"Executive Assistant, Journalism Development"

Position Summary

Columbia Journalism School’s purpose is to educate students from all over the world to become conscientious, accomplished professional journalists. The school equips them to perform a vital and challenging function: through evidence-based reporting, to find out the truths of complicated situations, usually under time constraint, and communicate them to the public in a clear, engaging fashion. The school also produces and disseminates research about the changing contexts — legal, economic, technological, social — in which journalism takes place, with the aim of helping to shape the future of the profession and of training leaders in scholarship about our field.

Reporting to the Associate Dean for Alumni and Development, the Executive Assistant, Journalism Development will assume overall executive level administrative functions primarily for the Associate Dean. The Executive Assistant will also provide administrative support with responsibilities in board relations, budget management, donor engagement, and portfolio management.

Responsibilities

• Prepare briefing materials for prospect and donor visits for both the Associate Dean and the School’s Dean and/or designee, to include agendas and all related correspondence and follow-up for the highest-level prospects.
• Assist the Associate Dean with budget management, including reconciliation and quarterly financial reporting.
• Manage an extensive calendar for the Associate Dean, including travel arrangements.
• Identify and develop systems to facilitate the smooth functioning of the Office.
• Schedule and plan board meetings; take board meeting minutes and provide summaries and follow-up.
• Serve as the point of contact to the school’s Board of Visitors and the Columbia Journalism Review Board of Overseers.
• Prepare special reports on fundraising goals and initiatives, and maintain and track the Associate Dean’s portfolio of donors and prospects in order to monitor progress toward fundraising goals and support accountability for portfolio-related action items.
• Assist the officers in the department's efforts surrounding legal compliance.
• Draft and proof correspondence on behalf of the Associate Dean.
• Manage data input of contact reports for the Associate Dean, gift agreements and pertinent data in the CRM database.
• Prepare expense reports for the Associate Dean and the Director of Development, and assist in the planning and execution of events with a significant development component as required.
• Manage gift transmittals.
• Interface on a consistent basis with senior School officials and faculty, as well as Board Members and major donors.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned/requested.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or its equivalent required.
• A minimum of two (2) to four (4) years of related experience.

Other Requirements

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, required.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with attention to detail and ability to handle confidential information with excellent judgment and discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities and work with diplomacy and efficiency.
• Excellent organizational ability, as well as the ability to manage deadlines and relate to all levels of personnel, is required.
• Must be highly detail-oriented.
• Familiarity with Google Workspace and fundraising CRMs is essential.
• Must demonstrate professionalism, diplomacy, and tact in all interactions.
• Occasional evenings and weekend work may be required; must be willing to work extended and irregular hours as needed.

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