Assistant to the Executive Director

Mississippi University for Women; Columbus (MS); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS seeks an Assistant to the Executive Director to provide comprehensive administrative and strategic support within the Office of Development and Alumni. The role manages schedules, communications, and liaison work with donors, alumni, and campus leadership.

Ideal candidates will have strong organizational skills, discretion, and experience supporting senior leaders, coordinating events, and handling confidential information in a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; fields listed include business administration, communications, English, nonprofit management or related.
• Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible administrative support experience, preferably in higher education, nonprofit, or development/alumni relations.
• Executive support experience with senior leadership, discretion, calendar/travel management, and sensitive communications.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Executive Director with daily tasks and board communications.
• Schedule MUW Foundation board and committee meetings; manage on-campus logistics and notes.
• Create professional documents such as correspondence and donor agreements.
• Back-up for front office; handle reception, purchase orders, requisitions, and payments; coordinate with Foundation Staff Accountant.
• Maintain official records for MUW Foundation Board and committees; organize files.
• Prepare check requests and travel forms for executives and directors.
• Support special events (Homecoming, Welty Gala, donor appreciation lunches).
• Prepare monthly credit card and procurement card reports.
• Oversee alumni birthday recognition and donor-funded campus projects; supervise student workers.
• Assist with HR tasks including onboarding and staff communications.

Skills

Executive support

Communication

Organization & time management

Event coordination

Technology proficiency

Discretion & confidentiality

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred in Business Administration/Communications/English/Nonprofit Management or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

CRM / donor databases (Raiser’s Edge)

Virtual meeting platforms (Zoom/Teams)

Job description

Proposed Annual Salary, Hourly Rate or One-time payment

• Assists the Executive Director with daily tasks and provides general administrative support including communication with board members, donors, alumni, community leaders and other high level stakeholders.
• Assists the Executive Director and other office Directors with on-campus scheduling logistics.
• Schedules all MUW Foundation board and committee meetings including on-campus logistics necessary paperwork, attends meetings and takes meeting minutes.
• Creation of professional documents such as correspondence, donor agreements, and other related materials.
• Cross-trains and serves as back-up for the front office administrative assistant handling tasks such as office reception, preparing purchase orders and requisitions, processing cash and check payments received in-person or by mail and issuing payment receipts. Additionally, cross-trains with the Foundation Staff Accountant.
• Responsible for record retention and maintaining official and permanent records of the MUW Foundation Board and related committees; maintains and organizes department files and documentation.
• Helps complete check requests and travel forms for the Executive Director as well as other office Directors.
• Assists in all aspects of special events, including Homecoming, Welty Gala, Scholarship Donor Appreciation Lunch, etc.
• Prepares monthly credit card and procurement card reports.
• Responsible for alumni birthday recognition including sending birthday cards, ordering gifts and other related tasks.
• Oversees donor-funded campus projects, ensuring alignment with donor intent, fiduciary responsibility and project timelines.
• Assists with training and supervision of student workers.
• Supports HR-related tasks such as onboarding and staff communications.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and/or weekends for department sponsored events.
• Performs other reasonable duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, preferably in Business Administration, Communications, English, Nonprofit Management, or related field
• Minimum of 3 years of progressively responsible administrative support experience, preferably in a higher education, nonprofit, or development/alumni relations setting

Skills, Abilities and Qualifications

• Executive Support: Proven experience supporting senior or executive-level leadership with professionalism and discretion, demonstrating attention to detail and expertise in managing complex calendars, travel, and sensitive communications
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to craft professional correspondence, reports, and presentation materials and engage effectively with diverse audiences including donors, alumni, and campus leadership
• Organization & Time Management: Highly organized and self-motivated with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment
• Event Coordination: Experience assisting with planning and coordinating logistics for meetings, events, and donor/alumni engagement activities
• Technology Proficiency: High level of experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams); preferred experience with CRM /donor databases (e.g., Raiser’s Edge)
• Discretion & Confidentiality: Proven ability to manage sensitive information with discretion and maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality
• Problem Solving: Resourceful and proactive in identifying issues and implementing solutions
• Team Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset; able to work effectively with colleagues across departments

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel and lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and exposed to outdoor weather conditions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Work environment is general office conditions with moderate noise.

Job Description Summary

The Assistant to the Executive Director provides comprehensive administrative and strategic support to the Executive Director of the Office of Development and Alumni. This position is essential in enhancing the Executive Director’s effectiveness by managing schedules, coordinating communications, supporting project execution, and serving as a liaison with internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate is highly organized, discreet, and adept at managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Hours of Availability

Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. However, failure to disclose may disqualify a candidate.

Requisition Number

FY20783NF

Open Date

09/15/2026

Will this job have a specific close date?

No