Jobs at Member Institutions & APLU

Summary
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) is seeking an associate to provide logistical and administrative support to the Academic Programs Section of the Board on Agriculture Assembly. The incumbent will perform a broad array of administrative tasks to ensure effective office operations, including planning conferences, webinars, and meetings; managing on- and off-site meeting logistics; scheduling meetings and coordinating calendars; and overseeing the payment of invoices. Successful candidates will have strong meeting coordination, event planning, and administrative support skills, a facility with Excel and data, and possess a keen attention to detail. This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. The incumbent must reside in DC, MD, or VA and pass standard background checks. The Food, Agriculture, & Natural Resources (FANR) Associate is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. For more information, consult www.aplu.org.

Background
APLU is a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. With a membership of more than 251 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations, APLU’s agenda is built on the three pillars of increasing degree completion and academic success, advancing scientific research, and expanding engagement. Annually, member campuses enroll 5.4 million undergraduates and 1.4 million graduate students, award 1.5 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $51 billion in university-based research.

The Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) is a unit of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Commission on Food, Environment, and Renewable Resources (CFERR). The purpose of the BAA is the promotion of agriculture in all its phases (food, environment, agriculture, natural resources, and international) in the state universities and land-grant colleges of the states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of the Pacific, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. The mission of the Academic Programs Section (APS) within the BAA is to assure that the development of students in agriculture, food, natural resources and related areas is a preeminent concern of the Land-Grant and State University System and its federal partners.

Responsibilities
• Lead administrative and logistical planning of the office’s conferences, meetings, and events, including office sessions at the APLU Annual Meeting, annual summer and winter meetings, including supporting the development of meeting budgets and collaborating with vendors.
• Maintain accurate records within APLU knowledge management platforms and customer relationship management systems (CRM). Carry out communication with members through APLU’s email marketing system.
• Draft emails and other documents as requested.
• Update project and section webpages as necessary.
• Support coordination of the office and APLU’s Finance staff by distributing project invoices, receiving and processing reimbursement requests from meeting attendees, and maintaining contact information. Prepare expense reports, reconciliations, and coordinate invoices/reimbursements.
• Schedule meetings, including setting up appropriate online connections, communicating meeting agendas, and preparing meeting minutes when necessary.
• Participate as an integral member of the FANR Team and APLU, and contribute to an inclusive, welcoming, and collegial workplace.
• Provide other administrative and logistical support as needed to support the goals and objectives of the Office and APLU.

Preferred Qualifications
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional administrative support experience. Course work in agriculture or natural resources is a plus. Work experience at a college/university, a higher education organization, a non-profit organization, or a non-profit involved with relevant issues is a plus.
• Experience planning and coordinating events, including workshops, webinars, and conferences.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated organizational skills. Ability to take direction from, and communicate with, multiple team members, keep track of activities and priorities on multiple projects, and meet deadlines.
• Ability to identify potential issues and bring them to the attention of the appropriate team members as they arise.
• Ability to maintain poise, professionalism, focus, consistency, and accuracy under pressure.
• Experience with Office365 highly preferred, including Microsoft Teams, Planner, and SharePoint as well as experience managing virtual meetings, especially via Zoom.
• Experience using a customer relations management (CRM) system and databases is a plus. Comfort using and learning new technologies.
• Commitment to the work of APLU and the FANR Office. Demonstrated desire to learn about and participate in advancing student success in agriculture and natural resources is a plus.
• Ability to travel domestically two or more times a year, especially during the February, March, July, and November.

To Apply
Please send a letter of interest and resume to APLU’s Human Resources Department at resume@aplu.org with “FANR Associate” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled, with preference given to those received by January 1, 2024. APLU is committed to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and supports staff with a generous benefits package.

APLU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.