External Relations at the University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the role of Project Associate. The University of Virginia has a strong and reputable advancement community, boasting effective, results-oriented, and resourceful professionals. Our community comprises a robust central advancement organization, 12 University schools, and more than 25 University-related programs. We offer a wide variety of career opportunities, as well as an outstanding environment for professional growth and development.

Position Summary

The Project Associate will provide administrative and project management support to the University Annual Giving & Stewardship Direct Marketing team. The Project Associate reports to the Senior Director, Direct Marketing and will collaborate with the Direct Marketing team to ensure that each project receives the resources and attention it needs to be successful. This role includes handling correspondence with external stakeholders, processing vendor invoices, creating appeal codes, maintaining premium fulfillment, assisting with proofing of projects, and providing administrative support to the Senior Director, Direct Marketing.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service to constituents by maintaining the University Annual Giving & Stewardship inbox and handling correspondence with external stakeholders.

• Create campaign codes in the CRM, ensuring all Direct Marketing projects are coded correctly.

• Serve as the point person for premium campaigns, including providing vendors with timelines and mailing lists.

• Help review and proof Direct Marketing projects to ensure accuracy of constituent data.

• Complete expense and reimbursements in compliance with stated UA and UVA policy and guidelines for assigned team members in an accurate and timely manner

• Ensure invoices and expenses are paid promptly and enter ROI into the CRM.

• Manage a student intern responsible for data inputs in the CRM.

• Provide administrative support to the Direct Marketing team and calendar management to the Senior Director, Direct Marketing.

• Participate in University Annual Giving & Stewardship, Annual Giving Community of Practice, Office of Engagement, and External Relations meetings.

• Collaborate with the Office of Engagement administrative team to ensure the completion of shared tasks and initiatives and actively participate in the Administrative Professionals Training (APT) for continued professional development.

• Participate in meetings, events, and other duties as assigned.

• Other duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, process-driven, and comfortable leveraging AI tools to improve efficiency.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree required.

• Experience: 2+ years of relevant experience required. Additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.

• Strong attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.

• Exceptional customer service skills.

• Proven ability to manage projects independently or as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Freshdesk or another helpdesk ticketing system.

• Experience with Salesforce CRM.

• Experience using design tools such as Canva or Visme to help with building reports.

• Familiarity with AI tools (e.g., Copilot, Claude, or similar) to summarize, synthesize, and visualize information.

• Ability to format and summarize data in Excel (e.g, pivot tables).

Physical Demands

This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Salary Range

• The anticipated hiring range is $57K - $64K / year, commensurate with education and experience.

Position Type & Work Location

• This is an exempt-level, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.

• This is a restricted position, which is dependent on funding and is contingent upon funding availability.

• UVA External Relations offers a flexible and hybrid workplace. All team members must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and work collaboratively with others using various technologies and tools. This position is required to work intermittently in a shared office space located in Charlottesville, Virginia. This position is hybrid, and the incumbent must live or be willing to relocate within 50 miles of our office building located in Charlottesville, VA.

About UVA and the Community

To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

Application Timeline

Application review will begin after June 22, 2026.

Additional Requirements

• Background checks will be conducted on all new hires prior to employment.

• This position will not consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

How to Apply

Please apply online, by searching for requisition number R0084428. Complete an application with the following documents:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field. You can submit multiple documents into this one field or combine them into one PDF. Applications without all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Reference Check Process

Reference checks will be completed by UVA’s third-party partner, SkillSurvey, during the final phase of the interview. Five references will be requested, with at least three responses required.

Contact

• For additional information about the position, please contact Sandi Hall, Senior Associate Director for Staff Success, at eym5wh@virginia.edu.

• For questions about the application process, please contact Jon Freeman, HR Recruitment Specialist, at jf2sw@virginia.edu.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.