Development Associate, Alumni + Family Relations

Job Summary

RISD’s Division of Institutional Advancement (IA) seeks a Development Associate to provide proactive operational and administrative support to the Alumni + Family Relations team. Reporting to the Executive Director of Alumni + Family Relations, the Development Associate is responsible for providing proactive administrative support to the Executive Director, coordinating internal meetings, preparation, travel logistics, and follow-up for external visits and meetings. This role provides excellent customer service to alumni, families, and others in response to phone, email inquiries, and requests for information. It also provides operational and administrative support to the team and assists in coordinating and implementing a variety of logistics, activities, and projects. IA is responsible for engaging RISD’s alumni, parents, students, and donors in meaningful ways, raising money from a variety of sources to support the priorities of the college. The Alumni + Family Relations team values the people, projects, and passions that make our creative community so extraordinary.

We seek a culturally competent candidate who will thrive in a campus environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.

RISD offers competitive wages and benefits, which include but is not limited to:

• Four (4) weeks of paid vacation

• Personal and sick time, 14 paid holidays

• Robust medical, dental, and vision benefits

• Professional development opportunities

Essential Functions

• Provides proactive administrative support to the Executive Director of Alumni + Family Relations and the department including:

  • serving as an initial point of contact for telephone calls and visitors.

  • maintaining and updating the Executive Director’s calendar, including but not limited to proofreading, preparation of meeting agendas and communications, detailed travel itineraries and travel arrangements. Ensure that all materials and documents related to trips or visits and any resulting assignments or information are recorded and distributed as appropriate.

  • serving as departmental project coordinator for intra- and inter-departmental projects and initiatives as needed.

  • tracking, monitoring, and maintaining expense reports and reconciling travel reports, credit card settlements, and reimbursement requests for the team.

  • entering contact report and other data and activities (event registration, and attendance) into database (Raiser’s Edge).

  • working collaboratively and proactively with other administrative support staff to coordinate meetings and other events.  Schedule routine meetings including, but not limited to staff meetings, and Executive Directors’ meetings.

• Collect and post content on alumni websites relating to events and activities of interest to alumni and/or supported by the Office of Alumni + Family Relations. Collect web content, calendar postings, campus news, and alumni programs/opportunities of interest to assist in creation of monthly e-newsletter for alumni.

• Create forms/applications, online event registration, invitations and notifications using various web applications, and email. Support on-campus events, including RISD and reunion weekend, alumni club events by creating email blasts, and calendar entries. Support, directly and indirectly, alumni social media ambassadors to advocate for and disseminate news and events from the College.

• Address inquiries to Alumni + Family Relations office via email and phone, answering questions and disseminating to other staff when appropriate and other general inquiries.

• Support administrative needs for councils such as meeting organizing, agenda sharing, and other logistical support as needed.

Additional Functions:

• Takes on temporary special assignments and projects at the direction of the Executive Director, which may include work in support of any of the individual units within IA.  Examples may include:

  • Coordinating and scheduling candidate interviews and supporting Executive Director with new hire onboarding;

  • performing benchmark research on other institutions;

  • gathering and completing specific research for projects and initiatives.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• One to three years of experience in an office setting is required; experience in the higher education or nonprofit sector is greatly preferred.

• Ability to work and communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of divisional and institutional colleagues, within an environment that values diversity

• Must have knowledge of, or experience with digital, and diverse mediums of communication.

• Strong time management skills. Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize and complete multiple tasks simultaneously with close attention to detail and under deadlines.

• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.

• Demonstrated database entry and reporting experience (Raiser’s Edge preferred) and strong computer skills in programs such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint.

• Ability to write persuasively and have strong interpersonal skills.

• Strong work ethic, attention to detail, and engaging nature.

• Ability to comfortably and effectively speak in public and make presentations in meetings.

• Ability to interact and correspond professionally with senior staff and distinguished alumni.

• Ability to monitor and track budgets and expenses.

• Ability to occasionally work evenings and weekends.