Executive Assistant to Director Of Climate Systems Engineering

The Climate Systems Engineering initiative seeks an Executive Assistant to support the Director with various administrative tasks, including travel arrangements, calendar management, and project coordination. The role involves acting as a primary contact, drafting correspondence, and managing meetings. The position offers a salary up to $125k, a hybrid work arrangement, and excellent benefits. The work environment is collaborative and mission-driven.
Job Summary

The Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi) is seeking a highly skilled Executive Assistant to join their team! This highly visible position will support a brilliant and well-known climate industry leader with a complex variety of administrative a project-related responsibilities including everything from travel arrangements, calendar management, expense reporting, and maintaining electronic filing systems, to planning meetings, preparing meeting materials, creating reports in Excel and handling a variety of philanthropy related projects. This position will also act as proxy and first point of contact for the Director, draft business correspondence on the Director's behalf, as well as assist with some personal work. This incredible organization offers a base salary of up to $125k + bonus and gold standard benefits including a pension plan. Also offered is a hybrid work arrangement, a collegial, helpful work environment and a culture of passionate, intelligent people who care about the mission of the organization

Responsibilities
• Serves as a trusted advisor and project manager for the executive, taking ownership of critical initiatives, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, and driving projects to successful completion.
• Functions as the primary point of contact for the executive’s office, handling sensitive and complex inquiries with professionalism and discretion.
• Provides confidential and high-level administrative support for a leader. Stays informed of activities relating to programs and initiatives, apprising the leader of issues when deemed necessary. Coordinates information flow from leader's office. May staff Board of Directors meetings. Relieves leaders of administrative responsibilities.
• Manages the executive’s complex and highly dynamic calendar, prioritizing competing demands with minimal oversight and ensuring optimal use of the executive’s time.
• Designs and manages detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas, ensuring seamless coordination for domestic and international engagements.
• Drafts, reviews, and finalizes high-level communications and publications for internal and external audiences, ensuring they reflect the executive’s voice and institutional objectives.
• Oversees the development and implementation of operational plans and processes that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the executive’s office including managing databases, creating electronic filing systems and integrating electronic note taking software.
• Independently manages high-level strategic meetings and events with trustees, donors, civic leaders, and other stakeholders, serving as the executive’s representative when appropriate
• Oversees the preparation and distribution of meeting materials, presentations, and other documentation, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with the executive’s goals.
• Administers financial processes, including budget tracking, expense reconciliation, and purchasing, in collaboration with institutional financial administrators.
• Establishes and maintains systems for document management, correspondence tracking, and internal communications.
• Coordinates special projects as directed by the leader. Prepares write ups for recommendations for operational and administrative problems. May manage a portion of the leader's budget, monitoring, and reconciling accounts. Prepares financial and/or administrative reports.
• Exercises independent judgment in resolving challenges, escalating issues only when necessary, and maintaining strict confidentiality across personnel, financial, and strategic matters.
• Anticipates the executive’s needs and proactively addresses potential issues, ensuring seamless and efficient operations.
• Builds and maintains relationships across the organization and external partners to advance the executive’s strategic initiatives.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Education:
• Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).
• Associate degree or Bachelors degree in business administration, or a related field preferred

Preferred Qualifications
• Minimum of 5 years assisting a C-Suite Executive, ideally in an entrepreneurial or start-up, fast-paced environment.
• Working in an entrepreneurial academic unit, complex research institution, or technical business setting with a start-up, fast-paced environment.
• Extensive calendar management and complex travel arrangement experience.
• Coordinating in-person and virtual meetings.
• Composing written business communications and editing and proofreading material written by others.
• Proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and web-based communication methods and tools.
• Unusually strong technical experience evidenced by proficiency in common office software applications, such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, Box/Google Docs, and interest in using or tailoring specialized office software.
• Knowledge of visa-related processes/communications/liaisons for international travel and recruiting.

Preferred Competencies
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills as evidenced by ability to multi-task, prioritize, and track simultaneous projects.
• Technical savvy with Microsoft Office including intermediate Excel skills, Adobe, electronic note taking software, multiple databases & electronic filing systems.
• Meticulous attention to detail, with strong memory recall.
• Strong time management skills and work productively despite competing priorities, complex problems, and tight deadlines.
• Take initiative and organize and complete projects with minimal supervision.
• Manage sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion.
• Build relationships with other assistants and stakeholders to facilitate accomplishing the executive’s strategic goals.
• Respond to electronic communications outside of working hours as needed.
• This organization is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join a community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.