex travel arrangements for the executive. Prepares itineraries.
• Serves as a power user for the ARD CRM (Phoenix). Works with the Assistant Director, GPOSE, to maintain constituent records as needed.
• Serves as team’s primary contact and facilitator of ARD people operations and culture policies, including all hiring processes, professional development programming, and other talent management policies.
• Provides confidential and high-level administrative support for a leader. Stays informed of activities relating to University programs and initiatives, apprising the leader of issues when deemed necessary. Coordinates information flow from leader's office to University. May staff high-level volunteer meetings. Relieves leaders of administrative responsibilities.
• Prepare special reports and summaries, assists in managing daily operation of the office, and may assist in developing administrative goals and policies. Maintains the leader's calendar, exercising considerable discretion and judgment as to priorities and effective use of the leader's time.
• Coordinates special projects as directed by the leader. Prepares write ups for recommendations for operational and administrative problems. May manage a portion of the leader's budget, monitoring an