Job Description

Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the Assistant provides executive support in a one-on-one working relationship. The Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of the President/CEO. The Assistant also serves as a liaison to the board of directors and senior management teams; organizes and coordinates executive outreach and external relations efforts; and oversees special projects. The Assistant must be creative and enjoy working within a large, fast-paced, demanding environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The Assistant will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Executive Support:

• Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the President/CEO including: managing an extremely active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; composing and preparing correspondence that is sometimes confidential; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.
• Plans, coordinates and ensures the President/CEO\'s schedule is followed and respected. Provides "gatekeeper" and "gateway" role, creating win-win situations for direct access to the President/CEO\'s time and office.
• Communicates directly, and on behalf of the President/CEO, with Board members, donors, Foundation staff, and others, on matters related to President/CEO\'s programmatic initiatives.
• Attends all board and board committee meetings and takes minutes.
• Researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the President/CEO, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Determines appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
• Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the President\'s office and internal departments; demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with senior management staff.
• Works closely and effectively with the President/CEO to keep him/her well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Acts as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the President/CEO updated.
• Provides leadership to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization, and manages a variety of special projects for the President/CEO, some of which may have organizational impact.
• Successfully completes critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the President/CEO\'s ability to effectively lead the company.
• Prioritizes conflicting needs; handles matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures. Board Support and Liaison
• Serves as the President/CEO\'s administrative liaison to Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana s board of directors
• Participates in all board and board committee meetings; drafting agendas, scheduling meetings and taking minutes.
• Assists board members with travel arrangements, lodging, and meal planning as needed
• Maintains discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members
• Adhere to compliance with applicable rules and regulations set in bylaws regarding board and board committee matters, including advance distribution of materials before meetings in electronic/paper format.

Senior Management Liaison:

• Participates as an adjunct member of the Senior Management Team including assisting in scheduling, attending and taking minutes at all meetings
• Assists in coordinating the agenda of management team meetings and off-sites, and all staff meetings
• Facilitates cross-divisional coordination of travel and outreach plans Communications, Partnerships, and Outreach
• Ensures that the President/CEO\'s bio is kept updated and responds to requests for materials regarding the President/CEO and the organization in general
• Edits and completes first drafts for written communications to external stake holders

Strategic Initiatives:

• Works with the Strategic Initiatives team in coordinating the President/CEO\'s outreach activities
• Follows up on contacts made by the President/CEO and supports the cultivation of ongoing relationships
• Edits all, and creates acknowledgement letters from the President/CEO to donors

Supervisory Duties:

• Agency Receptionist

Qualifications:

• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail
• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors
• Expert level written and verbal communication skills. Excellent writing, editing, grammatical, organizational, and research skills.
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
• Emotional maturity
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment
• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions Education and Experience Requirements
• Strong work tenure: five to 10 years of experience supporting C-Level Executives
• Experience working with a board, attending board meetings and taking minutes.
• Experience and interest in internal and external communications, partnership development, and fundraising
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Adobe Acrobat, and Social Media web platforms. Ability to learn new software such as Doodle Polls and Board portals.
• Bachelor s degree or equivalent experience
• Excellent management, time-management, and problem-solving skills.

Working Conditions/Other Data:

• Due to the confidentiality of the work, the functions of this position should be performed in a private office location.
• Occasional travel may be involved.

Volunteers of America