Advancement Project Manager

About ACU

ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. All applicants must be professing Christians and willing to support the Christian mission and purpose of Abilene Christian University while employed by the university.

Title of Position
Advancement Project Manager

Posting Location
Abilene, Texas

Department
Advancement

Employee Class
Exempt Full-time

Basic Responsibilities

• Manage project workflow system for advancement and strategic communications
• Manage communication projects and communicate detailed project statuses
• Provide planning and logistics support to the communication team
• Cross-train in communication systems to provide back-up and redundancy

Essential Duties

Manage project workflow system for advancement and strategic communications

• In coordination with the advancement systems analyst, work to improve the setup and implementation of software for project intake and monitoring.
• Develop systems for informing campus partners of the status of their projects.
• Develop systems to assess projects after completion to identify areas for improvement.
• Provide regular feedback on progress to Assistant Vice President of Advancement

Manage communication projects and communicate detailed project statuses

• Attend meetings with internal departments and other campus partners to gain holistic understanding of project goals and components.
• Ensure that all projects enter the project management system, creating schedules, setting milestones and assigning staff or units (i.e., marketing).
• Monitor daily progress of assigned projects, identifying any potential issues or delays.
• Proactively communicate with team members to ensure tasks are being completed according to schedule.
• Post-project, analyze success of project and identify any areas of improvement for future projects.
• Route digital proofs for direct mail pieces to Advancement team leads and officers.

Provide planning and logistics support to the communication team

• Schedule and proactively plan meetings, both internal and external, related to project activities.
• Ensure action items, responsibilities, outcomes, etc. are accurately documented and shared with participants and stakeholders following project meetings.
• Serve as the primary point person for campus partners once the project has entered the project management system.

Cross-train in communication systems to provide back-up and redundancy

• Train in Anthology and GiveCampus for building and sending emails, setting up event and donation forms, and uploading data from CRM Advance into the system.
• Keep training fresh by using communication team absences as opportunities to practice those skills on a regular basis.

Professional Development Requirements

Skills

• Proven experience in project coordination or a similar role, preferably in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with team members and stakeholders at all levels
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently
• Proficiency in project management software and Google Suite
• Knowledge of project management principles and methodologies is a plus

Training Required

• Advancement email and giving platforms , including Anthology and GiveCampus
• Project management software, including SmartSheet and Hive
• ACU network programs: Workday, Ellucian CRM Advance
• Regular reading in higher education and marketing publications

Qualifications

Professional

• Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field preferred but not required
• Project management and coordination experience of 2-3 years preferred

Personal

• Experience managing multiple priorities
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Detail-oriented and highly organized
• Ability to display a customer service mindset and manage customer expectations with grace and professionalism

Physical Demands

• Work is performed in an office environment; must have the ability to sit for long periods of time (4-6 hours)
• Endure demands from occasionally variable or extended hours during peak times

Additional Information

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law.

ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets.  Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions.

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