Executive Assistant to the CEO

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Title: Executive Assistant to the CEO

Level: Full-time; coordinator-level position; remote-hybrid work possible

Salary: Starting at $36,000, opportunities in a growing organization for advancement.

Benefits: Enrollment in 100% employer-sponsored gold-level Blue Cross health care plan, 3% employer contribution to a 403b retirement fund, generous PTO and sick time, paid holidays, dedicated professional development funds, short-term disability coverage, optional dental and vision insurance.

Requirements: Resume, cover letter, contact information of two references, and writing sample(s); applications will only be reviewed if they include all elements. Proof of COVID vaccination and booster will be required upon hire.

Priority Deadline: July 29, 2022

As with all Book Harvest positions, we strongly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color; people with lived experience of poverty or homelessness; LGBTQIA applicants; and people with disabilities. 

Organization Overview

Founded in 2011 and based in Durham, North Carolina, Book Harvest (www.bookharvest.org) is a nonprofit organization that provides books to children and engages families and communities in promoting children’s literacy and a lifelong love of reading. Book Harvest believes that books are essential to children’s healthy development and well-being, that all children deserve to grow up in book-rich homes, and that all parents deserve access to the literacy resources and information that will enable them to be their children’s first and best teachers and brain builders. 

To progress as a community organization and change the education landscape in positive ways, we at Book Harvest believe it is our responsibility to be actively anti-racist, and we are dedicated to continuing the fight against racism in our society so that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Further, we are committed to maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace for all. 

To date, Book Harvest has provided more than 1.8 million books and a wide array of literacy supports to children and families. Durham, North Carolina is our learning lab, and we are committed to the replication and expansion of our work throughout North Carolina and across our country. 

Job Description

The full-time Executive Assistant will be a vital member of the Book Harvest team and will report to and work closely with the CEO and Founder. This person will play a critical role in anchoring the organization during a time of growth, supporting quality programming and building organizational capacity. This is a tremendous opportunity to maximize and strengthen the internal systems and further the external role of an innovative and high-impact organization.

This person will provide administrative, development, and fiscal support to the CEO, to ensure smooth and professional functioning of all aspects of the organization. The position will be based at Book Harvest’s office at 2501 University Drive in Durham. 

Requirements

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following.

Development Support

• Assist with monthly e-newsletter preparation and mailing
• Support all aspects of twice-yearly fundraising appeals, including preparing and addressing envelopes, coordinating lists (including downloading and cleaning of spreadsheets), and assembling mailings.
• Maintain a fundraising calendar to track and follow up on proposals to foundations and other funders.
• Conduct research on funder prospects; add info to their Bloomerang profiles as needed.
• Prepare grant reports and reports to funders.
• Assist in preparation of annual report.
• Assist in mailing annual report to several hundred key stakeholders each year. 
• Assist in creating content to share with funders and in delivering it, typically in highly personal ways (coordinating individual notes from CEO and customized emails).
• Assist CEO with occasional events to engage with funders and with events for board and staff, including arranging for invitations, ordering food and securing space.
• Keep impeccable and timely records.

Administrative Support

• Track CEO commitments, goals, projects, tasks and deadlines through to successful completion.
• Ensure items are effectively delegated, reprioritized, or addressed, navigating conflicting demands and time pressure
• Maintain the CEO’s calendar; ensure her time is allocated to the highest priorities
• Make appropriate in-person and/or virtual meeting arrangements and support meeting agenda preparation and dissemination
• Attend select meetings, take notes, capture action items, and assist the CEO in prioritizing, tracking, and delegating action items
• Assist CEO in preparing for select internal and external meetings, including gathering content and research that has been prepared by relevant teams, and as needed coordinating the preparation of new materials, policy briefings, talking points, and/or presentations
• Maintain systems for managing large amounts of information (electronic and paper), organizational record keeping, and reporting.
• Manage, coordinate, implement, and assist with initiatives and projects, including providing administrative support as needed.
• Assist the CEO with travel arrangements.
• Manage receipts and expense reports.
• Support the CEO in conducting research and preparing reports. 
• Support the CEO in furthering her relationships with key partners such as the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, First Book, Promise Venture Studio, and regional and national philanthropic organizations. 
• Assist in managing and updating Book Harvest website as needed.

Board of Directors Support

• Assist ED in preparing reports and agendas for quarterly board meetings.
• Serves as the CEO’s administrative liaison to the board of directors
• Schedule board and board committee meetings in coordination with the CEO and Board members and/or their assistants
• Prepare all logistics for virtual and/or in-person board meetings, working with venues and assisting board members with travel arrangements as needed
• Ensure advance distribution of materials before meetings and collection of any requested materials from board members, such as conflict of interest forms
• Take board meeting notes and assist with preparation and dissemination of official meeting minutes
• Very infrequent travel may be required

Customer Service

• Create a positive environment for interactions with everyone who visits Book Harvest.
• Consistently deliver extraordinary customer service to all with whom we have contact (phone, online, in-person).
• Respond to email and phone inquiries in a timely and professional fashion.
• Share our mission and vision in an enthusiastic and knowledgeable way with the larger community.

Qualifications

The successful candidate for this position is a highly motivated, superbly organized individual who communicates clearly, collaborates well, leads with professionalism, and is a team player. Attention to detail, ability to work independently, and meticulous tracking of information are essential. This person must be able to represent Book Harvest in a variety of settings and be an excellent communicator. This person will share with our other staff and our board the belief that we can and should be very ambitious in working to create a world that embraces books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. An innovative approach to challenges, an enthusiasm for teamwork, patience, perseverance, and a mindset of gratitude, respect, and possibility are a must.

Professional Experience

• Experience with Word or Google Docs and Excel OR willingness to learn these and other software with training.
• Professional development time and funds are available for continued learning. 

Professional Characteristics

• Personal qualities of integrity, honesty, credibility, and dedication to the mission of Book Harvest. 
• Well organized, strong on follow-through, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated capacity and enthusiasm for teamwork and collaboration.
• Exceptional interpersonal and customer relations skills.
• Utter dependability and a commitment to meeting deadlines and honoring commitments.
• Ability to handle ambiguity and nuance.
• Process- and operations-driven mindset.
• Good judgment; the ability to decide what is most important among many competing priorities.
• Innovative and resourceful.
• Self-motivated initiative to learn.
• A commitment to active involvement in an anti-racist organizational culture.
• Adherence to strict standards of confidentiality and professionalism.
• Prioritization and excellent time management skills.
• The ability to proactively ask for help, anticipate problems, and course-correct where needed.
• A belief in the capacity of families to make decisions that are best for them.
• Cultural competence and sensitivity.
• Comfort with a fast-paced environment.
• Flexibility in the face of changing priorities.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package and an engaging, purposeful workplace culture. Book Harvest is committed to creating an inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Book Harvest is committed to protecting children through its child safeguarding policies. All staff are subjected to criminal background checks and are held to high standards of child protection.

To protect the health and well-being of our colleagues and maintain the safety of the

communities where we operate, we follow CDC, federal and local guidance to help minimize the

spread of COVID-19. We require all employees to be fully vaccinated, and all newly hired

employees must be fully vaccinated before their start date.

Salary Description

$36,000