POSITION: Executive Assistant to President

REPORTS TO: President

LOCATION: New York, NY

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

WEBSITE: thenytrust.org 

START DATE: August/September 2024   

ABOUT US

The New York Community Trust (“The Trust”) is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country. For the past century, The Trust has honored the wishes of donors who have entrusted them with their financial legacies to make lives better in the place they love. The Trust is a philanthropic leader in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, delivering nearly $200 million in grants in 2023 and more than $2 billion in the past decade. Today, in addition to a distinguished competitive grantmaking program, The Trust hosts donor-advised funds (“DAFs”) that make grants throughout the United States and donor collaboratives that work on the leading edge of philanthropy to improve the lives of New Yorkers. The Trust has long been a leader in the field, with innovations ranging from establishing the first donor-advised fund in the 1930s to making landmark grants, including the first to fight AIDS, build the High Line, support immigrant communities, and respond quickly in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the President, the Executive Assistant provides executive support in a one-on-one working relationship. The Executive Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of the President. The Executive Assistant also serves as a liaison to the executive and senior management teams and a primary point of contact with members of the board of directors; organizes and coordinates executive outreach and external relations efforts; and oversees special projects. The Executive Assistant must be creative and enjoy working at a foundation that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise excellent judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The Executive Assistant will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the President, including: managing a full calendar of appointments and coordinating schedules; completing expense reports; composing and preparing correspondence that is sometimes confidential; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling agendas and other meeting materials.
• Communicates directly, and on behalf of the President, with board members, donors, staff, and others, on matters related to Trust initiatives.
• Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the President’s office and internal departments to facilitate trust and support with staff. Provides “gatekeeper” and “gateway” roles for direct access to the President’s time and office.
• Assists in coordinating the agenda of senior management team meetings and off-sites, and all-staff meetings; facilitates cross-divisional coordination of travel and outreach plans.
• Works closely and effectively with the President to keep her informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Acts as a “barometer,” having a sense of the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the President updated.
• Researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the President including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Determines appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
• Provides leadership to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization and manages a variety of special projects for the President, some of which may have organizational impact.
• Drafts acknowledgment letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the President’s leadership of The Trust.
• Optimizes operations related to the President by analyzing and sometimes proposing alternatives to preexisting standard operating procedures, ensuring synergy.
• Brainstorming and acting as a thought partner to the President, to leverage her relationships and calendar while advancing business development for The Trust.

The Trust supports skills-based hiring and will review several aspects of an application including work experience (internships, volunteer, project-based, part/full-time employment, etc), skill proficiencies, education (courses, certifications, college degrees, etc.) and involvement in professional & industry organizations.

• 10-15 years of experience supporting C-Level executives, preferably in a non-profit organization.
• Strong organizational skills that reflect an ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors; emotional maturity.
• Expert-level written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability.
• Highly resourceful team player, with the ability to problem-solve and work independently.
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of service and response.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high-performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment; ability to balance and prioritize competing needs. 
• Proficient in Microsoft products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Teams), Adobe Acrobat and social media web platforms.

COMPENSATION

An annual salary of $100,000-$120,000 commensurate with the candidate’s experience. The position is on-site at our New York office and we adhere to a hybrid work model (four days in the office and one remote, seasonal remote weeks and flexible remotes days during the year).  The Trust offers excellent benefits, including a pension plan, an 8% employer contribution to a 403(b)-retirement plan; partially subsidized medical insurance coverage & tiered medical plan offerings; generous paid time off, fully paid bonding leave and other benefits.

The Trust is a qualifying nonprofit organization as defined by the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. As such, Trust employees may claim their employment time on their PSLF application.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply through The Trust’s HRIS platform, Paylocity. Please upload your resume, cover letter, and a one-page writing sample as a single PDF document.  Writing samples should be solely authored by the candidate and demonstrate strong business writing skills (memo, email summary, etc). 

We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our recruitment process. The Trust strongly encourages members of underrepresented communities and individuals who meet most of the job requirements to apply.  

The Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies. In addition, The Trust will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.