Administrative Assistant, Institutional Development, VP Development and Alumni

The Institutional Development within VP Development and Alumni is currently seeking a Full-time Staff Limited Term Administrative Assistant for approximately 1 year.

Reporting to a Senior Director of Development, with accountability to assigned Development senior leaders, the Administrative Assistant provides administrative and operational support to multiple Senior Directors within the Development and Alumni portfolio.

The role is integral to the efficient and proactive maintenance of executive workflows, priorities, and schedules, ensuring the smooth day-to-day operation of a fast-paced and highly collaborative environment. Responsibilities are broadly delegated and include coordination, communication, documentation, and administrative project support across a high-volume and complex portfolio.

Work is highly relationship-driven and requires professional interaction with a wide range of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, donors, alumni, volunteers, and external partners. The position requires exceptional organizational skills, sound judgment, diplomacy, and the ability to handle multiple competing priorities in a dynamic environment.

The Administrative Assistant regularly handles sensitive and confidential information and must exercise discretion, professionalism, and independent judgment in managing communications and materials.

The workload is high-volume and involves managing diverse administrative activities with shifting deadlines and competing priorities. Given the pace and operational requirements, consistent on-campus presence is required to support leadership, coordinate activities, and respond to emerging needs in real time. Occasional early morning or evening work may be required to support meetings, donor activity, or events.

The Administrative Assistant is an important administrative support resource that enables Development and Alumni leaders to effectively execute their responsibilities.

Operating in a complex, confidential, and multi-stakeholder environment, the role supports the coordination of leadership activities, maintenance of schedules, and administration of operational and strategic priorities across the portfolio.

The position requires a strong understanding of leadership priorities, administrative processes, and university systems in order to anticipate needs, coordinate activities, and contribute to effective service delivery. The role also supports the development and implementation of efficient administrative processes and contributes to maintaining high standards of service and professionalism.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Maintain calendars for multiple Senior Directors, balancing priorities, scheduling requirements, and focused work time.
• Coordinate meetings, travel, and events, including scheduling, logistics, materials, and follow-up.
• Proofread and format briefing notes, presentations, reports, and professional correspondence, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
• Monitor and oversee communications (email, phone, Teams), ensuring timely responses, appropriate triage, and escalation.
• Maintain document and information systems, including shared files, contact lists, and administrative procedures, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and alignment with operational needs.
• Maintain accurate records, documentation, and administrative tracking tools.
• Support day-to-day office operations and administrative transactions, ensuring processes run efficiently and effectively in alignment with university requirements.
• Act as a point of contact for general office needs, including occupational health and safety coordination.
• Coordinate and deploy equipment (e.g., computers, peripherals) to support team effectiveness.
• Coordinate office resources, including tracking, receiving, organizing, and maintaining supplies and inventory.
• Collaborate with staff across the portfolio to ensure consistency, coordination, and administrative coverage.
• Contribute to a collaborative, respectful, and service-focused team environment.
• Coordinate onboarding activities, including system access, equipment, and orientation logistics.
• Support CRM or database-related activities, including maintaining stakeholder and contact information.
• Support donor-related coordination activities through accurate handling of information and documentation.
• Perform other related duties as required to support operational effectiveness and evolving team needs.

Qualifications / Requirements

Required:

• Undergraduate degree or post-secondary diploma in administration, business, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience providing administrative support to senior leaders in a complex environment.
• Demonstrated ability to handle high volumes of work, multiple priorities, and competing deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, professional documentation and correspondence for a range of stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint).
• Proven ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities and identify practical, timely solutions.
• Demonstrated service orientation, providing responsive, high-quality administrative support in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, contributing to shared goals and consistent administrative support across a team.

Considered an asset:

• Experience in a post-secondary environment and/or fund development office.
• Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Blackbaud) or enterprise administrative systems.
• Familiarity with university governance, policies, and administrative processes.
• Experience supporting financial, procurement, or administrative workflows within a structured organization.
• A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Application Deadline: August 06, 2026.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Operational/Administrative Job Family, Phase 3.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.