Administrative Assistant, Four Diamonds

Administrative Assistant

Penn State is currently seeking an Administrative Assistant to support Four Diamonds in its mission to conquer childhood cancer. As a member of the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, you can play an integral role in Penn State's future and contribute to one of the most successful fundraising and alumni relations operations in the country.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Four Diamonds and working closely with donors, student volunteers, and Advisory Board members, as well as other partners within Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine, this Development Assistant will provide:

Executive-Level Administrative Support (Calendars, Travel, Budgets, Operations) Includes tasks related to managing the daily operations and core administrative support for the Executive Director and the Four Diamonds team.

• Managing calendars and tickler files
• Reviewing incoming mail and determining next steps
• Making travel arrangements and preparing travel documents
• Reconciling expenses and producing expense reports
• Maintaining budgets and processing financial transactions
• Managing office supplies, equipment, and facility needs
• Coordinating the processing of financial and human resources forms and system input
• Coordinating a wide variety of special projects to support development results
• Performing non-routine administrative duties and proxy responsibilities
• Analyzing administrative operating practices and making process/procedures recommendations for improvement

Communications & Correspondence Includes written and verbal communication responsibilities, internal and external.

• Communicate with internal and external customers and management to exchange information, resolve complex issues or concerns, and appropriately route inbound inquiries
• Drafting, editing, and proofreading correspondence
• Managing email and letter communications
• Composing, reviewing, and distributing communications
• Preparing presentations, reports, summaries, and talking points

Advisory Board Support

• Coordinate, prioritize, and maintain schedule and calendar of meetings
• Arrange logistical details of meetings
• Prepare agendas, assemble and distribute meeting materials, and record and distribute executive minutes
• Draft, plan and distribute communications to members on behalf of the Executive Director

Meeting & Event Coordination Covers preparation, logistics, and support for meetings, events, and official functions.

• Scheduling and logistically preparing for internal and external meetings, events, and official functions, to include meetings for donors, the Four Diamonds team, and the Four Diamonds Advisory Board
• Anticipating needs, preparing agendas, and organizing materials
• Supporting event preparation, execution, and follow-up, to include THON and Mini-THON Leadership Summit
• Assisting with mailings and event-related tasks

Prospect & Donor Management Support Supports the Executive Director's work in Peer-to-Peer, major gift, and corporate giving.

• Managing goal-setting documentation and tracking
• Entering contact reports and proposals into the database
• Drafting follow-up communications and stewardship materials
• Executing mail merges for digital and print donor communications

Data, Reporting & Research Focuses on database input, research, and analysis.

• Updating database records
• Entering solicitation requests and guidelines
• Conducting donor, alumni, and prospect research

The successful candidate will have:

• Prior experience supporting senior-level executives in a complex, fast-paced organization, preferably within higher education, healthcare, law, or a nonprofit fundraising environment;
• Demonstrated ability to understand and set priorities, manage details and deadlines, employ critical thinking skills, and work on multiple projects simultaneously;
• Professionalism in dealing with the public, exhibiting good judgment, and exemplary interpersonal, writing and communication skills;
• Experience working with CRM or fundraising databases (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar), including data entry, reporting, and donor record maintenance, and Office 365 (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams);
• The ability to create and support an inclusive and respectful environment for all students and colleagues;
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple competing priorities, confidential information, and complex calendars with a high degree of professionalism and discretion;
• Experience with budget management, expense reconciliation, and financial transaction processing;
• A strong background in meeting and event coordination, including logistics, preparation of materials, and follow-up activities;
• A proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team;
• A commitment to professional development, learning, and being mentored.
• Candidates must submit a resume and a cover letter.

DDAR is supportive of flexible work arrangements when aligned with the ability to meet the needs of the unit and the essential duties of the position. Questions related to…