Director of Executive Operations

Full-Time, In-Person | Newton, MA

Position Overview

The Director of Executive Operations serves as a strategic partner to the Executive Director and Senior Leadership Team, ensuring that Wily’s executive, operational, and organizational priorities move forward with clarity, coordination, and accountability. This role goes beyond administrative support—it is about driving alignment, managing key initiatives, coordinating leadership workflows, and serving as a central hub across departments.

The Director of Executive Operations anticipates needs, synthesizes information for decision-making, manages sensitive communications, and strengthens the Executive Team’s ability to operate effectively. This person holds a high standard of confidentiality, systems thinking, discretion, judgment, and follow-through.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director and working closely with Senior Directors, this role ensures that Wily’s leadership remains informed, prepared, and positioned to lead the organization forward with precision.

Core Responsibilities

Executive Leadership Coordination

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Executive Director and Senior Directors by anticipating needs, tracking key issues, and ensuring follow-up on priorities.
• Manage and streamline executive and senior leadership workflows, communications, and schedules to support informed decision-making at the highest levels.
• Oversee and coordinate executive-level engagement with colleges and universities, donors, hiring committees, Scholar-related planning, and partner institutions.
• Draft, monitor, and manage internal and external communications on behalf of leadership.
• Prepare and coordinate executive materials for Board meetings, partnership conversations, and organizational communications.

Strategic Operations & Accountability

• Track and advance annual planning activities, review cycles, cross-department initiatives, and meeting follow-up.
• Support advancement and development functions by coordinating grant timelines, deliverables, and follow-through with senior leadership.
• Monitor performance review processes, hiring workflows, institutional meetings, and other recurring leadership commitments.
• Manage systems for PTO, remote work, staff scheduling, and internal recordkeeping to ensure organization-wide clarity and consistency.

Information Flow & Internal Alignment

• Coordinate leadership agendas, data needs, toolkits, dashboards, and reports that support organizational priorities.
• Maintain shared documentation and ensure that departments have the necessary information, materials, and context to act.
• Partner with Scholar-facing, operations, advancement, communications, and administrative teams to ensure seamless collaboration and communication.

Board & Committee Support

• Serve as the central liaison to Board and Committee Chairs, ensuring agendas, materials, and follow-up move efficiently.
• Prepare leadership for Board meetings and retreats, managing logistics, metrics, scheduling, and communication with committee leaders.

Cross-Organizational Engagement

• Support strategic meetings, Scholar events, collaborations, and organizational functions as appropriate.
• Participate in select engagements with Scholars, donors, and partners to ensure executive representation and follow-up.
• Model and contribute to Wily’s organizational values, particularly around dignity, belonging, communication, and collaboration.

Values & Leadership Expectations

The person in this role must demonstrate:

• Confidentiality and discretion at the highest level
• Proactive planning and initiative in advancing priorities
• Systems-minded thinking to increase efficiency and reduce friction across teams
• Sound judgment and decision support for executive leadership
• Strong written communication and strategic messaging
• Commitment to DEIB in practice and perspective
• Relationship stewardship with staff, Board, partners, and external constituents

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

English (written and verbal)