National Office Employment Opportunities

Special Assistant to the President
 

Position:	Special Assistant to the President
Location	Washington, DC

Position Summary
The Special Assistant (SA) is a key position in the organization reporting directly to the President. The SA also works closely with the Board of Directors to ensure efficient administrative, logistical and program support for the operations of the organization. The SA is responsible for ensuring the President is prepared at all times for meetings, phone calls, presentations, speeches and all other commitments, and h/she must be experienced and comfortable interacting with VIPs on a regular basis. The ideal candidate will be experienced in handling a wide range of executive support and administrative related tasks and will be able to work independently with little or no supervision. This person must be exceedingly well organized, flexible and enjoy the challenges of supporting a medium-size, fast-paced office of diverse people and programs.

Responsibilities
Essential Functions (include, but not limited to, the following)

Comprehensive Administrative Support to President
• Organize the President's time, including scheduling all appointments and meetings with staff, board members, and external constituents.
• Develop and manage systems that optimize the flow of information between the President's office and internal/external constituencies, which include screening and prioritizing essential requests in action order.
• Provide research, consult, development and implementation for special projects or assignments.
• Prepare presentation materials, including drafting, formatting, final editing, consolidation and production.
• Routinely prepare correspondence to funders, board members, and others on behalf of the President.
• Coordinate President's travel arrangements, including scheduling, preparing itinerary, trip file, and preparing supplies.
• Interface and maintain professional working relationships with PEN constituents, funding partners, external boards, and committees.
• Set-up and maintain system protocols, as needed, for efficiency.
• Provide email/telephone support and troubleshoot for the President and screen incoming emails, phone calls and mail.
• Establish and maintain President's project files.
• Maintain and manage President's expense report.
• Ensure President meets all timelines and deadlines.

Board of Directors Support
• Provide support to the board of directors by serving as the administrative staff liaison to the board and coordinating all committee and full board meeting and retreat logistics.
• Provide administrative board committee support and hands-on coordination with staff committee liaisons.
• Annually and quarterly: prepare, update, maintain and distribute board process calendars and schedule for staff and board members.
• Prepare meeting agendas and packets
• Maintain corporate records.
• Prepare meeting minutes, and track motions and action items.

Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree with an emphasis in business management or similar tract or 5-7 years of relevant executive level support experience.
• Highest level of interpersonal skills including excellent listening, oral and written communications skills, tact, patience, flexibility, and courtesy.
• Ability to communicate the work of the foundation knowledgeably and with diplomacy.
• Demonstrated ability to be well-organized and work independently, with the proven ability to multi-task, set work priorities, track projects and meet deadlines.
• Ability to maintain composure during variations of production and work schedules.
• Ability to analyze routine administrative procedures to ensure smooth and efficient operation, making recommendations, as necessary.
• Ability to use discretion, sound judgment, and maintain strictest confidentiality when handling sensitive materials and information.
• Proven ability to anticipate and respond quickly and effectively to the multiple needs of the president.
• Technologically savvy, with a full understanding and fluency in computer applications, including word processing, email, internet searches, database and presentation software (such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook, Internet Explorer, Acrobat Pro).
• Ability to maintain, identify, and make recommendations to improve operational systems.
• Proven capacity to work in a multicultural workforce, including sensitivity and competency in working with individuals and groups of diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and lifestyle backgrounds.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external audiences.
• Proven ability to senior staff requests to President's attention while maintaining the integrity of President's scheduled activities.
• Proven ability to manage the often changing travel schedule of an executive level manager, including correspondence with various outside audiences to ensure scheduled meeting times are met.

Desired Qualifications
• Prior nonprofit sector experience.
• Demonstrated aptitude in and enthusiasm for using information technology applications, devices, and communications--ranging from an ability to use business applications such as Microsoft Office, data management applications and web applications.
• Knowledge of public education and an interest in the role of public schooling is desirable.

How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to jobs@leaderfit.org with the subject line “Public Education Network Special Assistant”.
PEN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.


About Public Education Network
The Public Education Network (PEN) is a national network comprised of a National Office, 76 Local Education Funds (LEFs) and individuals working to advance public school reform in low-income communities across the country. Originally founded in 1983 by the Ford Foundation to address the public education crisis surfaced by “A Nation at Risk,” LEFs are unique education reform organizations with deep on-the-ground relationships with both public schools/districts and community stakeholders across the country. PEN leverages its broad base of LEF members to: 1) research how to increase student achievement, 2) advocate for public and policy support, and 3) develop and scale innovative strategies that improve student outcomes within the public education system. Based in Washington, D.C., the National Office plays a critical role in representing the combined work of LEFs, interpreting LEF roles and performance, and acting as the broader voice of PEN.

To-date, PEN has demonstrated powerful impact in communities across the country. Its LEFs are based in 32 states including Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and reach 8M students, including 4M students eligible for free-and-reduced lunch. PEN has raised $4B in private support, and leveraged $20B in public funding for education. LEF members have successfully developed leading edge practice (e.g., The Boston Plan for Excellence was an early initiator of urban teacher residencies) - and shared their models (e.g.., Denver's Public Education and Business Coalition published and sold over 2 million books on its highly replicated literacy and coaching model).

While the work of individual LEF members – and the support of the National Office – has been impressive, PEN is committed to making a step-change in its impact. In 2008, PEN's Board recognized the need to develop a strategic plan to create a highly active, interconnected network with LEFs working toward common goals, specifically:

• To increase the rate at which low-income students and minority students graduate from public schools ready for college and a career; and
• To help community stakeholders achieve and sustain a permanent commitment to fulfilling a community's fundamental obligation to provide quality public education for all children.

PEN's strategic plan represents a profound shift as it moves from a network focused on improving the capacity of its members to a network focused on its positive impact on the public education of disadvantaged children in the U.S. In order to achieve its goals, PEN must strengthen its development capacity to secure its future growth and stability. The Director of Development, in close collaboration with the President, will be charged with helping to diversify funding streams and lead all development efforts, including establishing the development infrastructure, systems and processes needed to sustain an evolving organization.

For more information, please visit http://www.publiceducation.org/index.asp

PEN is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.