Corporate Relations Specialist

Job Description

Special Instructions to Applicants: All interested applicants should attach a cover letter and resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Boasting a 300-acre tree‑lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student‑to‑faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses and student government. Developing close‑knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations (OCFR) manages all corporate and foundation partnerships on behalf of Rice University, directing strategy for stewarding and expanding existing partnerships while identifying and pursuing new opportunities. The Corporate Relations Specialist is a member of the corporate relations team within OCFR, working with team members, staff, faculty, and corporate contacts to support the university‑wide effort to maintain and advance strong relationships with corporations to achieve the goals of Rice University.

The ideal candidate exhibits a high degree of organization and professionalism and works well independently and as part of a highly collaborative team.

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in‑office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

• Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

• Bachelor’s Degree (in lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year‑for‑year basis)
• One or more (1+) years of professional experience in an administrative position and extensive professional interaction with all levels of staff and leadership that are internal and external to an organization (in lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year‑for‑year basis)

• Ability to prioritize work and multi‑task in a fast‑paced and dynamic environment
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and collaborate effectively within a team
• Advanced written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills and attention to detail
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in making decisions
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Relevant subject matter knowledge

• Two or more (2+) years of professional experience described above
• Experience working in a university setting
• Experience administering grants and proposals
• Experience interfacing with corporations
• Familiarity with fundraising database software and recordkeeping
• Experience in a PC Windows environment
  
  Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly with Microsoft Excel

• Supports holistic corporate engagement at Rice by assuring smooth administrative processes between Rice and corporate contacts, and maintaining awareness of university policies and procedures
• Executes stewardship reporting for corporate partners
• Processes corporate gifts and grants by tracking grant agreements, processing payments, creating and distributing gift memos and approvals, creating and updating plans and opportunities in the Development and…