Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the President

Job Summary
The Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the President provides administrative and project management support to the President and the Board of Trustees.

Additionally provides support to the Chief Financial Officer and their board committee and task force assignments.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting directly to the President, the Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the President provides executive support to the CEO and the CFO in one-on-one working relationships and serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of the President. The Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the President also serves as a liaison to the board of directors and President’s Council; advises on, organizes and coordinates executive philanthropic activities and external relations efforts; works with the Executive Assistant, Office of the Provost to ensure alignment and coordination between the two offices, and oversees special projects.

The Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the President must be creative and enjoy working independently within a small, entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results and high standards-driven, fast-paced and community oriented. The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment and make both collaborative and independent decisions on the President’s behalf in a variety of situations, with exceptional written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize and maintain balance among multiple, often competing priorities.

The Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the President works independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with complete discretion.

Executive Support
• Complete a broad variety of administrative tasks for the President and CFO including: manage an extremely active calendar of appointments; complete expense reports; compose and prepare correspondence that is confidential; arrange complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and anticipate, compile and/or interpret strategies for meetings, stewardship visits, and solicitation calls.
• Plan, coordinate and ensure that the President’s schedule is followed and respected. Provide “gatekeeper” and “gateway” roles, creating win-win situations for direct access to the President’s time and office.
• Communicate directly, and on behalf of, the President with Board members, donors, faculty, staff, external partners, and others, on a wide range of matters.
• Research, prioritize, and follow up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the President, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Determine appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
• Provide a bridge for smooth communication between the President’s office and internal departments especially the office of the Provost; demonstrate leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with senior management staff.
• Work closely and effectively with the President to keep him/her well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Act as a “barometer” and “confidante,” having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the President updated.
• Provide leadership to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization and manage a variety of special projects for the President.
• Successfully complete critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the President’s ability to effectively lead.
• Prioritize conflicting needs; handle matters expeditiously, proactively, and follow-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

Board Support and Liaison
• Serve as the President’s administrative liaison to the board of trustees, including the coordination of the Board Chair’s calendar.
• Maintain discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members.
• Adhere to compliance with applicable rules and regulations set in bylaws/code of regulations regarding board and board committee matters, including advance preparation and distribution of materials before meetings in electronic/paper format.
• As the assistant secretary of the board of trustees, gather, prepare, edit, seek approval for, and distribute agendas and pre-reading material required for executive committee and board of trustee meetings.
• As the assistant secretary of the board of trustees, take and prepare minutes for executive committee and board of trustee meetings.

Senior Management Liaison
• Participate as a member of the President’s Council, including planning for regular PC meetings, scheduling meetings, attending all meetings, and taking minutes.
• Work closely with the Executive Vice President and Provost and Executive Assistant, Provost’s Office to prioritize the President’s engagement in discussions, decisions, events, and meetings that reinforce his goals and objectives as CIM’s chief executive officer, and leveraging the Provost to serve in the President’s place when appropriate.
• Serve as the senior executive assistant across the CIM enterprise as a counselor, advisor, mentor, collaborator, and role model.

Communications, Partnerships, and Outreach
• Ensure that the President’s bio is kept updated and respond to requests for materials regarding the President and the organization in general.
• Edit and complete selective first drafts for written communications to external stakeholders.
• Foster communication across key front-line administrative staff members in various departments to ensure proper coordination for activities that involve the President or the President’s Council.

Institutional Advancement
• Work with the Institutional Advancement team in coordinating and advising on the President’s cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation activities.
• Follow up on contacts made by the President and support the cultivation of ongoing relationships.
• Given that the majority of the president’s responsibilities are centered around fundraising, serve as a valuable comma active member of the institutional advancement team as a thought partner, collaborator, and problem solver.

Education, Experience and Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree required, with either a preferred focus in music as a degree or as an avocation.
• Strong work tenure: five to ten years of experience supporting C-Level Executives, preferably in a non-profit organization, ideally working closely with or for a sophisticated, statured board of trustees
• Experience, interest, and temperament in internal and external communications, partnership development, and fundraising.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point); experience with Raiser’s Edge donor software a plus.
• 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, editing, and proofing skills.
• Demonstrated proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability.
• Emotional maturity, with a servant-leader heart.
• 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, proposes solutions, and can appropriately delegate/enlist colleague support.

Personal Attributes
• Critical Thinking — solve problems on their own using creative thinking and make informed decisions using thoughtful analysis.

• Problem Solving — effectively and swiftly make decisions while largely keeping emotions at bay.

• Teamwork – working dependably and flexibly within a team environment, and with dependability, and vice versa with a high level of reliability, responsibility, and trustworthiness.

• Interpersonal Skills — how you communicate and interact with those around you.

• Intrinsically Motivated — positive and passionate about their jobs and are motivated by internal forces.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements
• Most of the work will take place in an office with heavy phone and PC usage.

• Some evening and weekend work may be required