Special Assistant to the CICS Dean

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Lead Donor Stewardship and Advancement Coordination: Manage donor and scholarship stewardship workflows with the Office of Advancement, including tracking agreements, reporting deadlines, recognition commitments, and renewal timelines. Draft and disseminate donor correspondence, impact summaries, and executive-level communications. Coordinate directly with University Advancement and external partners to ensure compliance with institutional and donor expectations. Monitor engagement metrics and recommend strategies to strengthen donor retention and philanthropic growth.
• Lead Alumni Engagement, Affinity Chapter Support, and Fundraising Event Strategy: Serve as the primary coordinator for the CICS Alumni Affinity Chapter, supporting chapter activities, communications, and member engagement to build a strong and connected alumni community. Plan and oversee alumni cultivation events, including Homecoming engagement programming, scholarship recognition programs, and external partner convenings aligned with advancement goals. Develop event budgets within delegated authority, coordinate vendor services, and monitor expenditures for fiscal compliance. Produce post-event summaries assessing engagement outcomes and advancement impact.
• Manage Confidential and Sensitive Institutional Communications: Handle confidential information related to donor negotiations, partnership agreements, personnel matters, and strategic planning initiatives. Draft substantive communications on behalf of the Dean requiring discretion and professional judgment. Maintain secure documentation and ensure compliance with university policies governing confidentiality and records management.
• Oversee Executive Operations and Strategic Workflow Management: Develop and maintain operational systems that support the Dean’s strategic priorities, enrollment growth initiatives, and partnership expansion. Analyze incoming matters and exercise independent judgment in prioritizing executive attention. Prepare confidential briefing materials, background research, and executive summaries for meetings with university leadership, donors, and external stakeholders.
• Special Projects and Other Duties as Assigned: The Special Assistant to the Dean supports a range of college-level initiatives and special projects as directed by the Dean. This includes serving as the CICS point of contact for the university-wide Coursera rollout, supporting onboarding of new academic units onto the platform, preparing progress reports, and identifying and escalating operational issues as they arise. The role may also include conducting targeted research, compiling background materials, and assisting with data collection or basic analysis to inform decision-making. The Special Assistant may further support the implementation of new processes, workflows, or programs aligned with the Dean’s priorities, exercising discretion, attention to detail, and sound judgment in support of CICS leadership.