Associate, Urban Initiatives

Summary

The Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) are seeking an Associate, Urban Initiatives to perform a broad array of administrative tasks to ensure effective office and project operations including planning, scheduling, and logistics for conferences and meetings (virtual and in person); supporting office communications; record keeping; and coordinating financial processes and paperwork. The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communications skills, be able to manage time and multiple projects efficiently, and possess organizational and planning skills with a keen attention to detail. This full-time position is based in Washington, DC. The incumbent must be authorized to work in the United States, reside in DC, MD, or VA, and pass standard background checks. The incumbent is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. For more information about APLU please visit www.aplu.org.

Background

The Coalition of Urban-Serving Universities (USU) is a president-led organization committed to enhancing urban university engagement and tackling key urban challenges in our nation’s cities. With a membership of 39 public, urban research universities across 27 states, USU’s agenda focuses on the role of urban-serving research universities as “anchor institutions” in urban ecosystems to drive workforce and career development, equitable student success, impactful campus-community partnerships, and economic and community health. Annually, member campuses enroll over 1.2 million students, employ 235,000 faculty and staff, and conduct more than $8 billion in university research. USU operates in permanent partnership with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) to jointly lead an urban agenda for the nation’s public universities.

APLU is a membership organization that fosters a community of university leaders collectively working to advance the mission of public research universities. The association’s membership consists of nearly 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations spanning across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, six U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico. The association and its members collectively focus on: increasing access, success, completion, and workforce readiness; promoting pathbreaking scientific research; and bolstering economic and community engagement. Drawing on the powerful collective action of its members, APLU’s advocacy arm helps shape federal policy that maximizes the positive impact of public and land-grant universities. Annually, member campuses enroll 5.3 million undergraduates and 1.4 million graduate students, award 1.4 million degrees, employ 1.35 million faculty and staff, and conduct $61 billion in university-based research.

Responsibilities

Administrative Support

• Provide general administrative support for the Coalition of Urban-Serving Universities (USU), including scheduling meetings, notetaking, agenda management, managing office operations, assisting with contract administration, etc.
• Coordinate data management for USU, 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, and managing contact requests that come in through the website.
• Update and maintain USU records and archives.
• Support the USU Board through meeting scheduling, agenda creation, and writing meeting minutes.

Communication

• Draft, edit, and send announcements and communications using email marketing software as needed.
• Assist in the development of content and maintenance of USU’s online presence, including webpages, social media outlets, and blog entries as needed.
• Draft and edit documents, emails, and other communications. Take and distribute meeting notes as needed.
• Manage general USU inboxes, ensuring that incoming emails are responded to appropriately and on a timely basis.
• Maintain positive relations with a diverse group of member university representatives through in-person, virtual, and email interactions.

Financial Logistics

• Coordinate USU dues process, including requesting and sending invoices and tracking payments.
• Process payments for contracts, honoraria, travel reimbursements, expense reports, project subawards, event expenses, etc.
• Reconcile credit card accounts.
• Provide logistical support for the financial activities for the USU base budget and grant-funded projects, including communication and coordination with APLU’s Office of Finance.

Event Management

• Coordinate the logistics, planning, and administrative aspects of USU’s conferences, meetings, and events (both virtual and in-person) such as obtaining, reviewing, and evaluating hotel contracts, drafting/compiling meeting materials, providing on-site support, etc.

Other Duties

• Participate as an integral member of the USU Team and APLU and contribute to a welcoming and collegial workplace.
• Perform other duties 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 urban higher education 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 USU and APLU.
• Ability to travel domestically two or more times a year.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter and resume to APLU’s Human Resources Department at resume@aplu.org with the subject line of “USU Associate”. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled, with preference given to those received by Friday, June 13, 2025. APLU is committed to a welcoming work environment and supports staff with a generous benefits package.

APLU is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to providing reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please contact resume@aplu.org.