Job Description
Executive Assistant to the Chief Advancement Officer Amherst Campus
Full Time
JR5695
Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.
Job Description: Amherst College invites applications for the Executive Assistant to the Chief Advancement Officer position. The Executive Assistant to the Chief Advancement Officer is a full-time, year-round position, starting at $33.00/hour - commensurate with experience. Given Amherst's distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community.
The Executive Assistant to the Chief Advancement Officer plays a critical role in providing high-level administrative and logistical support to the Chief Advancement Officer, the Associate Chief Advancement Officer and the Director of Principal Giving Strategy. This position is integral to facilitating Advancement's mission, supporting a wide range of constituents, including the president, trustees, top donors, administrators, faculty, alumni, parents and friends.
As the primary administrative contact for the Office of the President , the Office of the Board of Trustees and senior staff for Advancement matters, the Executive Assistant ensures smooth and efficient operations across all Advancement activities. This role requires exceptional organization and interpersonal skills to coordinate complex schedules, track principal gift activities and manage materials for key meetings and committees, including Board committees.
The person in this role is expected to work as part of a collaborative and inclusive team including taking appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participating in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment. In addition, all advancement staff members are required to support and staff key events such as Reunion, Homecoming, and Family Weekend. These events may require occasional evening and weekend hours.
This is a critical support role and the nature of this work requires this position to be full time in the office.
Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:
Administrative & Logistical Support
- Represent Advancement in communications with a diverse audience of internal and external constituents, ensuring all written and verbal communications are accurate, professional and timely.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the Office of the CAO; engaging warmly, exercising independent judgment, and responding to inquiries with discretion while providing accurate information regarding College policies and decisions.
- Manage a variety of complex tasks with multiple stakeholders in a detail-oriented, professional, confidential, and organized manner while balancing competing demands.
- Proactively manage complex calendars for the CAO/ACAO including scheduling meetings, confirming travel/events, anticipating needs, and troubleshooting scheduling conflicts with individuals and groups.
- Oversee the collection and collation of briefing materials for Advancement travel and events- proactively communicating deadlines and timely delivery to the President's Office.
- Navigate complex and sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy; taking initiative to ensure matters requiring attention are handled appropriately and with a problem-solving mind-set.
- Provide a bridge for smooth communication between Advancement and other departments, serving as a liaison with the President's Office to maintain credibility, trust and support across campus.
- Assist the CAO in oversight functions by reviewing, monitoring and approving forms and reviewing correspondence and documents prepared by other offices for the CAO's signature.
- Research, prioritize, and follow up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the CAO, including sensitive or confidential matters; determine the appropriate course of action, referral or response, and ensure completion of trip reports and follow-ups from CAO travel and donor or volunteer meetings.
- Support the work of the Board of Trustees Committee on Institutional Advancement and trusteeship committee, including preparing quarterly materials for committee members.
- Coordinate meetings, office events, divisional gatherings and other special events.
- Provide proactive coordination and agenda preparation for standing meetings and staff gatherings, working with departmental leaders to track action items and ensure timely followup and resolution.
- Maintain and update departmental information including organizational charts, job postings and departmental calendars, to ensure current and accurate records
Prospect Portfolio Support
- Schedule meetings with a diverse group of donors for the CAO, President, and others on behalf of Advancement.
- Coordinate research and briefing memos from prospect managers and produce other supporting materials for Presidential (or other Senior Administrator or Trustee) trips or events on behalf of Advancement. Proofreads and edits briefing memos before sending to the President, Trustee, Senior Administrator or Host of an event.
- Support the Campaign Co-chairs - as the key point of contact, working closely with their assistants to coordinate meetings, travel, conference calls, and acknowledgement requests. Prepare meeting and call materials and record minutes.
- Partner with the Director of Principal Giving Strategy to manage the Chief Advancement Officer's prospect list including entering contacts, managing trip reports and coding events into the Advancement database.
- Request donor updates and coordinate work with the Prospect Development team to seamlessly provide updated information on prospects.
- Expedite requests and inquiries from a diverse set of College staff and faculty, trustees, alumni, parents, friends and key volunteers as needed.
Supervision and Management
- Delegate tasks to the Advancement Assistant thoughtfully, ensuring clear understanding of objectives, priorities, and deadlines to maintain high standards and timely completion of work.
- Provide ongoing training and support to the Advancement Assistant, equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to handle complex administrative tasks and independently manage assigned projects.
- Establish and maintain accountability standards, conducting regular check-ins to ensure the Advancement Assistant's work aligns with expectations and meets established quality benchmarks.
- Monitor and balance the Advancement Assistant's workload, redistributing or adjusting tasks as necessary to prevent bottlenecks and optimize productivity.
- Identify opportunities to improve administrative processes and workflows, guiding the Advancement Assistant in adopting more efficient and effective approaches to their tasks.
- Offer constructive feedback and guidance, recognizing achievements and addressing areas for improvement to support continuous professional growth and accountability.
- Help the Advancement Assistant assess and prioritize tasks, especially in high-stakes situations, to ensure critical responsibilities are handled with urgency and efficiency.
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor's degree, or 7 years of administrative experience in lieu of degree
- 5+ years of related experience- including a proven track record of successful management and leadership, with experience delegating tasks and ensuring accountability within a team.
- Ability to work autonomously in a fast paced, high-pressure environment, demonstrating exceptional organizational skills and the ability to prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with strong attention to detail.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors.
- Expert level written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex ideas, translate and interpret data and adapt communication styles to varied audiences.
- Demonstrated proactive problem-solving approach with strong decision-making capabilities, balancing competing priorities while ensuring alignment with overall goals.
- Emotional maturity, self-motivation, and a collaborative team-player mentality, with the ability to function independently when required.
- Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion and to adapt to shifting priorities, ensuring the highest level of client service and responsiveness.
- Demonstrated success in achieving performance goals, meeting deadlines and maintaining high standards of work quality in a fast paced, dynamic environment. forward-thinking, solutions-oriented mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement and the ability to identify and pursue new opportunities.
- Commitment to working with diverse communities.
Amherst College offers many opportunities for professional growth and development, continued learning, and career advancement.
Amherst College is pleased to provide a comprehensive, highly competitive benefits package that meets the needs of staff and faculty and their families. Benefits are an important part of our overall compensation, so it is critical that you review all of the options to ensure it meets your total compensation requirements. Click here for Benefits Information .
Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and cover letter online at .
Please be sure to upload all requested documents prior to clicking Submit. Applications cannot be revised once submitted. (Current employees and students should apply by clicking on the Jobs Hub icon from their Workday home screen) Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
To apply, visit
Job Tags
Full time, Immediate start, Shift work, Afternoon shift,