Advancement Associate, Operations

External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA)

External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the role of Advancement Associate. The University of Virginia has a strong and reputable advancement community, boasting effective, results-oriented, and resourceful professionals. Our community comprises a robust central advancement organization, 12 University schools, and more than 25 University-related programs. We offer a wide variety of career opportunities, as well as an outstanding environment for professional growth and development.

The Advancement Associate will play a vital role in providing administrative support to multiple departments within the organization. This dynamic position involves general administrative duties, including calendar management, meeting preparation, communication, data entry and reporting, and general office operations. The Advancement Associate also provides cross-functional support during staff absences or leaves, ensuring continuity and operational efficiency. Success in this role requires exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

• Plan and staff events and meetings, ensuring seamless execution.
• Assist with the preparation of presentation materials, correspondence, and mailings or donor acknowledgment letters.
• Draft minutes for committee and board meetings or staff meetings, and track or execute follow-up as needed.
• Communicate with other internal University groups and individual student-related programs of the development team or units supported.
• Schedule and coordinate appointments.
• Arrange and confirm travel plans, including flights, hotel accommodations, and car rentals. Prepare and distribute detailed travel itineraries.
• Process expense reports and reimbursements accurately and in a timely manner.
• Professionally receive and direct incoming calls, serving as a primary point of contact for parents, donors, volunteers, alumni, visitors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide coverage and support at the reception desk, ensuring a welcoming and organized environment.
• Ensure accurate data entry and use metrics to prepare reports on key initiatives and programming.
• Assist with mobile device administration and managing user requests.
• Maintain general office operations, tracking inventory and space utilization. Utilize Office
  
  RnD to manage employee bookings and troubleshoot issues.
• Participate in training, meetings, conferences, and cross‑training opportunities, as applicable.
• Other duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate possesses excellent interpersonal skills, emphasizing collaboration, teamwork, and a solution‑oriented mindset, with exceptional oral and written communication abilities to convey information clearly across diverse audiences. They demonstrate a strong customer service orientation, ensuring client satisfaction, and are proficient in administrative procedures with a solid understanding of office operations. With exceptional organizational skills, keen attention to detail, and efficiency, they engage professionally with donors, volunteers, and stakeholders, maintaining confidentiality and discretion with sensitive information.

Their strong critical thinking skills enable effective problem‑solving, and they adeptly prioritize tasks while adapting to shifting responsibilities.

• Education:
  
  High School Diploma / GED
• Experience:
  
  At least two years of related experience
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team and independently

• Associate or Bachelor's degree
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite
• Experience with data entry, management, and producing reports
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Detail‑oriented with a high level of accuracy
• Experience creating presentation materials and utilizing design tools such as Canva and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does…