Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.
Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Campaign Director in the Development and Alumni Relations Division, the Campaign Associate will play a critical role in the administration and project management related to Rice’s comprehensive fundraising campaign. This position will be responsible for developing and managing processes related to the workflow of the campaign, including, but not limited to, independently managing projects, analyzing and presenting information and data in a visually appealing way to inform decision-making, preparing presentations, sharing reports, and collaborating with teams across the division. This position will also be responsible for providing administrative support to the Campaign Director.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate exhibits a high degree of confidentiality, integrity, and professionalism and will be skilled in managing and prioritizing multiple projects simultaneously in a dynamic, fast-paced higher education environment.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree 3+ years of related professional experience in project management and/or in an executive administrative position, with extensive professional interaction with all levels of staff and leadership both internal and external to an organization in an academic, non-profit, or professional office environment

Skills:

Requires a blend of organizational skills, problem-solving abilities, leadership, and communication expertise Ability to be proactive, adaptable, and capable of working both independently and as part of a team to ensure successful project completion within specified timeframes Ability to establish and manage priorities and handle numerous time-sensitive projects with conflicting and varied deadlines Ability to collaborate with teams across the division, including fundraising, data management, and reporting, events, stewardship, communications, and alumni relations, as well as other campus offices, including university administration, public affairs, and schools Ability to accomplish goals working through formal and informal channels, with diplomacy and tact Demonstrated creativity, problem-solving, critical analysis, initiative, judgment, and decision-making skills Familiarity and comfort level with data tracking, manipulation, and analysis Excellent planning, organizational, and analytical skills Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills Excellent attention to detail

Preferences:

4+ years of related professional experience in project management and/or in an executive administrative position Experience working in an academic setting Exposure to fundraising and campaigns in an educational or non-profit setting Experience, coursework, or other training in development or fundraising principles Experience coordinating programs, events, or initiatives in an educational or non-profit organization Experience composing correspondence for high-level executives or managers Demonstrated ability to write professional correspondence High level of professionalism, maturity, and emotional intelligence, with the capability of exercising good judgment Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately and tactfully Proficiency with fundraising database software, particularly Blackbaud CRM Strong working knowledge and skills using Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint

Essential Functions:

Devises and maintains project management systems to track campaign planning activity and progress, monitors upcoming deadlines, and facilitates communication with responsible parties Manages project deadlines, identifies potential issues before they become major obstacles, and ensures deadlines are met, demonstrating the ability to make decisions autonomously when appropriate Prepares status reports and presentations on campaign planning and progress for internal and external stakeholders Supports campaign planning meetings both internally and externally Interacts with campaign volunteers and assists with the coordination of volunteer efforts Manages meeting schedules for the Campaign Director and internal and external stakeholders, including polling parties for availability, sending out invitations, securing format or location, ordering catering, developing presentations, etc. Executes travel arrangements and reimbursements, following internal approval processes Updates all information from meetings and development activities in the campus-wide advancement system (OwlConnect, powered by Blackbaud CRM) Interacts with donors at the request of the Campaign Director in response to inquiries Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

Has extensive contact within the university at all levels, in person, in writing, and by telephone, particularly coordinating with deans, faculty members, senior administrative staff, and Development and Alumni Relations staff Has extensive contact outside the university with donors, alumni, and friends of the university, in person, with follow-up by phone and in writing May occasionally require extended work hours to meet project deadlines

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits-overview

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.