Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

Mission

Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. In collaboration with key partners, we deploy a two-pronged approach to achieve this goal by providing immediate relief to those who are hungry today and working to eradicate the systemic causes of hunger.

To assist us in meeting our mission, Project Bread – The Walk for Hunger is seeking an Executive Assistant to the President & CEO to join our team.

Project Bread is a vibrant organization with a deep commitment to creating positive social change. We work in a fast-paced environment that values learning and an entrepreneurial approach. Knowing its importance to the success of our work, Project Bread is committed to diversity and inclusion, and we aspire to build a diverse staff team and community, including groups that are traditionally underrepresented among our sector leadership. We strongly encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. Please be sure to submit your resume and a thoughtful cover letter that explains your interest in the role and our organization. We appreciate your time and will review and respond to all applications received.

The Role:

The Executive Assistant reports directly to the President & CEO and is responsible for a high level of clerical, administrative, and general office assistance and support, to ensure an efficient, and positive work environment. The successful candidate will have outstanding organizational skills, experience in a fast-paced environment, possess a meticulous attention to detail, have the ability to successfully prioritize and manage multiple duties, and have excellent independent judgment to act on behalf of the President & CEO when appropriate. This position requires the ability to provide strong support to the President & CEO in a one-on-one working relationship and excellent interpersonal skills, as well as sound judgment and maturity.

The Executive Assistant serves as a liaison to senior management and staff, as well as to the Board of Directors. Must be calm and efficient under pressure and able to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion. Will require a time commitment and flexibility commensurate with the needs of the President & CEO. The Executive Assistant will also manage key meetings, events, and special projects during the year.

The Executive Assistant role is a high growth role. The right candidate will have visibility to strategic and programmatic decision making and will come to understand all the workings of Project Bread in great detail, enabling expedited professional development.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Executive support
  • Provide administrative support to the President & CEO and the VP of People and Operations
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for the President & CEO, often responsible for acting on her behalf.
    • Communicating on behalf of the President & CEO via email and phone calls, including with the Board of Directors, donors, legislative offices and others on priority initiatives. Includes drafting remarks, acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that support and assist the President & CEO’s ability to lead the organization effectively
    • Managing the President & CEO’s calendar and all scheduling
      • Briefing the President & CEO on upcoming events and responsibilities and providing all preparatory materials for appointments and meetings including briefing materials for external meetings;
    • Follows up on contacts made by the President & CEO and supports the cultivation of ongoing relationships
• Board support
  • Serve as the administrative liaison to the Board of Directors, including drafting Board correspondence such as, a monthly email and quarterly memo.
  • Schedule, plan, and execute all Board and Committee Meetings in a timely manner.
  • Assist senior staff with board support, including preparation and dissemination of Board Minutes and briefing materials.
  • Comply with and ensure proper board support as required in by laws, regarding board committee matters and governance.
  • Maintain discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members.
  • Maintain the Board Manual, Board contact listing, and Board portal, updating board members and staff on a regular basis.
• Project management
  • Coordinate project deliverables and correspondence, successfully completing critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach including drafting remarks, acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that support and assist the President & CEO’s ability to lead the organization effectively
  • Provides comprehensive support for special initiative events and activities as determined by the President & CEO. Can include, but is not limited to, special luncheons, dinners, ceremonies, and community events
  • Complete all other tasks and projects as assigned
• Stakeholder in Project Bread Culture
  • Acts to promote and sustain a positive, productive, and inclusive working environment, working with the President & CEO to initiate policies and activities to support this goal
  • Supports staff-wide events on behalf of the President & CEO
  • Drafts communications as needed to the staff on behalf of the President & CEO.

Qualifications:

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow and excel professionally. We know people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

• Personal commitment to preventing and ending hunger in Massachusetts
• Previous experience as an Executive Assistant strongly preferred
• Impeccable attention to detail, strong prioritization skills, and agility to multi-task and change priorities quickly
• Must be able to set a professional tone, and level of support that contributes to a positive work environment
• High level of interpersonal skills, self-possession and emotional maturity a must.
• Must be able to work independently and proactively, synchronizing rapidly to anticipate President & CEO’s needs.
• Bachelor's degree
• Previous experience working within the non-profit or fundraising industry
• Familiarity with public policy a plus
• Two-year commitment preferred
• Able to cultivate professional relationships and contribute to a positive office experience
• Must be pro-active and able to multi-task with ease
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Spanish language skills a plus

• Report directly to the President & CEO; offering occasional support to other senior staff as determined by the President & CEO.

Competitive salary and benefits commensurate with experience.

Project Bread is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services. Please contact jobs@projectbread.org if you would like to request special accommodations during the interview process.

Please submit resume and cover letter, in MS Word or PDF format, to jobs@projectbread.org