Assistant Director of Executive Operations

About the Job

The Assistant Director of Executive Operations reports directly to the Vice President of Strategic Advocacy and serves as a key operational leader and partner within the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA). Functioning within the UMAA’s organizational structure—spanning Strategic Advocacy, Strategic Engagement, and Business Operations—this position oversees and ensures governance processes are followed and helps facilitate executive impact.
The UMAA serves the University of Minnesota’s five-campus system under the "One Alumni Community" initiative. The Assistant Director of Executive Operations provides high-level strategic synchronization for the President & CEO, executes operations for the 30-member, University-wide UMAA Board of Directors, and serves as the primary administrative liaison to University Leadership, including the President's Office, Board of Regents, and collegiate Deans.

Key Position Responsibilities:
Strategic Synchronization of the UMAA President & CEO's Office: (35%):

• Identify and analyze top strategic priorities across complex shared governance structures, consulting with the UMAA President & CEO as a trusted advisor ensuring that the UMAA President & CEO executive capacity is focused and aligned with organizational goals and priorities.
• Analyze and synthesize cross-departmental data and information to support informed decision-making to drive measurable outcomes, significantly increasing the effectiveness and impact of the UMAA President & CEO across the University system.
• Understand all details related to the UMAA President & CEO’s internal and external meetings, identify action items, finalize meeting prep, and complete post-meeting communications in order to advance senior leadership priorities.
• Exercise independent decision-making and discretion to optimize and manage critical scheduling for the UMAA President & CEO’s calendar.
• Coordinate complex domestic and international travel itineraries, maintaining strict adherence to University and organizational travel policies, guidelines, and preferences ensuring operational excellence.

Board Operations & Governance Leadership: (35%):

• Provide independent operational oversight for the 30-member UMAA Board of Directors and its standing committees, including the Executive Committee and the Nominating & Board Development Committee.
• Lead governance processes and independently identify and implement integrative solutions for processes and resources across all five University of Minnesota campuses in consultation with board leadership, board members.
• Act as the expert and trusted advisor to the UMAA Board of Governors board Chair on complex problem solving related to UMAA bylaws, board governance best practices, and navigating shared governance across the University’s five campus system to ensure board activities align with fiduciary, legal, and administrative mandates.
• Manage critical fiscal oversight of UMAA Board of Directors and UMAA President & CEO’s operational budgets.
• Oversee, analyze, and make process improvements to the orientation program for the UMAA Board of Governors, independently streamlining onboarding workflows and foundational knowledge transfer to accelerate new member integration and institutional effectiveness.
• Direct strategic recruitment and election cycles for the UMAA Board of Governors in close partnership with the CEO and the Nominating & Board Development Committee to secure high-impact leadership.
• Advance leadership priorities through strategic coordination of University system-wide information and distribution of UMAA Board of Governors presentations, reports, and meeting materials promoting transparency and efficiency.
• Manage the quarterly UMAA Board of Governors “Board Scorecard” to track key metrics—including attendance, engagement, financial contributions, and participation—while orchestrating annual mid-year executive check-ins between the UMAA President & CEO and board members to drive continuous governance excellence.
• Author, distribute, and archive comprehensive UMAA Board of Governors board meeting minutes while ensuring strict adherence to Minnesota 501(c)(3) legal mandates, University of Minnesota accountability standards, and the organization's permanent institutional record.

University Leadership Liaison & External Relations: (15%):

• Act as an institutional steward and primary administrative connection between the UMAA, the University President’s Office, the Board of Regents, the collegiate Deans, and executive campus leaders to facilitate transparent communication across complex and diverse stakeholder groups.
• Ensure organizational effectiveness by analyzing and managing executive communications and coordinating logistics for mission-driven University leadership meetings, including collegiate Deans' and University of Minnesota chancellors’ briefings.
• Navigate complex external relationships to manage critical scheduling of comprehensive executive hosting operations and stakeholder engagements.

Internal Operations & Strategic Advocacy: (15%):

• Serve as the principal consultant to the Vice President of Strategic Advocacy in driving efficiency, accountability, and measurable outcomes across the UMAA Advocacy team while fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Optimize UMAA executive operational efficiency by recommending process improvements, streamlining workflows, and integrating emerging technologies (including AI tools).
• Ensure organizational effectiveness by aligning cross-functional executive operations with core UMAA engagement, advocacy, and shared governance goals.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, communications, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Minimum of 6 years of full-time professional work experience successfully managing executive operations, board relations, or senior administrative functions.
• Demonstrated experience providing direct support to C-suite executives and working alongside governing boards or high-level volunteer leadership.
• Exceptional organizational and analytical skills, high attention to detail, and a proven ability to manage complex priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Superior written, verbal, and executive-level interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency with executive calendaring, travel coordination, and electronic board management portals (e.g., Govenda).
• Able to work independently and collaboratively in the office a minimum of three days per week and remotely a minimum of two days per week for this hybrid role.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting a Board of Directors in a higher education or complex non-profit environment.
• Knowledge of the University of Minnesota system, its organizational structure, and system and campus leadership dynamics.
• Experience leading operational changes or governance structures across multi-campus institutions.

Non-Essential Functions:

• Provide support at major UMAA events.
• Perform other specialized projects and operational duties as assigned by the Vice President of Strategic Advocacy or the President & CEO (5%).
• Other duties as assigned.

About the Department

Founded in 1904, the University of Minnesota Alumni Association® (UMAA) connects alumni with each other, supports student success, and advances the University of Minnesota. The Alumni Association advocates for the University and its alumni with a credible, independent, and collaborative voice. Members make Alumni Association programs strong and ensure that the more than 650,000 alumni across all five campuses share a sense of belonging to our vibrant global community of learners, makers and doers.

Through the U of M Alumni Association's programs and services, we strive to create impact and enrichment to our alumni no matter who or where they are.