Administrative Support Manager

Administrative Support Manager

Department: Development

Reports to: Assistant Vice President, Medical Development

FLSA Status: Exempt

 

Location: This position will be based out of the Lawrence office with regular time spent working at the Kansas City office. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule after initial training and satisfactory job performance.

 

The anticipated salary for this position starts at $73,300+.  The final pay will be determined based on several factors, including qualifications, experience, education, and years within the job or industry, with a strong emphasis on maintaining internal equity.

 

Who we are and what we’re about:

 

KU Endowment is an independent, nonprofit organization and the official fundraising foundation for the University of Kansas. We partner with donors in providing philanthropic support to build a greater KU.

 

As an employee of KU Endowment, you’ll witness firsthand the power of our donors’ generosity. You will join a talented and fun group of people who are inspired to help KU and the KU Medical Center through the support of loyal alumni and friends. This support fuels excellence, enabling students and faculty to develop innovative programs and research that distinguishes the university. We connect the philanthropic passions of donors with the needs of students, faculty and programs – and everyone benefits.

 

People are engaged. Purpose is ignited. Lives are changed.

 

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging:

 

At KU Endowment, we recognize that we best achieve our mission of building a greater University of Kansas by embracing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are committed to cultivating a people-centered environment that is welcoming to the spectrum of differences among us in an atmosphere of respect and fairness. Accordingly, our staff, Board of Trustees, volunteers and donors will work together to create a more representative, equitable and inclusive KU Endowment.

 

What we are looking for:

 

As a coach, advocate, and manager for our development administration team members, the Admin Support Manager will work collaboratively with our major gift officers, development leaders and administrative staff to ensure that everyone here has the support to provide the most impact.

 

The person in this role wakes up every day thinking about how to support this team of administrative superstars. You are detail-oriented, have phenomenal organizational skills, understand the nuances of fundraising, are curious and like putting together a plan. You’ve been a manager before, so you are able to listen empathetically and provide opportunities for everyone to be their most successful. You excel at managing your time and are good at teaching others how to do new things.

 

If you’re passionate about education, healthcare, and innovative research, you’ll fit right in here. Inspire a team of administrators to propel our fundraisers to new heights of excellence and innovation.

 

The individual in this position is expected to embrace KU Endowment’s stated core values – Collaboration, Curiosity, Empowerment and Excellence – and demonstrate support for them through professional interactions and activities.

 

What’s a typical day look like?

• Lead and oversee the Development Administrative Support Staff across Lawrence, Kansas City, and Wichita.
• Foster a cohesive and motivated team environment by providing ongoing support and development opportunities for staff members.
• Design, implement, and maintain consistent training programs to ensure the team remains skilled and up-to-date on administrative best practices and organizational processes.
• Coordinate and lead the orientation and onboarding of new administrative staff to ensure seamless integration into the organization. Regularly review and enhance processes, updating supporting documents, as necessary.
• Provide ongoing training to enhance staff efficiency, problem-solving, and operational skills.
• Create, document, and maintain procedures, forms, and other essential documentation to ensure operational consistency across all locations.
• Ensure the administrative staff have access to up-to-date resources and clear procedural guidelines. 
• Ensure adequate back-up support for the administrative team, ensuring that absences or peak workloads are effectively managed. 
• Effectively manage and empower staff to grow and develop by conducting individual career discussions, providing professional development and mentorship opportunities, fostering a culture of continuous learning, supporting career transitions, and regularly reviewing and updating career paths within KU Endowment.
• Host monthly development administrative meetings to collaboratively share updates, address challenges, and identify areas for improvement, fostering a network of support and innovation.
• Collaborates closely with Development Directors and administrative teams to streamline workflows and improve operational efficiencies. 
• Responsible for sharing feedback & having coaching conversations as a result of fundraisers’ performance feedback to ensure needs are being met.
• Establish clear role responsibilities between development support and fundraising teams to minimize overlap and optimize effectiveness.
• Partner with development leadership to ensure the administrative support team effectively meets the needs of the development function, proactively identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing solutions.
• Regular and reliable attendance is essential for this position.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.

What’s required to be considered:

• A Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field or comparable combination of education and experience is necessary.
• 5-8 years supervisory experience required.

What separates the best from the rest?

• Self-Motivated: You’re a go-getter who takes initiative and drives projects forward with enthusiasm and determination.
• Collaborative: You shine in a team setting. Whether with your colleagues, prospective donors, or campus partners, you’re always finding ways to combine efforts and maximize outcomes.
• Master Communicator: You have a knack for articulating training concepts and connecting with colleagues on a deep level.
• Resilient: You stay positive and persistent, turning challenges into opportunities and never losing sight of the mission.
• Unwavering Integrity: You build trust through honesty, transparency, and the highest ethical standards.

Physical Requirements:

• A valid driver’s license.
• Must have access to reliable transportation to travel between multiple locations for training, donor meetings, networking, events, and/or work-related activities.
• This position oversees team members in Lawrence, Kansas City, and Wichita and will require frequent travel between these locations.
• Must be able to respond quickly and effectively to directions and safety hazards.
• This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office productivity machinery such as computers, keyboard and a mouse, laptops, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
• This is largely a sedentary role; however some filing is required. This would require the ability to move files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary.
• The ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• The person in this position frequently communicates with donors, colleagues, students, and general public. Must be able to communicate with others effectively.
• Physical effort/lifting, up to 50 pounds.
• Travel requirements can include the following: evenings, weekends, and out of town overnights as a regular part of the job.

We’ve got you covered:

 

KU Endowment offers a competitive salary with an excellent benefit package including: 

• 100% employer-paid pension plan
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) and Roth 401(k) matching program
• Section 125 flexible benefits 
• Generous paid leave including holidays, personal and sick leave
• Volunteer and community engagement opportunities
• Paid Parental Leave
• Life, AD&D, short- and long-term disability insurance
• Legal & ID Theft protection
• Critical Illness
• Accident and Hospital Indemnity insurance 
• KU education assistance 
• Free parking

Sounds good, right? What’s next?

 

Please include your resume and cover letter when applying for this position on our website at https://www.kuendowment.org/careers.

 

Questions regarding this vacancy may be addressed to:

 

Charo Kelley
Director, Development Talent Acquisition, Culture & Employee Belonging Lead
KU Endowment
PO Box 928
Lawrence, KS 66044-0928

Email: ckelley@kuendowment.org

Review of applications begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. Because of the sensitive nature of KU Endowment business and the importance of our reputation with donors, KU Endowment conducts a comprehensive review of applicants. By submitting your application, you authorize us to conduct reference checks and a review of available public information. Employment is contingent upon background and reference checks that KU Endowment finds acceptable.