Development Assistant - Duke School of Law

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Occupational Summary

Perform responsibilities of a complex and confidential nature in support of departmental activities; responsible for clerical and administrative projects under the direction of the Associate Director and Director for Advancement Services; requires problem-solving, high level of attention to detail, andability to maintain efficiency in organizational operations.

Job Description

Reporting to the Associate Director of Advancement Services, the Development Assistant plays an important role as a member of the Alumni & Development Office administrative staff.  He/she will serve as a front-line resource for colleagues and guests, maintain and update confidential alumni and donor records, produce reports and mailing lists, facilitate production of alumni and donor communications and provide general administrative support to maintain efficiency in organizational operations. Interpretation of new directives and policies, and maintaining procedural records are required. The statements below describe the general nature and level of work to be performed. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and duties.

Duties

Data Management

·       Interpret policies and requirements related to entering and maintaining donor records. Remain current on classification of confidential information and the circumstance sunder which and the individuals to whom such information may be released.

·       Maintain the accuracy and integrity of confidential alumni and donor records.

·       Initiate reviews of records to identify missing information, engage in independent research to find and verify information, and enter it into the donor record andother information sources.

·       Review existinginformation, use independent judgement and knowledge of donors/donor information to detect inaccurate information. Independently verify and correct data in the donor record and other information sources.

·       Serve as aresource to other team members on data-based projects and programs.

·       Extract data from the database and produce various Excel reports needed for various projects and programs for the Alumni & Development Office and other Law School departments.

Alumni and Donor Communications

·        Produce and/or disseminate various types of digital correspondence and hard copy mailings to alumni and donors. Communications may include, but are not limited to, charitable gift acknowledgments, Annual Fund messages or solicitations, notices to alumni upon death of a graduate, gifts for new births, and other congratulatory andcondolence notes.

·         Solicit,collect, and format information for publication in the Duke Law magazine, onthe website, or via the Duke Alumni Network. Ensure information provided meets department and university standards by interpreting and applying applicable policies, procedures, or other guidelines.

Administrative Support

·        Independently oversee the gift inventory and ordering process. Regularly inventory existing items, anticipate needs based on upcoming events and programs, solicit additional or special needs from other personnel in the department. Provide feedback and recommendations to department leadership on which items are the best value, most popular, and/or poor quality in order to improve the mix of inventory and ensure best use of department resources.

·        Maintain supply of general office items for department. Solicit feedback from team on preferences and performance of specific items. Use independent judgement and cost/benefit analysis in reviewing and ordering items of similar nature to minimize expenses.

·        Provide general administrative support as assigned by the Director and Associate Director of Advancement Services, including file management, office organization and research projects.

Office and Phone Reception

·        Serve as the department representative to Law School colleagues and campus visitors to the office. Respond to in person and phone inquiries by offering alumni and development resources, referring individuals to appropriate staff as needed, and answer questions concerning activities and relevant policies and procedures(University, Law School, and/or departmental).

·        Attend events and meetings with alumni, volunteers and guests on campus to provide information, serve as a resource person, and participate in the logistical activities to ensure activities are successful and meet department goals. Suchactivities incl ude, but are not limited to Reunion, Graduation, and board meetings.

Requirements:

Education

Work requires a broad knowledge of clerical and accounting principles and practices normally acquired through two years of post-secondary education in secretarial science or a related business field.

Experience

Work generally requires three years of related secretarial/clerical experience to acquire skills necessary to administer complex office functions related to office management, communications, and budgetary/accounting activities. OR an equivalent combination of educationand relevant experience.

Skills

This role requires excellent inter-personal skills, a strong talent for generation for both personal and mass communications, and experience in Microsoft Excel and database management. As the first person whom visitors to the office will meet, a high level of emotional intelligence is also needed. ADO is the hub for alumni and friends of the school and as such is a fast-paced, service-orientedenvironment.  Among the above, strong writing and research abilities, including data management and analysis, comfort managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously, and flexibility in meeting changing priorities, all with careful attention to detail, are paramount for success in the role .

Work may require up to four weekends per year in support of major Law School events. This position may be eligible for some remote work.

Work requires a broad knowledge of clerical and accounting principles and practices normally acquired through two years of post-secondaryeducation in secretarial science or a related business field.

Work generally requires four years of related secretarial/clerical experience to acquire skills necessary to administer complex office functions related to office management, communications, and budgetary/accounting activities OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.