Special Assistant to the CEO

POSITION SUMMARY

The Special Assistant to the CEO (SA) will be part of a small Executive Office and will report directly to the CEO (“CEO”). The SA will work with the CEO, with secondary support to the Executive Vice President (“EVP”) with a focus on research, writing, and preparatory materials for the CEO as well as a variety of special projects, advancing the effectiveness of the executive office and executive committee. The SA will work directly on priority projects, address the CEO's on-demand needs, and support broader projects that accelerate growth within Fountain House, which are aligned with strategic initiatives. The SA must be a strong writer, researcher, and synthesizer of program and operational information, and be able to translate such information into effective presentations.

The candidate must be a highly motivated self-starter who can work quickly and efficiently, be able to ask the right questions to clarify tasks, and be unafraid to get the clarity they need to execute. Doing all this with calm, perspective and ideally a sense of humor is key. Like all members of the executive office, they must be able to operate with a high level of professionalism, tact, and diplomacy and maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive information.

The fast-paced and multidimensional nature of this role requires a well-organized, proactive professional who can collaborate and effectively interact with department staff, members of Fountain House's executive leadership team, employees at all levels throughout the organization, board members and external partners.

Given the centrality of the community of people living with serious mental illness to our work, the candidate, like all other staff, is expected to prioritize understanding and integration with the Fountain House community. Alignment with and commitment to our mission is critical to this role.

Shift: Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, with some flexibility as needed (please note that this position is required to be in the office three days a week).

Salary: $85,000 - $100,000

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The main duties of the SA will be to provide direct support to CEO and manage the Executive Office. Secondary responsibilities include: 1) General support to EVP, and 2) General support to EA.

Direct Support of CEO

• Enable the CEO to develop and advance special projects that amplify Fountain House’s profile and advance its strategic ambitions, including project managing them when appropriate.
• Work with others in executive office, including the CEO’s Executive Assistant, to ensure the CEO’s attention is spent on highest priority items, including reviewing and assessing internal and external opportunities.
• Assist the CEO in preparing for external meetings, presentations, and interviews, including providing supportive research and collaborating with the External Affairs, Development, and Research teams as needed.
• Prepare written materials, such as memos, talking points and presentation slide decks for the CEO.
• Serve as the point person for events, meetings, and speaking engagements and take the lead in ensuring material preparation and logistics coordination with the support of the CEO’s Executive Assistant and the External Affairs and Development teams.
• Act as point of contact in the CEO’s absence and direct requests for action or information to responsible staff or members as needed. Monitors the resulting activity for briefing the CEO.
• Track and report project statuses on a timely basis to CEO, EVP, and EA.
• Participate in key CEO and organizational meetings and conversations to give update on their work.
• Assume other related responsibilities and special projects, as assigned.

Management of Executive Office

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Executive Office and ensure effective engagement and communication with key stakeholders (including Executive Committee, staff, Members, and Board of Directors).
• Manage meeting logistics and development of weekly agendas for Executive Office and Executive Committee.
• Plan leadership retreats and other special events, including development of agendas and material preparation.
• Oversee consultants hired by the Executive Office.
• Facilitate preparation for quarterly Board meetings, including development of agenda, organization of pre-read materials, and Diligent board database management.
• Support Board Chair with planning and execution of events as needed, such as annual retreat.

General Support of the EVP

• Assist in preparing for external meetings, presentations, and interviews, including providing supportive research and collaborating with the External Affairs, Development, and Research teams as needed.
• Perform day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and supporting the scheduling of the EVP

General Support of Executive Assistant

• Assist with the board of director duties, including preparing briefings and diligent board database management.
• Provide administrative support to the CEO by managing schedules and communications projects (backfill position for EA, when out).

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to distill complex concepts into compelling written and verbal presentations.
• Ability to think strategically and creatively and align priorities accordingly in an organization that is rapidly gaining national attention and reach.
• Quick learner who can get up to speed rapidly on a wide variety of topics.
• Excellent project management skills and ability to move an idea forward into operation. Knowledge of Asana or similar project management software a plus.
• Exceptionally organized with an attention to detail to facilitate team processes.
• Excellent computer proficiency (MS Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Ability to maintain good humor and a positive attitude when working under deadline and juggling multiple priorities
• Ability to work independently and to conduct assignments to completion within a hybrid work environment
• Interest in advancing a collaborative working environment, curiosity about the work and others who are committed to it are all significant pluses.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to enable seamless communication, collaboration, and an empathetic approach to leadership.

REQUIRED AND PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND CREDENTIALS

• Undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Recent Master’s degree candidate or graduate (MPH, MPA, MBA, MA, JD etc.) or higher degree, is a plus.
• Relevant work experience and/or knowledge of mental health related activities in non-profit, academia, social activism, or advocacy is a plus.
• Excellent writing/research ability; previous publications as primary or co-author are a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and meet all physical requirements satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.