Old Members’ Assistant

The College and the Role  

Founded in 1341, Queen’s is one of the oldest constituent Colleges in the University of Oxford. Its membership comprises around 330 undergraduates, 160 graduates, and around 45 Fellows. The Provost, Dr Claire Craig, is head of the College, and serves as Chair of the Governing Body. The College community also consists of c. 7,000 Old Members (alumni) based around the world. 

The College maintains an extensive and historically significant library and archive, a stunning 17th century Chapel, and many other facilities to support its academic and cultural life. The past decade has witnessed a very substantial programme of refurbishment and construction, including the building of a new kitchen and buttery, as well as a new, award-winning auditorium and underground extension to the Library. 

Further information on the College can be found on its website at www.queens.ox.ac.uk 

Purpose of the role  

This full-time post sits in the well-established Old Members’ Office at the Queen’s College, Oxford. In addition to the Old Members’ Assistant, the team consists of the Director of Development, the Deputy Director of Development, two Old Members’ Officers (as a full-time job-share), the Legacy Giving Officer and the Regular Giving Officer. 

The Old Members’ Office is responsible for building and maintaining life-long relationships with the College’s Old Members and Friends of Queen’s. Contained with the Old Members’ Office is the Development Office, which works with the College’s donors to provide support for Queen’s students, academics, and other areas such as access and outreach, the Choir and the College’s Grade I-listed buildings. 

The Old Members’ Assistant plays an important role in helping the team deliver an outstanding and personalised service to the College’s Old Members and donors. This includes undertaking a range of regular and ad-hoc administrative tasks to support the wider team, supporting our Old Members’ Officers in delivering the College’s annual events calendar and Old Member communications, and supporting the Regular Giving Officer by taking the lead on gift processing and donor thanking. 

Main Duties and Responsibilities 

The primary duties and responsibilities for the Old Members’ Assistant are focused on administrative and front-line support to the Old Members’ Office team. 

The below list is not an exhaustive list of duties and the post holder will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by their changing role within the organisation and the overall objectives of the College. 

Old Members’ Office Administration 

• Be the first point of contact for routine Old Member queries (including B&B bookings), by telephone, email, post and in person and personally dealing with as many queries as possible. 
• Maintain membership of select College Groups on the Development and Alumni Engagement (DARS) database. 
• Proactively identify opportunities for improving data on Queen’s Old Members. 
• Monitor and collate information for the annual College Record – recording on DARS and forwarding to section editors as necessary. 
• Manage the process for sending birthday cards on ‘notable birthdays’ of Old Members and Friends.  
• Ensure that Old Member achievements, job updates, news and deaths are recorded accurately on the database and the appropriate letters and notes are sent. 
• Advertise and collate submissions and applications for the 650th Anniversary Trust, and project manage the annual committee lunch meeting. 
• General office administration, including managing supplies and processing mail. 

Alumni Relations and Communications 

• Assist the Old Members’ Officer (job-share), and other members of the team when required, with the administration and delivery of the Office’s programme of events. This includes updating the College website, generating and sending invitations via DARS; receiving bookings and payments (online, email and post); sending confirmation emails; updating DARS; answering Old Member and colleague questions about events; creating event packs, printing name badges, place cards, guest lists and seating plans.  
• Attend events both in Oxford and other venues (as agreed with line manager; time off in lieu will be given). Please note that these predominantly take place during evenings and weekends. 
• Support the production of the e-newsletter.  

Donation Processing 

• Process all fundraising (and event) income on DARS ensuring all income is correctly coded and that interactions between the donor and the College are accurately recorded.
• Ensure that all gifts, from multiple channels, are logged on DARS as they are received.  
• Retrieve Direct Debit reports and update gift records; address any queries regarding unpaid/cancelled donations.  
• Prepare monthly reconciliations between the College bank accounts and DARS for the Regular Giving Officer 
• Support, where necessary, gift aid submissions to HMRC  
• With the Regular Giving Officer, prepare appropriate and customised thank you letters for each donation for signature by the designated individual. 
• Liaise with the College’s Bursary Team as appropriate.  

Other Duties 

• Maintain strict confidentiality at all times and always adhere to UK Data Protection legislation. 
• To be flexible and willing to help colleagues when required. 
• From time to time to undertake other duties identified by the Director of Development and Old Members’ Officers (job-share) as required. 

Personal Specification 

The post holder should be, or have the capacity and desire to be, a task-oriented and motivated administrator with a strong sense of taking the initiative. Ideally, the post holder will be interested in building or furthering a career in event management, fundraising and/or communications. 

Further details can be found by clicking the apply button above.

The appointment will be subject to proof of the right to work in the UK, acceptable references, proof of qualifications, and the satisfactory completion of a medical questionnaire.

Any enquiries about the application process should be emailed to HR@queens.ox.ac.uk

The closing date for the receipt of applications is  14th July 2024. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

 We aim to hold interviews in the week commencing  22 July 2024.