Assistant to the Vice President/Program Associate, Office of Undergraduate STEM Education

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the vitality and democratic purposes of undergraduate liberal education. Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students. In addition to accredited public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities and state higher education systems and agencies throughout the United States, our membership includes degree-granting higher education institutions in more than twenty-five countries as well as other organizations and individuals. To learn more, visit www.aacu.org.

The Office of Undergraduate STEM Education (OUSE) at AAC&U consists of a visionary team of committed individuals that implement bold national initiatives and interventions to advance the reform of undergraduate STEM education. Grounded in the shared legacy of Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) and led by the values of equity and quality, the OUSE works to: 1) provide advanced professional and leadership development institutes for STEM faculty; and 2) expand the STEM reform knowledge base through research, policy, and evaluation. For further information about Project Kaleidoscope and the Office of Undergraduate STEM Reform, visit our website at: https://www.aacu.org/office-of-undergraduate-stem-education.

The Assistant to the Vice President/Program Associate will provide executive administrative support to the Vice President, as well as important support in organizing, coordinating, planning, and designing STEM faculty professional development institutes. The Assistant to the Vice President/Program Associate must have exceptional communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills and be able to identify and implement creative solutions that will enable the Office to realize its vision for growth and expansion. The Assistant to the Vice President/Program Associate will assist in maintaining a highly congenial work atmosphere that is respectful, collegial, and highly supportive of the professional needs and desires of others. As such, the Vice President/Program Associate is a key factor in sustaining a spirit of collaboration, discipline, and care for self and others. This is a full-time, virtual position. The Assistant to the Vice President/Program Associate reports directly to the Vice President for Undergraduate STEM Education.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Assistant to the Vice President Role

• Complete a variety of executive administrative tasks for the Vice President including: managing an active calendar of appointments, completing expense reports and time sheets, prioritizing sensitive matters, and drafting communications on behalf of the Vice President.
• Plan, coordinate, and ensure the Vice President’s calendar is respected, creating ideal conditions for the Vice President’s time and energy commitments.
• Research, prioritize, and follow up on issues and concerns and determine an appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
• Serve as a liaison between the Vice President and other offices within AAC&U.
• Regularly communicate with the Vice President to keep her informed of pressing matters.
• Maintain a sense for emerging threats that require attention.
• Successfully complete critical aspects of work with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the Vice President’s ability to effectively lead.
• Prioritize conflicting needs; handle matters expeditiously, proactively, and follow-through on tasks to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

Program Associate Role

• Organize, monitor, and update the daily workflow of Office activities, administrative procedures, and processes; and ensure that they are completed on time, to specifications, and in line with the Office’s mission and values.
• Take proactive steps to avoid unnecessary delays and missed opportunities.
• Contribute to collective leadership responsibilities by responding to and acting on emergent project or organizational needs.
• Proactively contribute to conceptualizing, developing, writing, editing, and finalizing official correspondences and other external-facing documents.
• Perform quality control of and copy editing for external-facing documents.
• Liaise with external consultants, other staff and administrators within the organization, and the STEM reform community at large.
• Collaborate on work assignments with other team members, external consultants and advisors, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate records.
• Maintain data sharing files and financial records, order supplies, prepare mailings and act as the first point of contact for general inquiries from stakeholder communities.
• Manage the processing of invoices, payments, and reimbursements.
• Coordinate special projects and efforts to facilitate effective functioning and growth of OUSE’s signature programs, as needed.
• Provide technical support to the team through consultation on data visualization designs, strategic planning for branding and promoting program activities, generation of charts and graphs for presentation and dissemination, and selection of promotional items and materials.
• Provide high-level coordination of virtual or in-person meetings and/or conference logistics, scheduling, and material preparation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree preferred.
• Three to five years’ experience in project management and/or event planning.
• Advanced knowledge of and extensive experience with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), project management software (e.g., monday.com), virtual meeting, survey development (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics), and data sharing platforms.
• Superior communication skills, written, and oral.
• Able to work independently and without supervision
• Ability to prioritize and handle complex projects, manage multiple tasks, and work under tight deadlines and time constraints.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a dynamic, interdisciplinary team environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence.
• Excellent writing/editing skills.

Appointment and Salary

This position is full-time at the level of Program Associate. Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience.

Application Instructions

Application materials should be forwarded to [email protected]. Review of applications will begin on September 9, 2022, and continue until the position is filled. Required materials to be submitted include: 1) a cover letter outlining qualifications, skills, and commitment to empowering the professional lives of others; 2) most recent CV; and 3) contact information for three references.

AAC&U believes that a broadly diverse staff is critical to achieving excellence as a national higher education association. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with the full range of fair employment practices and non-discrimination laws.