Compensation:

The expected starting hourly range for this position is between $27.50 and $29.00. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility.

Position Overview:

This Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Development will support/assist the Associate V.P. for Development and provide program support to the department of Principal Gifts in the planning and execution of all major and principal gift fundraising, including the management of a staff encompassing the departments of Major Gifts, Planned Giving, and Milestone Reunions.

Provide support for comprehensive fundraising campaigns, coordinate reports and research materials for use in Board of Trustees meetings and visits with prospective donors. Serve as project manager for a wide variety of events involving alumni, parents, trustees, and donors.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities:

• Administrative Support: Support Associate V.P.’s travel including securing appointments, coordinating travel arrangements, processing travel expense reports, and reconciling Visa statements.
• Perform administrative tasks, including answering phone calls, drafting routine correspondence, preparation of gift acknowledgments, donor contact reports, etc. Manage the calendar: schedule appointments and meetings; prepare and distribute meeting materials.
• Communications: Facilitate communications with the Associate V.P. for Development staff, Principal Gifts, President’s office, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations’ office, other campus offices and departments, trustees of the College, consultants to the College, major gift donors and volunteers.
• Technology: Serve as liaison between development staff and data and systems managers to communicate needs regarding the systems; modify/create reports as needed in strategizing for and tracking fundraising progress.
• In coordination with Development and Alumni Relations Operations, assist in the creation and maintenance of charts, graphs, and presentations on the progress and history of Carleton’s giving priorities in support of the solicitation of major gift donors by the President, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, Associate/Assistant Vice Presidents in Development and Alumni Relations, Development Officers, and volunteers (trustees).
• Share in the oversight of web content for the division, adding and updating web pages associated with college fundraising priorities and programs.
• Customer Focus: Respond to questions from donors and prospective donors, by phone, email mail, and from department website.
• Board of Trustees meeting preparation: communicating with committee members, preparation and distribution of materials, and organizing facility and catering arrangements.
• Event planning and Project Management: Support the leadership in the division of Development and Alumni Relations with cultivation events in the U.S. and internationally. Serve as project manager, implementing and managing the invitation and RSVP process including communication about and tracking of participation; management of venue contracts, details, tasks and deadlines associated with such, including payments, catering, AV needs, etc.; working with other departments on campus as necessary.
• Assist Principal Gifts and Development Research with preparing strategy and background material for the President, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, Associate V.P. for Development, department directors within Development, Development Officers, and volunteers (trustees) as needed for cultivation/solicitation of major gift prospects and for donor recognition events.
• Work in close conjunction with the Assistant to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations on projects as assigned.

Additional Job Responsibilities:

• Ensure the smooth operation of the Development Office and the Office of the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, e.g., procedures training and back-up support for department administrative assistants with telephone calls, mail distribution, equipment function/maintenance, and special projects.

Describe Supervision Received and Exercised:

• Shared responsibility for supervising student workers.

Required Qualifications:

• A two-year college degree or completion of a specialized course of study related to the position AND three to five years administrative assistant experience or equivalent experience in lieu of degree.
• Excellent communication skills; strong customer focus mindset and the ability to interact courteously and professionally with a wide range of people.
• Sound judgement, ability to make an informed decision and discretion to handle confidential or sensitive matters with integrity and trust.
• Strong writing skills, including experience proofreading and editing correspondence.
• Exceptional prioritization and organizational skills, high productivity and attention to detail, and the ability to set priorities, and cope well under pressure.
• Microsoft suite: advanced Microsoft Excel experience, and database skills; specifically, experience with high-volume data and mail merge functions.

In addition to meeting the above required qualifications, the following are highly desired qualifications:

• Experience working in higher education.
• Experience supporting more than one Director/Assistant VP or VP and Department Staff
• An aptitude and ability to learn and adapt to new technologies: Dropbox, Google suite, Adobe suite.
• Project management and basic event planning experience.

Must have the ability to understand and follow written and oral work instructions, operations, safety procedures, and hazardous labels. 

Note: This position description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. 

Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the hire is complete. We accept only online applications.

Carleton College is an AA/EEO Employer: We are committed to developing our staff to better reflect the diversity of our student body and American society. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Carleton also offers a robust suite of benefits including: A generous 403(b) retirement plan with a 10% employer contribution and 2% employee contribution. Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance. Paid time-off, including 15 vacation days, 8 paid holidays, 3, floating holidays, 2 weather days, and extra days at the end of the calendar year to make a continuous week off before New Year’s. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees. A dependent tuition program after six years of service.

Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of roughly 2,000 students located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Carleton College occupies more than 1,000 scenic acres of campus, arboretum, over 100 campus buildings, and athletic fields. Located 40 miles south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Carleton offers access to the cultural advantages of a major metropolitan area.

About Carleton College

Founded in 1866, Carleton College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college of roughly 2,000 students located in the historic river town of Northfield, Minnesota. Nationally recognized as the nation’s top college for undergraduate teaching, Carleton is known for its academic rigor, intellectual curiosity, and sense of humor. Carleton offers 33 majors and 38 minors in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences.

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