Staff Assistant

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 Annual Giving Specialist, the Staff Assistant (Annual Giving) provides overall administrative support for the Annual Giving team at Rice University. Typical duties include managing donor communications, coordinating calendars, collecting data and generating periodic reports, assisting with data entry, arranging travel and business meetings, and processing expense reports.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple tasks, and providing office administration support for multiple professionals. The candidate should have strong verbal and written communication skills, as well as excellent attention to detail, particularly regarding data management.

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.

Non-exempt (hourly) positions under the FLSA are eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• One year of related office experience providing administrative support to multiple professionals
• In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education beyond the required level may be substituted on a year-for-year basis

Skills:

• Basic computer skills and proficiency in office software and email applications
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to follow through and complete assigned tasks
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills

Preferences:

• Associate's degree or higher
• Experience in a nonprofit or higher education setting
• Two or more years of related experience
• Experience with Blackbaud CRM or other advancement systems
• Familiarity with a PC Windows environment
• Strong web and email skills
• Ability to adapt to different software applications
• Experience with ERP systems (Oracle, Workday, etc.)
• Experience with online accounting and transaction processing

Essential Functions:

• Greets visitors, routes them to the appropriate individuals, answers phones, and serves as a resource for procedures and general inquiries
• Distributes routine communications such as memos, notices, emails, and letters
• Assists with data entry, management, and maintenance of electronic documents
• Collects data and generates periodic reports and spreadsheets
• Makes copies and monitors/orders office supplies
• Tracks facility and office equipment, such as keys, vehicles, and projectors, and schedules repairs as needed
• Reviews invoices for accuracy
• Arranges meetings and assists with routine conferences, including scheduling rooms, managing equipment, ordering meals, and assembling materials
• Makes travel arrangements and processes expense reports
• Creates and maintains files and filing systems
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Manages calendars and processes invoices for multiple professional staff members, including external communications as needed
• Communicates with alumni, parents, and friends of the university via email, phone, or in person, answering questions about philanthropic opportunities at Rice University
• Works closely with the annual giving team to meet goals and metrics
• Processes call reports for the alumni/donor database
• Maintains computerized files and mailing lists for the office
• Frequently interacts with division staff and other university offices
• Works within the alumni/donor database to manage important donor and volunteer information
• Spends many hours working on a computer

Rice University HR | Benefits:  

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 or for support.

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