Development Specialist at Rice University in Houston, Texas

Job Description:

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a 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:

The Rice Business External Relations (ER) Development Specialist supports the entire ER team with administrative functions in a highly organized and efficient manner. The primary duties include an array of financial reporting responsibilities such as expense reporting, purchasing and vendor management. Other duties include scheduling and facilitating of events and meetings, leading or participating in special projects and office organization and management. The Development Specialist will also serve as an outward-facing representative for the department, intaking contacts and requests for members of the ER team, welcoming guests, answering phones and managing calendars. This position is essential to the effective operations of the External Relations office at Rice Business.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate for this role is detail-oriented, highly organized, and able to manage day-to-day administrative tasks with precision. They possess strong collaborative skills, working well with others while also demonstrating the ability to focus and work independently when needed. This candidate enjoys supporting teams and takes pride in being a reliable resource for colleagues, ensuring smooth operations and providing assistance as needed. They understand that while the nature of the work is administrative and consistent, the specific events and tasks may vary. Above all, they bring a proactive, solution-oriented approach to their role, contributing to the overall success of the team.

Annual Hiring Salary Range: $56,000 to $60,000

Workplace Requirements:

This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in-person at Rice Business. Remote work is permitted for situations resulting from building/maintenance issues or as necessary pending manager approval.

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
  
  
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related professional work experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
  
  
• 2+ years of professional administrative work experience
  
  
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
  
  

Skills:

• Ability to establish and manage priorities and handle numerous time-sensitive projects with conflicting and varied deadlines
• Demonstrated creativity, problem solving, critical analysis, initiative judgment and decision-making skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop and meet budget goals
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Strong knowledge of relevant subject matter

Essential Functions:

• Supports the operations for a department that has significant business, financial and stakeholder relations responsibilities
• Processes expense, scheduling, purchasing and event-related requests for a team of professionals
• Schedules and facilitates meetings of a department or with other departments
• Monitors the office's resources and supplies and
• Develops and implements new processes and procedures for improvements to performance and efficiency
• Coordinates purchasing and vendor requests to support office functions
• Organizes, manages and completes special projects
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Preferences:

• Experience with development and alumni relations functions
• Experience working in a higher education setting
• 3 years of related experience performing administrative duties in a professional office atmosphere
• Experience processing expense reports
• Experience in purchasing and vendor relations
• Experience in customer service

Additional Functions

• Develops and manages the department's annual business planning process and supporting resources to ensure clear, efficient and effective annual planning.
• Serves as manager and/or contributor to project management software to coordinate on inter-and intra-departmental projects.
• Supports the planning, execution and follow-up for External Relations events, including fundraising, alumni engagement and community-facing special events
• Volunteers, as necessary at department and school events to ensure their successful execution

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 the full inclusion of all qualified persons in the workplace. This commitment includes providing reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. For applicants with disabilities who require 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

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