Alumni Relations Assistant, Clubs and Shared Interest Groups

09-Apr-2024

Alumni Affairs and Development

65424BR

Job Summary

Alumni Affairs and Development (AA&D) 
Alumni Affairs and Development is a dedicated team supporting Harvard’s advancement activity through front-line fundraising, alumni and volunteer engagement, technology, prospect management and research, business process, events, communications, and many other areas.

Our goal is to create an environment of respect that leverages the many talents, perspectives, and experiences of our employees; to deliver the strongest possible results by incorporating diverse perspectives into our daily work; and to make AA&D a great place to work for everyone. We strive to live our values of respect, inclusion, trust, collaboration, continuous improvement and innovation; and open communication and effective information sharing in our daily interactions and our work.

AA&D is comprised of the University Development Office (UDO), Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Development, AA&D Resources, the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA), and the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) is the University-wide alumni association for Harvard University. It is also the home to the Harvard College and Radcliffe College alumni/ae association and the staff that support them. In its University-wide capacity, the HAA serves alumni of all eleven schools at Harvard in a manner supportive of and complementary to the work of the individual school alumni offices. Harvard University alumni span the globe at nearly 400,000 strong – more than 327,000 are in the USA, with 204 international countries represented.

Harvard Alumni Association seeks an administrative professional to join the fast-paced and dynamic Alumni Clubs and Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) team of ten (https://alumni.harvard.edu/community/clubs-sigs ). This full-time, non-exempt position serves as a key administrator reporting to the assistant director of Clubs and SIGs and supporting the work of the larger Clubs and SIGs team. As the general point of alumni contact for the team, the alumni relations assistant (ARA) delivers excellent customer service to alumni and volunteer inquiries. The ARA engages frequently with internal and external constituents always representing the HAA in a professional manner. The candidate will have strong attention to detail and accuracy, is highly organized, and takes a proactive approach to supporting and anticipating the needs of the team. The candidate is thoughtful when corresponding with alumni volunteers to understand the full scope of their inquiry and provide the resources to address their needs. The successful candidate is comfortable operating in an environment of multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities, necessitating flexibility and good judgment in prioritizing deliverables.

Position Description

Project Support (25%)

• Assists in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings. Coordinates associated logistics (room reservations, technology, etc.).
• Supports the Assistant Director with program execution, accompanying meetings with internal partners, taking meeting notes, and delivering on the following:
  • Tracking and communications for SIG programming (e.g., SIG Meetups and SIG Showcase).
  • Supporting the Summer Community Service Fellowship program by tracking registrants, sending out student applications, and managing invoices for fellowship payment.
  • Aiding with the Speakers Bureau program; this includes editing the program catalog, updating the request form and submission tracker, contacting the hosting Club for briefing information, and assisting with creating the briefing memo for faculty speakers.
• With support from the assistant director, the ARA runs the Harvard Prize Book program in collaboration with campus partners at The Harvard Coop.
• Works across the team to assist with additional project support, as needed.

Communication and Volunteer Management (35%)

• Serves as the main contact for alumni data management by delivering on the following:
  • Regularly manages updates to the alumni database to ensure all information is entered accurately and timely.
  • Fulfills a variety of alumni list requests by pulling, preparing, and distributing alumni data for the organizations and staff liaisons.
  • Verifies alumni membership for approved Shared Interest Groups.
• Researches and prepares alumni briefing memos for senior staff visits/calls with Clubs/SIGs.
• Coordinates the updates of web information and resources on alumni.harvard.edu and officerslounge.clubs.harvard.edu with staff liaisons and the associate director for digital tools strategy to ensure information is current and accurate.
• Supports the execution of the Clubs and SIGs Insider, the team’s monthly newsletter distributed to over 1,800 volunteers, by assisting the assistant director with the collection of content, reviewing and editing, pulling distribution lists, and tracking open rate metrics.
• Supports the creation of presentations using data visualizations, images, and content.
• Creates surveys/assists other members of the team with survey creation and tracking.

Administrative Support (40%)

• Follows procedures and processes with a high attention to detail, accuracy, and focus.
• Assists with managing tasks and projects for the Assistant Director and staff liaisons to help them meet various and competing deadlines.
• Anticipates the needs of the staff liaisons and acts proactively, thinking creatively and strategically when problem solving.
• Works effectively within a collaborative and cross-functional team environment on a variety of administrative assignments.
• Takes meeting notes at the team’s weekly meeting and for staff liaisons as needed.
• Serves as the front-line team representative of the Clubs and SIGs team mailbox including triaging phone calls and email messages and providing appropriate response and support.
• Serves as a resource for policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Maintains and ensures records and documents are organized and accessible.
• Staffs HAA and team events on campus, such as the Alumni Leadership Conference, HAA Board Meetings, Alumni Day, SIG Meetups, and HAA reunions.
• Staffs virtual events and schedules meetings, as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

The above covers the most significant responsibilities of the position. It does not, however, exclude other duties, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the level of the position.

Basic Qualifications

• At least one year of experience in administrative support roles, program or project support, or related field. Education may count towards experience.
• Impeccable attention to detail.
• Experience with problem solving.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, and ability to confidently engage with both internal and external constituents.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Proficiency across Microsoft Office Suite and Zoom. Ability to learn new software and databases.
• Sound judgment. Able to prioritize competing demands in a dynamic environment and complete work on time with minimal oversight.
• Works well independently and as a collaborative team member. Self-motivated, flexible, responsive, reliable.
• Culturally aware and sensitive to diversity issues regarding the internal and external Harvard  community.
• BA/BS degree from an accredited institution preferred.

Additional Information

• This position requires a 3 month orientation and review period.
• Please include a cover letter with your application.

To learn more about the AA&D team, please visit our Careers site at 

https://alumni.harvard.edu/careers

To learn more about how Harvard supports diversity and inclusion throughout the University please visit the Office for Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at https://dib.harvard.edu/ .

Accommodations: Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to apply for positions and participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please let your recruiter know.

COVID 19 Vaccination Information: The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University.  With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up to date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Work Format Details

This is a hybrid position that is based in Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Job Function

Alumni Affairs and Development, General Administration

Department Office Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

403033 Staff Assistant III

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)

Department

Alumni Affairs and Development

Union

55 - Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers

Pre-Employment Screening

Identity

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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