Assistant to the President - Higher Ed. jobs in New Bedford, MA

Job Summary

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is seeking an Assistant to the Vice President for Advancement. Reporting to the Director of Advancement Operations and Stewardship, this position provides strategic, operational, and administrative support to the Vice President for Advancement and Chief Marketing Officer (VP of Advancement). This position contributes significantly to the effective operation of the Advancement team by anticipating, prioritizing, and initiating projects in support of Advancement’s fundraising and communications goals and objectives and applies advanced knowledge, skills and practices to plan strategically and solve problems. This is a highly visible role in a fast-paced, dynamic office and requires a broad range of skills (technical, writing/editing, managerial, and interpersonal). This is a full-time, exempt position, and is eligible for full benefits. The work arrangement for this position can be onsite or hybrid.

The internal title for this position is Administrative Associate II.

Essential Functions

• Work with the VP of Advancement to understand, develop and execute priorities and goals.
• Use good judgement and experience to prioritize a varied workload that involves developing solutions to emerging issues, time sensitive and/or confidential projects, and complex problems.
• Maintain the VP of Advancement’s calendar. Organize all logistics of travel arrangements and appointments.
• Arrange for and coordinate the use of facilities needed, on and off campus, for meetings.
• Prepare meeting agenda materials and record minutes and track follow-up items as requested.
• Serve as a primary interface between Advancement and all other departments across the institution. Work closely with the Director’s Office.
• Develop a working knowledge of fundraising and communications objectives and strategies and assists in circulating same across the team.
• Draft correspondence, donor reports and memoranda, many of which require research and are highly confidential.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Stewardship to ensure all engagements and reporting needs for principal gifts are met by deadline.
• Develop a familiarity with prospects assigned to the VP of Advancement (as well as potential principal gift prospects) and manage workflows on their engagement with WHOI and the VP.
• Support the VP of Advancement in his collaboration with the Director’s Office and the Board.
• Write, edit, and proofread proposals, letters, briefing materials and other documents.
• Assure the smooth and effective running of the VP of Advancement’s office by serving as a source of information, and by acting as a point of contact for Institution programs, scientific staff, and external organizations.
• Generate database queries and reports, serving as part of a team responsible for ensuring the database is accurate and complete – ultimately becoming a ‘super user’. Complete data entry in a timely and effective manner.
• Responsible for maintenance and updating of prospect records in the Raiser’s Edge database using information from research, trip reports, correspondence, and publications.
• Working with the Director of Advancement Services, assist the VP of Advancement’s operational planning.
• Assist with events, which may include occasional travel and/or night and weekend work.
• Responsible for maintaining office and electronic files on behalf of VP of Advancement and their area of responsibility.
• Maintain Advancement staff directory and email lists.
• Responsible for gathering and processing all expense vouchers and requests for payment for the VP of Advancement.

Non-Essential Functions

Other tasks as assigned.

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree required.

5 years senior administrative support.

Demonstrated ability to work as a team player and independently.

Willingness and ability to adapt and quickly learn new skills.

Must be articulate and have a proven ability to exercise discretion, good judgement, and take initiative. Interacts well with members, donors, and colleagues.

Adept at using multiple software applications. Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, Zoom, Doodle polls, Adobe and databases (Raiser’s Edge experience preferred).

Ability to learn and navigate various financial and database programs to log, track and reconcile expenses and budgets and other activities.

Must be able to handle a large volume of email and incoming calls and determine action items independently.

Finalist may be required to provide writing samples and/or complete a proofreading test.

Project management skills.

Demonstrated understanding of nonprofit development work and best practices.

Physical Requirements

This position is mostly sedentary in nature and involves some repetitive motion such as with data entry.  There is also the occasional need for retrieving and replacing files that requires some bending, stooping, pushing and pulling.  This position will work alone as well as around and with others. Physical duties are subject to change. 

Further details of the physical requirements, if any, of established essential functions for this position will be addressed during the interview process. If you would like to discuss any accommodations you might need, please email eeo@whoi.edu