Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for University Associate

🎯 Role Definition

A University Associate is a multifaceted administrative and programmatic professional who supports academic departments, student services, research offices, and institutional initiatives. This role combines project coordination, operational administration, stakeholder communication, data tracking, and process improvement to ensure efficient delivery of programs and high-quality service to students, faculty, staff, and external partners. Ideal candidates are organized, customer-focused, data-literate, and experienced with higher education systems and compliance requirements.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Academic Coordinator / Program Coordinator
Administrative Assistant in higher education
Research Assistant or Admissions Advisor

Advancement To:

Senior University Associate / Senior Program Manager
Assistant Director, Student Services or Enrollment Management
Research Administrator or Grants Manager

Lateral Moves:

Academic Advisor / Student Success Coach
Alumni Relations Coordinator
Operations Manager within an academic department

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage day-to-day operations for one or more academic units or student services teams, including scheduling, calendar management, coordination of meetings and committees, and preparation of agendas and minutes to ensure timely follow-up and accountability.
Coordinate the administrative aspects of academic programs and courses — processing course approvals, maintaining curriculum documentation, liaising with registrars, and ensuring compliance with institutional policies and accreditation standards.
Serve as a primary point of contact for students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders, delivering professional customer service, responding to inquiries, resolving issues, and escalating complex matters to senior leadership when needed.
Oversee the onboarding and offboarding logistics for adjunct faculty, visiting scholars, and staff, including contract processing, system access provisioning, workspace coordination, and orientation materials.
Administer student lifecycle processes such as admissions support, enrollment verification, graduation audit assistance, and degree clearance activities; coordinate with Admissions and Registrar offices to meet enrollment targets and retention goals.
Lead program coordination for workshops, seminars, conferences, and special events — manage vendor relationships, budgets, event promotion, attendee registration, on-site logistics, and post-event evaluation to maximize participation and ROI.
Manage and reconcile departmental budgets, purchase orders, reimbursements, and expense reports; collaborate with finance to track expenditures, forecast needs, and ensure compliance with institutional financial procedures.
Support faculty and researchers with pre- and post-award grant administration tasks including proposal routing, budget preparation, compliance checks, sponsor submission requirements, and grant reporting deadlines.
Maintain and update student information systems, CRM databases (e.g., Slate, Salesforce, Banner), and program spreadsheets to ensure accurate records, support reporting needs, and enable data-driven decision making.
Produce operational and programmatic reports, dashboards, and metrics (e.g., enrollment trends, retention analytics, event ROI) using Excel, Power BI, or institutional reporting tools to inform leadership and support strategic planning.
Coordinate internship, practicum, and experiential learning placements by cultivating employer partnerships, monitoring student placements, ensuring site compliance, and facilitating feedback loops between students and faculty supervisors.
Administer compliance and regulatory processes such as FERPA, Title IX referrals, IRB submissions support, and institutional policy communication to protect student privacy and ensure ethical research practices.
Facilitate communication campaigns for recruitment, retention, and alumni engagement using email marketing platforms, social media coordination, and content development to grow program visibility and stakeholder engagement.
Act as a liaison with cross-functional teams (registrar, financial aid, IT, facilities) to troubleshoot technical issues, implement process improvements, and coordinate services that support academic programs and student success.
Develop and maintain process documentation, SOPs, and training materials for administrative workflows to standardize operations, onboard new staff, and preserve institutional knowledge.
Evaluate and recommend improvements to operational processes, student-facing services, and administrative systems to increase efficiency, reduce friction points, and optimize resource allocation.
Monitor academic calendars, accreditation timelines, and program review schedules; coordinate data collection and evidence submission for internal reviews and external accreditation visits.
Support recruitment activities by scheduling interviews, coordinating campus visit logistics, preparing candidate packages, and conducting reference and background check coordination as needed.
Assist with alumni relations initiatives including event coordination, donor stewardship activities, and maintaining alumni records to cultivate long-term relationships and fundraising opportunities.
Supervise student employees and temporary staff — delegate tasks, provide training, evaluate performance, and foster a collaborative work environment that promotes student learning and operational excellence.
Lead special projects such as new program launches, strategic initiatives, or technology implementations; create project plans, manage timelines, assign responsibilities, and report progress to stakeholders.
Provide high-quality customer service in high-volume, deadline-driven environments by prioritizing competing requests, using judgment to escalate appropriately, and documenting resolutions for recurring issues.
Participate in institutional committees and working groups to represent the unit, contribute operational insights, and support campus-wide policy development or change management initiatives.
Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information, exercise discretion in handling personnel and student matters, and adhere to institutional codes of conduct and data protection practices.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Student Information Systems (e.g., Banner, Ellucian, PeopleSoft) — data entry, reporting, and troubleshooting.
Constituent Relationship Management and CRM tools (e.g., Slate, Salesforce, Hobson’s CRM) for recruitment and alumni engagement workflows.
Advanced Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas) and experience with spreadsheet-based data analysis.
Data visualization and reporting tools (Power BI, Tableau, or institutional reporting platforms) to create dashboards and performance reports.
Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS) such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle for course coordination and support.
Financial administration skills including budget tracking, purchase orders, invoicing, and reconciliations.
Event management platforms and registration software (e.g., Eventbrite, Cvent) for program logistics and attendee management.
Grant and research administration basics — proposal support, budget templates, compliance checks, and post-award reporting.
Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office suite for document creation, collaboration, and communication.
Basic data analysis and query skills (SQL or experience collaborating with data teams) to support ad-hoc reporting requests.
Familiarity with FERPA, Title IX, IRB processes, and basic higher-education regulatory compliance requirements.
Content management systems and email marketing platforms (e.g., WordPress, Mailchimp) for outreach and communications.

Soft Skills

Excellent oral and written communication, with the ability to draft clear correspondence, reports, and web content for diverse audiences.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; adept at managing multiple projects, deadlines, and competing priorities.
Customer-service orientation and empathy when working with students, parents, faculty, and external partners.
Problem-solving mindset with the ability to analyze issues, propose practical solutions, and implement improvements.
Collaborative team player who builds relationships across departments and facilitates cross-functional coordination.
High level of discretion, ethical judgment, and ability to handle confidential information professionally.
Adaptability and resilience in dynamic academic environments and during peak operational cycles (e.g., registration, enrollment).
Project management fundamentals — timeline development, milestone tracking, risk identification, and stakeholder communication.
Cultural competency and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in student-facing services and communications.
Initiative and ownership — ability to work independently, take projects from concept to completion, and proactively identify opportunities for impact.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Education, Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, Public Administration, Communications, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Higher Education, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or a closely related discipline preferred for senior or specialized roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Higher Education Administration
Educational Leadership
Business Administration
Public Administration
Communications or Marketing

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of progressively responsible administrative or program coordination experience in higher education, nonprofit, or related sectors.

Preferred: 3–5+ years of experience specifically within a university environment — experience with student services, enrollment management, academic affairs, or research administration is highly desirable.