Executive Assistant, Alumni Relations - 142027

Department Overview

UC San Diego Advancement's dynamic team inspires, builds and nurtures relationships with our community - alumni, students, faculty, staff and other members of the Triton family - that increase engagement with and philanthropic support for the university. Together, Advancement's six units bring together strategy, partnerships and expertise to support UC San Diego's efforts to unite diverse people and unconventional perspectives to propel limitless impact here in San Diego and far beyond.

UC San Diego Alumni Relations, a key unit within Advancement, fosters lifelong connections between alumni and the university. Guided by our values of collaboration, innovation, joy, community, and respect, Alumni Relations develops strategic, data-driven initiatives that empower alumni to engage with UC San Diego and each other throughout their lives. Our priorities focus on instilling pride, developing volunteer leadership, and offering relevant programs for all alumni stages. We recognize alumni as essential stakeholders with a deep emotional connection to UC San Diego. We aim to strengthen the university's impact within our global Triton community through purposeful engagement, world-class career resources, and support for an ever-evolving alumni community. Alumni Relations plays a critical role in building a vibrant, increasingly diverse alumni network that actively shapes UC San Diego's future and builds a lasting legacy.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Alumni Relations (Asst. VC, AR), the Executive Assistant serves as a trusted partner, operational anchor, and on-the-ground presence for the Asst. VC, AR and the broader Alumni Relations team. This is a fully on-site, five-day-in-office role that requires exceptional judgment and organization, discretion, and the ability to move fluidly and swiftly between high-level executive support, board governance, prospect management coordination, and day-to-day alumni relations operations.

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative, operational, and strategic support to the Asst. VC, AR on assignments of a confidential and often sensitive nature, ensuring that the Asst. VC, AR is thoroughly briefed, prepared, and positioned for success in every meeting, engagement, and decision. The Executive Assistant independently manages the Asst. VC, AR's full-time schedule, managing demands and time constraints in a proactive, can-do attitude. This person serves as a secondary support for the Senior Executive Director of Alumni Engagement's calendar and travel logistics, and may serve as a secondary support for senior leaders as designated by and under the discretion of the Asst. VC, AR.

The Executive Assistant is the connective tissue between the Asst. VC, AR's executive priorities and the operational life of the Alumni Relations department - present, responsive, and trusted to act with authority and care on behalf of the office. On behalf of the Asst. VC, AR, the Executive Assistant serves as a liaison to all advancement departments, coordinates and organizes leadership meetings, plans, supports, and attends special events, and evaluates procedures as problems arise, recommending and implementing new innovative methods and efficiencies as needed.

The Executive Assistant serves as the primary staff support for the UC San Diego Alumni Association Board of Directors, as directed by the Asst. VC, AR, and supporting the Asst. VC, AR in their role as Chief Alumni Officer, including AAUC system-wide obligations.

This position requires a high degree of professionalism, political acumen, and the ability to independently resolve problems, manage competing priorities, and represent the Asst. VC, AR across all levels of the university and with external constituencies including alumni, donors, board members, and campus leadership.

• Familiarity with the organization's processes, protocols and procedures.
• Knowledge of federal regulations such as FERPA.
• Thorough knowledge of common organization-specific and other computer application programs. Must have advanced proficiency in Word, Excel PowerPoint, CRM database, and AI. Working knowledge of a project management platform and a board portal platform.
• Solid analytical / problem-solving skills. Ability to self-train with resources, research and webinars that support advancing the work and ability to elevate engagement and outreach.Political acumen and sensitivities to the differing perspectives and political circumstances within all levels of the organization as well as the Office of the President and external constituencies.
• Strong service orientation. Ability to welcome, greet, and meet colleagues, key stakeholders, and alumni that showcases an expert level of hospitality and service.
• Strong skills to communicate effectively with all levels of staff, faculty, alumni / donors, students and external constituencies, both verbally and in writing.
• Advising and counseling skills. Ability to support and provide day-to-day guidance to student workers while demonstrating a consistent professional presence and standard that reflects the values and expectations of the Asst. VC, AR's office.
• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes. Excellent decision making skills are crucial.
• Ability to use high-level discretion and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Demonstrates interpersonal, written and oral communication skills: correct grammar usage, syntax, edit and format. Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person, email, phone, and virtual in a positive manner to a diverse and demanding group of people including key stakeholders, donors, volunteers, prominent alumni, and campus administrators. Ability to use tact, diplomacy, and discretion, with emphasis of flexibility and professionalism.
• Advanced proficiency in using and adapting computer software programs, applications and tools to meet office needs, including database to retrieve current and historical information to compile reports and briefings, spreadsheets, and graphics programs and the ability to implement new systems to increase productivity, using e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet, and calendar applications.
• Proven advanced organizational skills. Demonstrates ability to prioritize workload, meet deadlines, and work with frequent interruptions under constantly changing priorities in a fast-paced operation while exhibiting extreme attention to detail and high degree of accuracy at all times.
• Demonstrates knowledge of accounting principles and practices for financial analysis of budgets. Experience in producing financial and expense reports, purchasing, accounting, Skill to monitor financial activities and transactions for report generation, purchasing, travel vouchers, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
• Experience in arranging and coordinating logistics for meetings. Experience arranging travel (domestic and international), including booking, creating itineraries, and reconciling expenses.
• Experience supporting a nonprofit or university board of directors, including meeting planning and logistics, governance documentation, board member communications, and administration of board portal platforms. Familiarity with board governance best practices.
• Knowledge of fundraising moves management and donor/prospect research. Experience entering and maintaining constituent records, contact reports, and interaction data in a CRM system such as Blackbaud/ESP. Ability to extract and distill pertinent information from multiple sources in support of executive fundraising activity.
• Strong composition, editing, and proofreading skills to review copy for appropriate style, consistency, format, completeness, and accuracy. Ability to clearly and accurately express substance and nuance in both written and oral communications.
• Experience coordinating high-level donor meetings and small cultivation events requiring sophisticated attention to detail, from planning and communication through hosting and execution.

• This position is fully on-site, five days per week. Remote and hybrid work are not available for this role.

• Required to hold valid driver's license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program.

• Must have access to reliable transportation.

• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.