Executive Assistant to the Vice President for College Advancement

Posting Details

Dickinson College is a premier four-year residential liberal arts institution chartered in 1783 and widely recognized as a leader in global and sustainability education. Dickinson College is located in Carlisle, named a “most livable city” by Forbes and is minutes from the state capital of Harrisburg. The campus is connected to a vibrant downtown that offers eclectic dining, shopping and entertainment options. Within a two-hour drive are Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.; New York City is three hours away.

Dickinson College offers full-time employees a broad range of benefits, including a comprehensive medical insurance plan, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, generous time off, parental leave, homebuyer assistance, and tuition benefits for eligible employees and dependent children under the age of 24. Upon eligibility, the College contributes 8% of an employee’s base salary to a retirement account with an additional .5% matching contribution; all money paid by the college into the employee’s retirement plan is immediately and fully vested in the employee.

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Position Department

Advancement

Job Summary/Basic Function

Reporting directly to the Vice President, this position manages the operations of the VP's office and supports the college's most significant donor relationships, working closely with trustees, principal donors, and senior leadership as Dickinson grows its philanthropy program.

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative, project, and operational support, coordinates the Vice President's principal gift portfolio as a member of the Principal Giving Program, and serves as a liaison between the VP's office, advancement units, and key campus partners including the President's Office. The position offers meaningful and unusual exposure to campaign strategy, principal gifts, and donor relations, and is well suited to a professional seeking to build a career in advancement leadership or operations. A defining feature of the position is the opportunity to take on special projects of increasing scope and visibility such as initiatives tied to campaign planning, presentations and dashboards for the Board of Trustees and donors, and process improvements adopted across the division.  

The role is a strong fit for someone who is organized, proactive, and discerning, and who is comfortable working independently across a modern advancement technology ecosystem, including CRM platforms, data visualization tools, collaboration software, and AI applications the division is actively piloting.

Essential Functions:

• Executive Support & VP Office Management: Provide direct administrative support to the Vice President, including calendar management, correspondence, travel and meeting coordination, office supplies and invoice processing, preparation of agendas and briefing materials, and management of day-to-day priorities. Serve as a liaison between the VPs office and advancement units (major gifts, donor engagement, planned giving, and alumni relations) and key campus partners (e.g. President’s Office). Handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Principal Prospect Management & Donor Strategy: Support the Vice President's prospect portfolio by coordinating donor engagement activities, profiles and briefing materials, tracking activity, monitoring follow-up actions, and supporting stewardship and cultivation efforts. Serve as a member of the Principal Giving Program and professional liaison with donors, trustees, and leadership volunteers.  
• High Impact Engagements and Special Events: Manage logistics for campus VIP visits and high-level donor meetings in collaboration with the donor engagement team. Support the planning and execution of special events, leveraging event management and communication platforms. Provide excellent customer service.
• Special Project and Initiative Coordination: Manage discrete projects assigned by the Vice President such as campaign planning milestones, trustee committee support, and cross-team initiatives from planning through completion, tracking deliverables and keeping stakeholders on schedule. Translate advancement data into presentations, dashboards, and briefing documents for the Board of Trustees, senior leadership, and other stakeholders.
• Technology, Process Improvement, & Innovation: Use advancement technologies such as CRM systems, prospect research resources, project management software, and AI-enabled tools to improve daily work across the office; evaluate emerging tools and recommend and implement workflow improvements that enhance efficiency, collaboration, and decision-making.  
• Donor Engagement Support: Provide administrative support to the Donor Engagement Office assisting with donor mailings, gift acknowledgment and notification processes, and other program operations as needed.
• Divisional Support & Other Duties: Provide administrative support to the Associate/Assistant Vice Presidents of College Advancement as needed in support of divisional priorities. Oversee the work of a casual driver throughout the year and of student employees during special alumni programs.
  
  

Requirements:

Bachelor's Degree

3-5 years Work Experience

EEO/Diversity Statement:    

The College is committed to building a representative and diverse faculty, staff, and student body. We encourage applications from all qualified persons.