Assistant Director, Ridley Scholarship Program

Description

About The Ridley Scholarship Program:
The University of Virginia Alumni Association (AA) is searching for an Assistant Director for the Ridley Scholarship Program. The program was established in 1987 to honor Walter N. Ridley, the first African-American graduate of UVA. The fund has grown significantly since then and has benefitted more than 351 of UVA’s most meritorious Black/African-American students. Currently, the fund provides approximately 20 full tuition and fees scholarships to Black undergraduates along with a number of other scholarship awards.
General Summary:
The Assistant Director (AD) will provide a wide range of operational and programmatic support for the Ridley Scholarship Program. The AD will work collaboratively with leadership at the Alumni Association and the Ridley Board of Directors to recruit exceptional students, provide a comprehensive scholar experience, and grow the overall program. Responsibilities include coordinating the day-to-day activities of the scholar program, assisting with the implementation of the overall strategy for Ridley and acting as a critical link between the Ridley Board of Directors, AA staff and a variety of UVA constituencies. This individual will report to the Ridley Director and work closely with the AA development team and other AA departments. This position requires a self-motivated, detail-oriented individual who excels at prioritizing numerous tasks and balancing the needs of multiple diverse stakeholders.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Scholar Programming: Implements a comprehensive scholar experience program which is conceptualized and designed in consultation with the Scholarship Committee of the Ridley Board. This program includes, but is not limited to: orientation of new scholars to the program; 1:1 meetings with scholars each semester; hosting cohort events; and coordinating networking opportunities for scholars with Ridley Board Members and other UVA alumni.
• Scholar Selection: Manages the Ridley Scholar Selection Process for both incoming first-years and upper-class students in partnership with the Scholarship Committee of the Ridley Board as well as AA and UVA colleagues. This includes outreach to recruit applicants, helping to screen candidates, organizing Scholar Selection Weekend and managing communications with candidates. Manages programmatic funds under Ridley’s purview.
Ridley Board Support:
1. Serves as the staff liaison to the Scholarship and Marketing Committees of the Ridley Board.
2. Coordinates all Ridley Board calls and meetings including scheduling, prepping material leading up to each full board meeting, and making space and catering arrangements for all in-person meetings.
3. Provides notes for all executive committee and all full board calls and meetings.
4. Collaborates with the Ridley Director in supporting the strategy outlined by the Ridley Board including, but not limited to, reporting back to the board or board committees on progress related to various projects and helping to project manage Ridley events, projects or initiatives in partnership with other internal AA teams, etc.
• Outreach and Engagement:
1. Partners with the AA Development team and the AA Marketing team to assist in managing Ridley communication and marketing efforts including the production of the Ridley Annual Report, social media activity, email communications, solicitation campaigns, and website updates.
2. Plan, coordinate and manage all Ridley engagement, stewardship, and fundraising events in Charlottesville and in other regions as needed.
3. Serve as a liaison to Ridley and AA partners around UVA including the Office of Undergraduate Admission, the Office of African-American Affairs, Student Financial Services, the UVA Study Abroad Office, the Center for Politics, the Education School and the UVA Fund.
4. Administration: In partnership with the Ridley Director, ensure accurate and detailed tracking of Ridley expenses to ensure these expenditures are aligned with the annual budget.
5. Development Support: Collaborate with the Ridley Director to support Ridley’s fundraising efforts and initiatives. Other AA duties as needed.

Skills Required

Abilities:
• Demonstrates leadership, creativity, professionalism, and self-motivation.
• Possesses strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure and ability to handle multiple projects with varied or competing timelines.
• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to represent the Alumni Association and the University in a professional manner to both large and small groups.
• Operates comfortably and effectively in a multicultural environment; interacts tactfully and sensitively with culturally diverse populations.
• Manages difficult or emotional customer service situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits feedback to improve service.
• Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions and uses reason when dealing with challenging emotional topics.
• Demonstrates familiarity with the University of Virginia, the UVA Alumni Association and alumni engagement strategy.
• Operates independently but can also manage and complete projects by enlisting the cooperation and collaboration of others.
• Seizes opportunities to learn new skills; applies knowledge to improve work processes; maintains a passion for delivering quality work product and customer service.
• Exhibits strong alignment and commitment to the Alumni Association’s core values of integrity, inclusion, connection, innovation, and service.

Required Education, Experience, and Skills:
• Bachelor’s degree
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and diverse constituencies, in an externally facing role
• Demonstrated experience working in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities
• Excellent skills in all Microsoft Office applications
• Proficiency utilizing databases, creating reports and using information for research purposes

Preferred Experience and Skills:
• 1-3 years of experience in education, nonprofit operations, project management, or program management
• Demonstrated experience advising or coaching students
• Communications/marketing experience
• Event planning/coordination experience
• Experience with data, analytics and digital systems and tools
• Familiarity with mass electronic and print communications production and distribution systems
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite

Work Schedule

Hybrid work environment (2+ days/week in office), 980 work option, some travel and evening/weekend work as required in alignment with Board meetings and student programming needs.

Additional Info

Contacts:
• UVA Alumni Association Alumni Development team
• Other UVA Alumni Association staff, particularly Marketing, Data & Technology, UVA Fund, and Alumni Engagement teams
• Ridley Scholars and their families
• Ridley Scholarship Program Board of Directors as well as other Ridley donors and stakeholders
• UVA alumni, parents, students, friends, and community members
• UVA administrators, staff, individual school staff and faculty
• Outsourcing providers/partners/vendors

Environmental/Working Conditions:
Fast-paced and collaborative team environment with a bias for action, an openness to questioning past practices and assumptions and a commitment to excellence. Travel and evening/weekend work as required in alignment with the Ridley Board of Directors’ meetings and student programming needs. Team members work a hybrid schedule with 2+ days/week in-office at Alumni Hall and the other days can be worked from home.