Jobs at Member Institutions & APLU

Title: Associate, Data & Policy Analysis
Department/Office: Department of Data & Policy Analysis/Office of Academic Affairs
Supervisor: Assistant Vice President, Data & Policy Analysis
Status: Non-Exempt
Level: Associate
Location: Washington, DC
Application Deadline: Applications will be reviewed as received with preference given to those received by May 13, 2022


Summary
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a research, policy and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the US, Canada and Mexico, is seeking an associate to provide administrative support to projects and initiatives within the Office of Academic Affairs, specifically supporting the Department of Data & Policy Analysis (DPA), the VSA Analytics and Student Achievement Measures (SAM) initiatives, and other activities within the Office of Academic Affairs. The incumbent will perform a broad array of administrative tasks to ensure effective office and project operations including planning, scheduling, and organizing logistics for conferences and meetings (virtual and in-person); supporting office communications; record keeping; and overseeing the payment of invoices. The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communications skills, be able to manage time and multiple projects efficiently, be competent in MS Office, project management tools, communications applications, and provide exemplary customer service. This is a full-time position based in Washington, DC. APLU staff must reside in DC, MD, or VA, be up-to-date with their COVID vaccinations, and pass standard background checks. Employees of APLU are eligible to telework at least two days per week.


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 244 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 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.3 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $49.2 billion in university-based research. For more information,
consult www.aplu.org.

APLU’s Department of Data and Policy Analysis (DPA) is housed within its Office of Academic Affairs and provides expertise, research, data collection, and analysis support for APLU initiatives and information needs of other APLU offices. It works closely with APLU’s offices of Governmental Affairs and Public Affairs on legislative priorities, promotional campaigns, and media inquiries. Additionally, DPA supports the Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis (CIMA), a community of campus leaders committed to advancing the effective and efficient use of data and analytics to guide campus planning and decision making. DPA is housed under the Office of Academic Affairs, which plays a central role in APLU’s initiatives to improve student success and graduation, enhance digital learning, spur institutional transformation, increase the use of data-informed decision making, and advance scientific research at member institutions. The VSA Analytics data tool is a robust, interactive, custom tool designed to support college and university leaders’ use of data in strategic planning and decision making. The Student Achievement Measure (SAM) is a transparency initiative where higher education institutions track students across institutions to create a more complete picture of undergraduate student progress and completion within the higher education system. 


Responsibilities
The incumbent will provide administrative support to projects and initiatives within the Office of Academic Affairs, specifically supporting the Department of Data & Policy Analysis (DPA), the VSA Analytics and Student Achievement Measures (SAM) initiatives, and other activities within the Office of Academic Affairs. Primary duties and responsibilities of the incumbent include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide general administrative support to the Office of Academic Affairs, DPA, VSA Analytics and SAM, including scheduling meetings, taking and distributing meeting notes, processing expense reports, reconciling AMEX accounts, assisting with contract administration, etc.
• Coordinate the logistics, planning, and administrative aspects of various conferences, meetings, and events (both virtual and in-person) for the Office of Academic Affairs, CIMA and VSA Analytics, including scheduling and setting up the meetings, obtaining, reviewing, and evaluating hotel contracts, drafting/compiling meeting materials, taking notes and tracking activities, record keeping and document archival. Set-up shared workspaces, election processes and documents, and organize results when necessary. 
• Work with the Finance department and VSA Analytics Director to track and support the VSA Analytics project budget, distribute invoices, collect subscription fees, maintain contact information, and provide regular updates on the status of customers.
• Support efforts to increase participation in CIMA, VSA Analytics and SAM activities through social media, newsletters, and other promotional materials. Assist in the development of content and maintenance of webpages and databases for CIMA, VSA Analytics and SAM.
• Coordinate data management for DPA and CIMA, including ensuring data is up to date in APLU’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, and other databases and spreadsheets, processing CRM uploads; requesting reports from the CRM and reviewing them for accuracy.  Maintain the CIMA and VSA Analytics customer relations database to track member engagement. 
• Maintain positive relations with a diverse group of member university representatives through in-person, virtual, and email interactions. Assist with drafting, editing, and sending documents and other communications.
• Participate as an integral member of the DPA and Academic Affairs team, APLU employee, and contribute to an inclusive, welcoming, and collegial workplace. 
• Provide support to other Academic Affairs and DPA projects and activities as requested.

Preferred Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional administrative support experience. 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.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communications skills.
• Experience planning and coordinating events, including workshops, webinars, and conferences.
• A keen attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to navigate relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• The ability to maintain poise, professionalism, focus, consistency, and accuracy under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to work both as part of a team and independently, taking direction from and communicating with multiple team members. 
• Experience to keep track of and prioritize tasks associated with complex, multi-faceted projects including billing, communication with customers and stakeholders, and maintenance of project documentation and records.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and problem-solving skills. Ability to make sound decisions.
• Experienced in the use of Microsoft office products, social media, Zoom, and web-based research and information tools. Experience using a customer relations management (CRM) system and databases conducting web-based research a plus. Comfort using and learning new technologies.
• Experience tracking and reporting expenses for projects or grants. 
• Commitment to the work of APLU.
• Ability to travel domestically as needed.

To Apply
Please send a cover letter and resume to APLU’s Office of Human Resources at resume@aplu.org with the subject line: Associate, DPA. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, with priority given to those submitted by May 13, 2022. 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 and is committed to recruiting, employing, training, compensating and promoting staff regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or military service.