Executive Assistant, Development and Alumni

Description

VP Development and Alumni is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Executive Assistant.

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 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.

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.

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, board, donor, and stakeholder demands.

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, board members, 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…