Executive Assistant, VP Development and Alumni

University of Calgary; Calgary; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Calgary is seeking a Full-time Staff Limited Term (Project) Executive Assistant to support senior leaders in Development and Alumni. The role requires strategic calendar management, high‑level correspondence, and coordination of complex schedules within a fast‑paced, confidential environment.

Responsibilities include travel arrangements, expense processing, meeting packages, donor relations, and CRM database maintenance.

Qualifications

• A post‑secondary certificate in office administration.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience providing executive level support.
• Superior written and oral communication skills including the ability to prepare relevant documentation and correspondence with accuracy and thoroughness.
• Strong organizational, analytical, problem‑solving and research skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with senior executives/administrators and with team members from a variety of disciplines.
• Expertise in tailoring strategic communications key messaging to specific stakeholder audiences.
• Ability to work well under pressure in a complex environment with competing deadlines; superior time management skills.
• Ability to work independently; ability to act decisively and to exercise a high degree of initiative and judgment.
• Ability to work discreetly, understanding the need for discretion with confidential materials.
• Highly self‑motivated.
• Strong interpersonal skills; proven ability to demonstrate professionalism, discretion, courtesy, and respect in all interactions.
• Ability to produce time‑sensitive documents/correspondence within tight deadlines.
• Superior knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, etc.); proven ability to acquire a high‑level understanding of business systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic calendar management for portfolio leaders, balancing meetings with focused work time.
• Deliver comprehensive administrative and operational support, including correspondence, information flow, travel, and day‑to‑day financial tasks.
• Prepare high quality correspondence, briefing notes, presentations, meeting packages, and collateral materials.
• Serve as a trusted liaison for Development and Alumni leaders with donors, partners, faculty, and government.
• Coordinate high profile meetings and events with logistics, travel, and catering as required.
• Maintain and support the Blackbaud CRM database, donor records, and reporting needs.
• Manage a high volume of sensitive interactions with discretion and tact.
• Support shared administrative responsibilities and ensure continuous office coverage.

Skills

Executive support

Office administration

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Discretion

Microsoft Office

Team collaboration

Independent work

Problem solving

Time management

Research abilities

Education

Post-secondary certificate in office administration

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Description

The VP Development and Alumni is currently seeking a Full-time Staff Limited Term (Project) Executive Assistant for approximately 1 year.

Reporting to the Executive Director, with accountability to assigned Development and Alumni leaders, the Executive Assistant serves as a trusted ambassador for the Development and Alumni portfolio. This is a 12-month term position and is integral to the efficient, reliable, and proactive management of executive workflows, priorities, and schedules for members of the Development and Alumni Leadership team.

Responsibilities are broadly delegated and encompass executive level support in communication, research, writing, coordination, and project management. The Executive Assistant plays a key role in the overall administration of the unit, contributing to the delivery of a consistently high standard of service to internal and external stakeholders while reinforcing professional standards, sound judgment, and reliability across the portfolio.

The work is highly collaborative and relationship driven, requiring the ability to communicate professionally and effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including University faculty, staff, and students, as well as donors, alumni, volunteers, senior community members, and business and government representatives. Exceptional diplomacy, tact, discretion, and organizational skills are essential. Attention to detail is critical, as the role is responsible for preparing correspondence, documentation, briefing materials, and presentation content on behalf of senior leaders.

Given the volume, complexity, and pace of work, consistent in office presence is an essential component of the role. Physical presence enables timely responses to urgent requests, effective coordination with colleagues and campus partners, and real time support for leaders. The Executive Assistant is expected to align on site work with leadership needs, recurring priorities, and operational activities, while exercising sound judgment to ensure continuous coverage and seamless service delivery.

The Executive Assistant must be able to independently triage, prioritize, and elevate issues appropriately, responding to a high volume and wide breadth of information in a fast paced and frequently changing environment. A high degree of independence, initiative, and proactive problem solving is required, along with the ability to manage competing priorities and tight deadlines while maintaining confidentiality and composure under pressure.

The Executive Assistant is expected to represent members of the Development and Alumni Leadership team with professionalism, discretion, and decorum in a wide range of settings, including interactions with politicians, dignitaries, and influential community members who contribute to shaping the University of Calgary's reputation.

The role involves regular access to highly sensitive and confidential information and requires the exercise of considerable discretion, judgment, and independent thought in managing information internally and externally. Adaptability, strong communication, and a team first mindset are essential, as the role balances individual responsibilities with shared administrative accountability across the Executive Assistant team.

Hours of work are generally standard; however, some early morning, lunch hour and evening work is required due to leadership, donor, and stakeholder demands.

The Executive Assistant is a senior administrative resource and advisory support for Development and Alumni leaders, enabling and facilitating their leadership responsibilities to the University of Calgary and its extended community. The position requires independent execution, sound judgment, proactive problem‑solving, and relationship-based service delivery.

Working within a confidential, complex, and fast-paced environment, the role is critical to the effective management of executive workflows, priorities, and time for assigned members of the Development and Alumni Leadership team. The Executive Assistant supports the administration of strategic priorities and directions established by senior leadership and serves as a primary point of communication and coordination within the portfolio.

The role requires a deep understanding of the leaders' portfolios, priorities, and operational rhythms in order to anticipate needs, identify risks, and proactively propose solutions. Acting as a liaison and trusted partner, the Executive Assistant provides executive support in communication, research, writing, coordination, and project management, requiring sound judgment, professionalism, and a high degree of accountability.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

(job functions include but are not limited to):

• Provide strategic calendar management for portfolio leaders, balancing meetings with focused work time, applying sound judgment on priorities, participants, and timing, and maintaining flexibility to respond to rapidly changing agendas.
• Deliver comprehensive administrative and operational support, including management of correspondence, information flow, meeting requests, travel arrangements, and day to day financial tasks. Provide expense support by preparing, submitting, reconciling, and tracking expense claims and related documentation in accordance with University policies and timelines.
• Prepare high quality correspondence, briefing notes, presentations, meeting packages, and collateral materials that are accurate, timely, and tailored to stakeholder audiences.
• Serve as a trusted liaison for Development and Alumni leaders, supporting strategic relationship building with donors, prospects, business and community leaders, faculty, senior administrators, and all levels of government.
• Coordinate high profile meetings and events, ensuring appropriate participation, logistics, preparation, scheduling, room and equipment bookings, catering, and travel arrangements as required.
• Provide IT inventory support for the unit by coordinating requests, tracking assigned devices and peripherals, maintaining inventory records, supporting onboarding/offboarding technology needs, and liaising with IT coordinators to resolve issues and ensure appropriate access and equipment readiness.
• Provide supply chain support by coordinating procurement and purchasing activities, liaising with vendors and campus partners, and supporting invoice follow-up and documentation to enable timely payment and accurate recordkeeping.
• Manage a high volume of sensitive interactions via phone, email, virtual platforms, and in person with professionalism, discretion, tact, and sound judgment.
• Work collaboratively with Executive Assistants and Coordinators across portfolios to ensure seamless workflows, unified administrative practices, and continuous office coverage, including:
  • Coordinating schedules, planned time off, remote work exceptions, and workload coverage.
  • Proactively identifying and addressing coverage risks or shifting priorities.
  • Supporting shared administrative responsibilities such as greeting visitors, monitoring shared inboxes, and responding to time sensitive requests.
  • Maintaining a consistent in office presence aligned with leadership and operational needs.
• Support special projects and initiatives by interpreting information, attending meetings as required, and contributing to effective execution.
• Maintain and support the Blackbaud CRM database, including entering and interpreting contact reports, managing donor and prospect records, and ensuring information is accurate, current, and compliant with FOIP and ethical fundraising standards.
• Manage the flow of critical donor documentation (e.g., gift agreements, terms of reference, cheques, designation forms) between donors, Development and Alumni, and University leadership; process donations and designations as required to support sound fiscal management.
• Prepare and distribute gift and engagement acknowledgement correspondence and ensure stakeholders have up to date information on key relationships.
• Represent Development and Alumni leadership with professionalism, discretion, courtesy, and composure in all interactions.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with University contacts and external stakeholders through proactive, clear, and transparent communication.
• Coordinate onboarding activities for new team members, liaising with stakeholders to ensure required access, resources, and supports are in place.
• Serve as the point of contact for occupational health and safety matters within the unit.
• Work autonomously and effectively within University policies and procedures, exercising initiative, professional judgment, discretion, and reliability.
• Develop a deep understanding of supported portfolios, leadership priorities, and working rhythms; anticipate needs, risks, and pressure points, proactively recommend solutions, connect information across activities, and flag emerging issues early.
• Perform other related duties as assigned and contribute to collective success, team effectiveness, and a positive administrative presence within the Administration Building.

Qualifications / Requirements

Required:

• A post‑secondary certificate in office administration.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience providing executive level support.
• Superior written and oral communication skills including the ability to prepare relevant documentation and correspondence with accuracy and thoroughness.
• Strong organizational, analytical, problem‑solving and research skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with senior executives/administrators and with team members from a variety of disciplines.
• Expertise in tailoring strategic communications key messaging to specific stakeholder audiences.
• Ability to work well under pressure in a complex environment with competing deadlines; superior time management skills.
• Ability to work independently; ability to act decisively and to exercise a high degree of initiative and judgment.
• Ability to work discreetly, understanding the need for discretion with confidential materials.
• Highly self‑motivated.
• Strong interpersonal skills; proven ability to demonstrate professionalism, discretion, courtesy, and respect in all interactions.
• Ability to produce time‑sensitive documents/correspondence within tight deadlines.
• Superior knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, etc.); proven ability to acquire a high‑level understanding of business systems.

Considered an asset

• Experience in a post‑secondary environment and/or fund development office.
• Knowledge of university governance, organizational and committee structures, including the decision‑making process and areas of jurisdiction within university.
• Knowledge of best practices and/or the processes and functions of systems utilized for day‑to‑day business within the portfolio (i.e., Blackbaud CRM, Net Community, Development Request System and Teams / SharePoint).
• A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Application Deadline

August 26, 2026.

This position is classified in the Operational and Administrative Support Career Band, Level 4 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest‑ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands‑on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start‑ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution‑wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit‑based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous‑based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([e-mail]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([e-mail]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.