Working/Functional Title

Executive Secretary, Constituency Prgms

Position Summary

This position supports an Executive Director of Constituency Programs (EM) with a broad spectrum of responsibilities outlined below:

The Office of Constituency Programs is the largest division within University Advancement and is responsible for providing leadership and management to MSU's 26 colleges and units that have independent development offices. Supporting and working with College Deans and non-academic unit Program Directors, the Executive Directors of Constituency Programs have 22 direct reports and close to 70 indirect reports.

To effectively serve the Executive Director requires an organized, experienced, flexible and enthusiastic professional who possesses a consistent level of excellent communication and customer service skills, who enjoys a fast-paced and unpredictable environment, who is adept at preparing reports, who works with a high degree of accuracy, who works well under pressure, can anticipate needs and can independently prioritize tasks that require immediate attention, who can maintain highly confidential personnel information, and who is committed to providing exceptional service and support the Executive Director, the respective subset of constituency units, and to the donors and prospects managed by the Executive Director.

Job Duties:

• Coordinate, schedule, and confirm meetings and appointments between the Executive Director and the Vice President/Associate Vice President for University Advancement, deans and unit directors, University Advancement professionals, the President, the Provost, department chairs, and university personnel. Given the nature of the meetings and the high level of individuals involved, the scheduling of meetings is complex; most include multiple attendees who also maintain complex schedules.
• Serve as front-line host for candidates who come to MSU to interview for a constituency development position. Initiate contact with candidates and serve as communication line agendas, coordinating with Dean/Unit Director offices, panels of development professionals, and constituency units. Develop itineraries, overseeing to make certain travel arrangements and transportation logistics are covered.
• Communicate effectively: interact with external constituents (donors and prospects) with high degree of professionalism, integrity and personal warmth; convey time-critical messages to the Executive Director, often through text or email; proof, edit and/or draft correspondence to donors, fundraising staff, deans, university personnel, and potential candidates.
• Oversee potential summer Advance U student interns for Constituency Programs, including onboarding, tracking progress on projects and approving time sheets.
• Coordinate meeting logistics and assist the Executive Director with presentations, reports and communications. This includes the preparation of Ascend and Cognos reports using report generators and Cognos, excel reports, PowerPoint presentations, and presentation packets.
• Schedule and prepare meeting materials for biannual mid-year review with constituency unit meetings
• Coordinate, schedule, and confirm meetings between the Executive Director, Dean and DOD for annual operating planning and evaluations. Prepare and distribute necessary materials and productivity reports prior to meeting. Forecast, monitor and analyze team member reports and constituency unit proposal activity. Schedule portfolio review meetings for development officers, preparing reports as requested.
• Handle the creation of Teams folders and file organization for the Executive Director.
• Provide clerical support to the Executive Director. This includes travel arrangements, requisitions and reimbursements, form and/or document preparation, mail, dissemination of letters sent out to donors from the President, formatting letters and other documents, preparing briefing papers, itineraries and other documents, and ordering supplies.
• Assist the Executive Director in establishing, monitoring, and managing the annual budget. Provide oversight of the unit's budget and ledger maintenance
• Perform annual performance evaluation as well as routinely assessing skills and effectiveness of their performance in supporting Executive Director.

Interacts with: Vice President for University Advancement and UA Executive Managers, President's Office, Provost's Office, Deans and Unit Directors, department chairs, constituency development officers, candidates applying for positions within University Development.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired through a high school education with course work in word processing, typing, shorthand, and grammar; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in maintaining account ledgers, word processing, editing, composing correspondence, taking dictation, spreadsheet, database, desktop publishing, and/or presentation software; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

The optimal candidate will exhibit many of the following skills and abilities: a Bachelor's degree; ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines; advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; experience working in large databases and developing reports; solid skills in grammar, writing and editing; ability to proofread contracts and documents  to include understanding basic mathematics; strong organizational skills; demonstrated experience to successfully work independently, as a team, and effectively prioritize workload; desire to understand principles of fundraising and the role of development in a university environment. Proficiency in MS Office products, SunGard Advance, ART reporting tool, and EBS Systems at MSU; experience in a professional fundraising  environment; excellent skills in grammar, writing and editing; ability to solve problems and use initiative; demonstrated experience in analyzing, editing, and proofreading complex financial contracts and documents; experience in planning and executing high level events and functions; focused and task oriented; dependable and enjoys collaborating with others and being part of a team environment; outstanding customer service skills; ability to maintain highest level of confidentiality and sensitivity to personnel issues; ability to work effectively under pressure.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Resume and cover letter

Special Instructions

Interested in joining the team at Michigan State University? If you have any questions, please contact Patricia Karam, Director of Talent Acquisition, at karampat@msu.edu. 

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Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

Advancement.msu.edu

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Bidding eligibility ends on May 26, 2026, at 11:55 PM

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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