Program Assistant

Union College; City of Schenectady (NY); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation, sick, personal time

Winter recess break

Healthcare: Medical, Dental, Vision

On-campus fitness facility access

403(b) retirement plan

Tuition exchange

Job summary

Union College in Schenectady, NY, is seeking a Program Assistant for the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement. This onsite role provides administrative support, staff coverage for Homecoming, Family Weekend and ReUnion events, and serves as a front-line contact for alumni and parents.

The position emphasizes event coordination, CRM usage, and strong customer service. Work days are Mon–Fri, 8:00 am–5:00 pm, 40 hrs/week, non-exempt, with no relocation or visa sponsorship.

Qualifications

• Associates degree and/or a combination of relevant education, training, certifications, and/or work experience required.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including attention to detail.
• Proficient in using a range of business office software applications and systems, including experience navigating a CRM and working knowledge of Microsoft Excel.
• Able to collaborate effectively with colleagues across the College to achieve shared goals and objectives.
• Able to exercise exceptional judgment, ensure strict confidentiality, and demonstrate outstanding professionalism in a range of situations.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and be self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Able to support, contribute to, and strengthen a vibrant, culturally diverse, and inclusive learning community of students, alumni, faculty, and fellow professionals.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including attention to detail.
• Able to anticipate, deliver on, and exceed the expectations of alumni, students, guests, and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Customer Service: Provides outstanding customer service as the first point of contact for the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement.
• Event Registration: Builds events using Anthology and manages the online registration process for major alumni events on campus (i.e. ReUnion, Homecoming and Family Weekend) and regional and affinity events.
• Class Correspondents: Serves as the primary point of contact for class correspondents, who compile updates on their class for publication in the alumni magazine.
• APE Operations: Uses the online system to reconcile purchases for team members. Monitors department email accounts and phones to field inquiries from constituents.
• General: Participates in developing and executing an annual strategic plan for the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement.

Skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Multi-tasking

Team collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Associates degree

Tools

CRM software

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Provides administrative support to Alumni & Parent Engagement staff members. Serves as a collaborative team member to support and staff key events such as Homecoming, Family Weekend and ReUnion. Provides operational support for regional alumni clubs and affinity programs. Provides front-line support and excellent customer service to alumni and parents of the College.

Program Assistant, Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement

Work Days: Monday-Friday

Shift Start/End Time: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Hours Per Week: 40

Weeks Per Year: 52

Pay Status and Classification: Non-exempt, Regular Full Time. This position is not eligible for relocation assistance or visa sponsorship.

Work Location: This position is an onsite role and is not eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Position Purpose

Provides administrative support to Alumni & Parent Engagement staff members. Serves as a collaborative team member to support and staff key events such as Homecoming, Family Weekend and ReUnion. Provides operational support for regional alumni clubs and affinity programs. Provides front-line support and excellent customer service to alumni and parents of the College.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Customer Service: Provides outstanding customer service as the first point of contact for the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement. Fields and troubleshoots requests while working closely with all offices within College Relations and the entire institution.
• Event Registration: Builds events using Anthology and manages the online registration process for major alumni events on campus (i.e. ReUnion, Homecoming and Family Weekend) and regional and affinity events. Pulls reports for invitation lists, log and track all event registrations, evaluate registrations for errors, process all payments, send confirmation emails, and follow up with registrants as warranted.
• Class Correspondents: Serves as the primary point of contact for class correspondents, who compile updates on their class for publication in the alumni magazine.
• APE Operations: Uses the online system to reconcile purchases for team members. Monitors department email accounts and phones to field inquiries from constituents. Enters contact reports and maintain accurate records. Prepares event materials for staff travel.
• General: Participates in developing and executing an annual strategic plan for the Office of Alumni & Parent Engagement. Staffs events as needed. Offers to pitch in to help colleagues during crunch times and overlapping deliverables.

Qualifications

• Associates degree and/or a combination of relevant education, training, certifications, and/or work experience required.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including attention to detail.
• Proficient in using a range of business office software applications and systems, including experience navigating a CRM and working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Ability to quickly learn other software applications.
• Able to collaborate effectively with colleagues across the College to achieve shared goals and objectives.
• Able to exercise exceptional judgment, ensure strict confidentiality, and demonstrate outstanding professionalism in a range of situations.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and be self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Able to support, contribute to, and strengthen a vibrant, culturally diverse, and inclusive learning community of students, alumni, faculty, and fellow professionals.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including attention to detail.
• Able to anticipate, deliver on, and exceed the expectations of alumni, students, guests, and colleagues.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience providing administrative support in a thriving business or non-profit organization, preferably a residential liberal arts college.
• Experience organizing and supporting events of a small and large scale.
• Ability to make recommendations to address issues as they arise.
• Comfortable learning and navigating new technology.
• Ability to work independently and multi-task.Experience working in higher education or non-profit management work.

Compensation

The hourly rate for this position is $20.00. Except for roles with a set rate of pay, the wage/salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The stated hiring rate/range represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the rate/range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Location: Schenectady, NY

We know some job seekers may not apply for career opportunities unless they meet every qualification in the position description including the preferred qualifications. We are most interested in hiring the best staff and faculty colleagues, and recognize that a successful candidate may come from a less traditional career path. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our preferred qualifications.

We offer exceptional benefits including

• Generous Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time
• Winter Recess Break in Addition to Paid Holidays (in accordance with policy)
• Healthcare: Medical (PPO & HDHP), Dental, and Vision Insurance (Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts)
• Free On-Campus Fitness Facility Access and Discounts for On-Campus Wellness Programs
• Pre and Post Tax participation in a 403(b) Retirement Plan
• Salary Continuation Program in the event of Disability
• Tuition Exchange

Background Checks: In accordance with our background check policy, finalists for hire will undergo a background check that includes education, employment, and criminal convictions.

E-Verify Participation: Union College participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify and your Right to Work (Derecho a Trabajar).