Staff Assistant - Development & Alumni Relations, Sanford School of Public Policy

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America's leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You. Be Bold. Choose Duke.

Be You.
At Duke, we celebrate individuality and the unique perspectives that each member of our community brings. As the Staff Assistant - Development & Alumni Relations (Level 9), you'll be a vital part of a collaborative, missiondriven team supporting alumni, donors, faculty, and leadership within the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Be Bold.
The Staff Assistant provides comprehensive administrative, financial, and logistical support for the Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) team. In this role, you will maintain smooth operations, support strategic initiatives, and ensure Duke's development and alumni engagement efforts are executed with accuracy and professionalism.

What You'll Do:

Team Support
- Serve as a central administrative partner for the DAR team, ensuring efficient daily operations and smooth coordination across projects, programs, and communications.
- Manage office workflow systems, including digital organization, shared drives, and versioncontrolled documents.
- Provide highlevel administrative support to faculty and DAR leaders.
- Track, monitor, and reconcile budgeted funds.
- Support internal communication workflows and project tracking.
- Assist with onboarding and office resource management.
- Serve as a welcoming point of contact for visitors and partners.
- Utilize key Duke systems including Outlook, DADD, SAP, WORKS, Concur, Zoom, and Teams.

Financial Processing
- Manage diverse financial transactions aligned with Duke policy.
- Prepare purchase orders, check requests, contracts, and vendor agreements.
- Oversee vendor communication and invoice resolution.
- Reconcile monthly statements across multiple funds.
- Serve as a Corporate Card Initiator.
- Assist with annual budgeting and financial reporting.

Travel Coordination
- Coordinate travel for the Associate Dean and Director of Development.
- Prepare briefings, itineraries, and followup materials.
- Update donor information following travel.

Events
- Assist with planning and executing school, campaign, donor, and alumni events.

Database Management
- Maintain and update alumni data in DADD.
- Resolve lost contact and ensure data accuracy.

Special Projects
- Complete assigned projects supporting DAR priorities.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications
- Two years of postsecondary education in secretarial science or business field.
- Four years of related clerical/administrative experience.
- Excellent communication, organization, and interpersonal skills.
- Customerservice orientation.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends.

Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in business, communications, public policy, or related field.
- Experience in development, higher education, or finance.
- Familiarity with SAP, Concur, WORKS, DADD, Enquire.
- Event or donorrelations experience.

Choose Duke.

At Duke, you're not just joining a workplace-you're joining a community powered by purpose, innovation, and impact. As a key member of the Sanford School's Development & Alumni Relations team, you'll play a meaningful role in advancing public policy education, expanding alumni engagement, and supporting the people who shape tomorrow's leaders.

Here, your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your work truly matters. You'll collaborate with passionate colleagues, build relationships across the Duke ecosystem, and gain exposure to the operations of one of the nation's premier universities.

Come build your career at a place where excellence is the standard, collaboration is the culture, and your professional journey has unlimited potential.
Be part of something bigger. Be part of Duke

Ready to Make a Difference?
Apply now and help us build a stronger, smarter, and more connected future.