Administrative Assistant II

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:  

The Chester Children’s Chorus was founded in 1994 by John Alston and now numbers approximately 115 children ages 8 - 18 years old. Its mission is to provide an intensive, sophisticated, and joyful choral music experience to young people of the city of Chester and to support their academic achievement and personal development. The year-round program consists of after-school and Saturday choral music rehearsals and math practice during the school year and a summer learning program at Swarthmore College that includes choral rehearsals, performances, as well as a variety of academic and enrichment activities.

The opportunity:

The Chester Children’s Chorus (CCC) seeks a Development Administrative Assistant to join a highly collaborative and motivated team of CCC colleagues, Swarthmore College Advancement colleagues, and CCC volunteers.

In this role, the Administrative Assistant reports directly to the Director of Development in providing support for the annual campaign activity. This includes a wide range of activities, including data entry, reporting, record keeping, donor interaction, event and volunteer coordination. This is a limited term, part-time, benefit-eligible position working up to 17.5 hours per week. In this role, the expectation is to work during regular business hours and attend scheduled staff meetings on campus. There are occasional after hours required for special events, such as scheduled evenings and weekend concerts.

Essential Responsibilities

• Assist in entering donor information into the database. Attention to detail and confidentiality is a priority.
• Manage key logistics for volunteer and donor gatherings: meeting space, materials, refreshments and decorations. Assist in event set up and break down.
• Process daily gifts received by making copies and submitting them to the Gift Records Department.
• Assist in keeping donor records up to date: change of address and donor status, and respond to donor inquiries, if needed.
• Process donor thank you letters on an ongoing basis.
• Assist in processing all aspects of the fall and spring appeals.
• Coordinate events with outside groups and organizations, such as retirement communities, churches, and community centers.
• Assist in managing logistics of special project events and special mailings.

Who you are:

• Excellent communication, written and verbal, critical thinking, and organizational skills.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks, take initiative, work independently, and collaborate with Advancement and other campus partners.
• Donor and volunteer relationships are vital for this role, which requires a high level of confidentiality, professionalism, and attention to detail.
• Must be able to work independently, with minimal oversight, on projects from conception to completion and must be able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Must have demonstrated ability to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion and good judgment.
• Ability to organize set priorities, and follow through on projects requiring meticulous attention to accuracy and detail.
• Willingness to learn new computer and software skills as needed.
• Maintain openness to new ideas and technologies to take full advantage of software enhancements.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma with 3-5 years of job-related experience or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Ability to use a variety of computer applications, including demonstrated skills in the use of Word processing and spreadsheets, fundraising databases and reporting software, registration software, and Web page design software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with donors and volunteers in a comprehensive fundraising campaign environment.
• Understanding how data is used to inform decision-making.

Physical Demands

• This position requires the ability to focus on a stationary position for extended periods, including at a desk in front of a computer.
• This position requires the ability to move lightweight boxes to and from the office in preparation for events.

Working Conditions

• On occasion, the Administrative Assistant will be required to work outside of normal office hours, including nights and weekends, for such tasks as concerts, receptions and special events.