Office Manager

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability at America’s colleges and universities. Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.

The Office Manager is responsible for day-to-day office operations: managing office systems; maintaining relationships with third-party vendors; aiding in event planning; spearheading recruitment efforts; and overseeing IT systems by coordinating with third-party IT service providers. Additionally, the Office Manager is expected to take a proactive role in departmental and organizational strategic planning, and serves a crucial role in planning ACTA’s annual conference.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for ACTA’s many constituencies, providing a positive and can-do response in a dynamic office environment.
• Ensure proper function and use of office equipment and maintain protocols for printers, copier, postage system, etc.
• Field email and phone inquiries from ACTA’s national network of trustees and alumni, appropriately distributing, tracking follow-up, and filing responses in Salesforce.
• Spearhead logistics of ACTA’s hiring process for internships, fellowships, and full-time staff; assist the Senior Vice President in onboarding new employees.
• Serve as first point of contact for IT-related questions from the staff and for third-party IT service providers.
• Administer employee commuter benefits and PTO tracking.
• Maintain company general calendar and project master calendar.
• Organize regular staff meetings and lunches; help with special occasion celebrations.
• Undertake general office upkeep such as cleanliness, organization, filing, supplies, etc.
• Assist the Senior Vice President in annual ATHENA Roundtable Conference and Merrill Award Gala planning, outreach, and coordination
• Assist in preparation and organization of ACTA board meetings.

The Office Manager receives day-to-day supervision from the Senior Vice President and works closely with the Executive Administrative Assistant.

Qualifications

The Office Manager must approach these tasks as an entrepreneurial enterprise, requiring an understanding of and proactive approach to ACTA’s program activities. He or she is expected to be personable, dynamic, well organized, highly motivated, and principled, as well as to exhibit the highest degree of personal responsibility, accountability, and honesty. Candidates should share ACTA’s vision for promoting academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability at American colleges and universities. Qualified candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree; 3–5 years of office management experience and familiarity with basic IT systems are preferred.

To apply, please send cover letter and resume to Nick Barden at info@goacta.org.

Program Officer, Development

The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) is an independent, nonprofit organization committed to academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability at America’s colleges and universities. Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.

The Program Officer for Development provides support for all facets of ACTA’s development effort, effectively applying fundraising theories, techniques, and best practices to achieve annual giving campaign goals. The Program Officer must have strong communications skills with a focus on writing (especially grant proposals, reports to donors, and fundraising letters) and must understand and support ACTA’s mission to improve higher education by working with multiple constituencies. The Program Officer reports to the Vice President of Development & Strategic Partnerships and provides development support and counsel to the President and Senior Vice President as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the Vice President in developing and implementing a strategic plan to achieve annual giving campaign goals and objectives.
• Assist the Vice President in sustaining current donor base, as well as identifying and cultivating potential new donors.
• Manage ACTA’s direct mail program by planning and scheduling all donor appeals; writing informational mailings, individual letters to supporters, and house file and prospect fundraising letters; overseeing data selection for donor mailings and list acquisition for prospect mailings; and managing solicitations to ACTA’s donor societies.
• Manage and promote the sponsorship program for ACTA’s annual event, the ATHENA Roundtable and Merrill Award Gala.
• Manage monthly donor communications via email blasts.
• Monitor timelines for various fundraising activities to ensure that the department’s strategic plan and critical fundraising processes are executed effectively and in a timely manner.
• Supervise maintenance of ACTA’s fundraising database, while ensuring that protocols and confidentiality safeguards are observed.
• Oversee the accuracy of donor records, including correct categorization of donors and gifts, and generate periodic fundraising/donor reports.

Qualifications

The Program Officer should approach these tasks as an entrepreneurial enterprise, requiring an understanding of and proactive approach to ACTA’s program activities. He or she must be personable, innovative, independent, and highly-motivated, as well as exhibit the highest degree of personal responsibility, accountability, and honesty. He or she must be committed to ACTA’s mission as a leader in higher education reform.

A bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required, preferably in English, communications, or a related field, as well as 2-3 years of experience in annual giving campaigns. Candidates should possess exemplary writing, editing, and verbal communication skills, and should be proficient with Salesforce.

To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample to Nick Barden at info@goacta.org. Incomplete applications will not receive full consideration.