Special Assistant/Office Manager Office of Diversity, Equity and Student Success (DESS)

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), the leading national higher education association that advances the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education, seeks a Special Assistant/Office Manager in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success (DESS). The Special Assistant/Office Manager will report to the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers. This position will oversee DESS projects and activities to ensure goals are met, and will manage the day-to-day work assignments of the DESS team in collaboration with the Vice President.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

These tasks include, but are not limited to:

  • Oversee the management of sponsored projects, DESS initiatives, and DESS activities to ensure progress is being made to achieve stated goals and objectives.
  • Provide day-to-day management of DESS staff, including progress on work assignments, project and activity deliverables, and budget management.
  • Collaborate with the Vice President on the development of work plans to advance AAC&U’s goals related to equity, diversity, student success, and quality.
  • Communicate and partner with key AAC&U staff regarding projects, presentations, publications, and web resources.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

  • A Master’s degree required, plus five years of experience in managing teams.
  • Experience with project management, including project reporting, budgeting, and development of deliverables.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and strong organizational skills.
  • Superior oral and written communication skills.
  • Detailed-oriented and ability to achieve tasks in a high-functioning office.
  • Strong computer skills and database management skills, including MS Office Suite
  • Ability to work both collaboratively, as a member of a team and as a team leader to accomplish goals.
  • Effective time management skills with the ability to balance and set priorities among multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
  • Self-directed ability to thrive in a fast-paced advocacy organization at the center of higher education reform.
  • A clear understanding of and commitment to the values of AAC&U, and knowledgeable of diversity, equity, and student success efforts within higher education.

Salary commensurate with experience; plus exceptional benefits. Please submit a résumé, a cover letter describing relevant work experience, and salary requirements to AAC&U, Attn: DESS, 1818 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009, or to [email protected]. The application review process will remain ongoing through August 4, 2023.

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.