Executive Assistant

States Newsroom is seeking a highly organized and efficient Executive Assistant to provide high-level administrative support to the CEO and Leadership team.

States Newsroom is the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, with reporting from every capital. Our work provides key insight on policy and politics at no cost to the reader — no pop-ups, paywalls or ads. After completing our expansion in 2024, States Newsroom now employs more than 220 full-time editors, reporters, and support staff covering 39 states; in the remaining 11 states, we partner with and support already-established nonprofit newsrooms. As we turn our focus to the future and how to expand our impact, we are seeking an experienced and effective Executive Assistant to help streamline our workflow and organizational efficiency by providing key administrative and fundraising support to our Leadership team.

Based at our headquarters office in Chapel Hill, NC, the Executive Assistant will be responsible for a broad range of administrative responsibilities, including managing the CEO’s inbox and calendar, scheduling and preparing materials for internal and external meetings, and organizing logistics for business travel and staff events. This individual will also play a key role in assisting the CEO and Development Director with important fundraising tasks, including researching prospective funders, drafting correspondence to new and existing donors, tracking key impact and analytics metrics, and arranging the logistical details and preparation materials for all virtual and in-person fundraising meetings.

If you are a highly organized and adaptable professional who thrives in fast-paced environments and is passionate about supporting state and local journalism’s essential role in our democracy, this job is for you!

Job Responsibilities

CEO Support

• Manage the CEO’s inbox by organizing incoming correspondence, prioritizing responses and follow-up actions, and exercising judgment that reflects the CEO’s style and approach
• Manage the CEO’s calendar, scheduling both internal and external meetings according to his availability and acting as a liaison between the CEO and external stakeholders
• Organize meetings for CEO by setting up conference calls, assisting with tech needs, and helping to prepare necessary materials for review ahead of time
• Ensure CEO and other Leadership team members are prepared for fundraising-related calls and other external meetings by assisting with research and providing notes on previous interactions

Leadership Team Support

• Complete a broad variety of administrative tasks that facilitate the Leadership Team’s ability to effectively lead the organization, including scheduling meetings and tracking tasks and follow ups
• Help facilitate regular Leadership team meetings with agenda support and thorough note-taking
• Track Leadership team’s commitments, goals, projects, tasks, and deadlines, and support prioritization and execution
• Handle confidential information with the utmost discretion and integrity
• Prepare and file expense reports for members of the Leadership team
• Arrange travel and meeting arrangements and reservations for Leadership / HQ team retreats and other trips/conferences for Executive team members

Other Administrative & Fundraising Tasks

• Assist with impact tracking and analytics reporting for fundraising and communications projects
• Help draft fundraising-related outreach and follow-up communications
• Assist with meeting and conference planning and note taking for our semiannual summits and Board meetings
• Maintain shared documents and databases for use by Leadership and HQ staff
• Other administrative tasks and operational tasks, as required

Qualifications & Compensation

We’re looking for someone who demonstrates:

• At least 3 years of experience or more directly supporting a CEO, Executive Team, and/or other administrative management in a fast-paced organization
• Experience with a variety of tech systems, including Google Suite, Zoom, Asana, CRMs, and expense management platforms like Zoho Expense
• Strong technological aptitude and ability to learn new systems and tools quickly
• Exceptional project management and multitasking skills
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to adapt quickly to new technologies and priorities
• Great self-direction and the ability to manage up
• A strategic thinking and problem-solving approach to their work
• Discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information
• Enthusiastic support for the power of journalism in democracy

The minimum salary for this role is $65,000 and rises with experience.

Authorization to work in the United States is required. At this time, States Newsroom is unable to provide visa sponsorship.

About Our Culture

States Newsroom is dedicated to producing journalism at all levels — from quick hit to investigative — but not at the expense of burning out its employees. We are supportive, exciting, welcoming and positive. We believe in creating sustainable careers for journalists on the crucial state government beat.

States Newsroom’s mission is to connect people to the power that shapes their daily lives through relentless reporting and incisive commentary on state government and policy. Journalism is a powerful force for social change, uniquely suited to challenging systemic inequality and racism. Our goal is to build an organization that fulfills that mission.

At States Newsroom, we believe we strengthen our work and improve our insights when we incorporate the perspectives of people who come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences. We are committed to diversity and prioritize equity in all recruiting and hiring. We are always working to better represent our communities and are supported in these efforts by a network-wide Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice committee.

How to Apply

To apply, send a cover letter and resume with at least three professional references to jobs@statesnewsroom.com. Applications will be reviewed as they arrive.