Executive Assistant To C.E.O.

About ACT Foundation

Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation is a grant making nonprofit organization established in 2016 to support local, national and regional non – profit organizations working to address challenges and associated vulnerabilities across the African Continent. We seek to promote broad based participation/partnership with other institution and/or donor organizations aimed at building sustainable communities and to provide innovative solutions to social, economic and to provide innovative solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges.

Job Summary

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Executive Assistant provides executive support in a one-on-one working relationship. The Executive Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of the C.E.O. The Executive 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 Executive Assistant must be creative and enjoy working within a small, impactful 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 Executive 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.

Duties & Responsibilities

Executive Support

• Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the 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 CEO's schedule is followed and respected. Provides "gatekeeper" and "gateway" role, creating win-win situations for direct access to the CEO's time and office.
• Communicates directly, and on behalf of the and CEO, with Board members, donors, Foundation staff, and others, on matters related to CEO's programmatic initiatives.
• Researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Determines appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
• Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the CEO’s office and internal departments; demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with senior management staff.
• Works closely and effectively with the CEO to keep 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 CEO updated.
• Provides leadership to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization and manages a variety of special projects for the 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 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 CEO's administrative liaison to ACT Foundation's board of directors
• 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 Executive Team including assisting in scheduling meetings and attending all meetings
• Assists in coordinating the agenda of senior 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 CEO's bio is kept updated and responds to requests for materials regarding the and the organization in general
• Edits and completes first drafts for written communications to external stakeholders.

Strategic Initiatives

• Works with the Strategic Initiatives team in coordinating the CEO's outreach activities.
• Edits all, and creates acknowledgement letters from the CEO to donors.

Qualifications & Skill Requirements

• 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.
• 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.

Environment & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Strong work tenure: three to five years of experience supporting C-Level Executives, preferably in a non-profit organization.
• Experience and interest in internal and external communications, partnership and development.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Adobe Acrobat, and Social Media web platforms.

Core Competencies

Benefits & Compensation

If you have the necessary skills for a top-level Executive Assistant and want to be part of a dynamic team of people who are aligned, focused, and passionate about making impact, then we look forward to meeting you! To apply, send resume to careers@actrustfoundation.org with the subject “Executive Assistant”.