Senior Executive Assistant to the President

About College Possible

College Possible is a growing nonprofit coaching students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to break the cycle of poverty and empower the next generation of leaders. Our model has earned national recognition: the inaugural Evergreen National Education Award recognized our leadership in increasing access to and success in college for students from low-income backgrounds. It also earns top-of-field results: a Harvard study found that the program more than doubles a student’s chance of enrolling in a four-year college, and our students are four times more likely to become college graduates than their low-income peers.

College Possible has a budget of $22 million, more than 140 full-time employees and more than 270 AmeriCorps and VISTA service members. During the 2018-19 school year, we will reach an estimated 25,000 students in all 50 states, at more than 90 partner high schools and more than 350 colleges.

College Possible is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and seeks to build a diverse workforce to create impact in partnership with the communities we serve. We welcome a diverse pool of qualified applicants. For each of its positions, College Possible is mindful about what best serves our students, and seeks to hire staff with relevant experience, skills and aptitude, and a commitment to the power of education. To learn more, see our Diversity and Inclusion Plan.

Headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, College Possible also operates in Philadelphia, PA; Chicago, IL; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA; and has Catalyze partnerships in Minnesota, Iowa, Tennessee, Maryland, New York, California, and Ohio. We’re joining forces with colleges to achieve a transformational impact: by 2021, we will partner with 400 colleges to reach 50,000 students.

To learn more, visit CollegePossible.org.

Your Role as Senior Executive Assistant to the President

The Senior Executive Assistant to the President works close to the President, ensuring that the President’s time is focused on the strategic leadership of the organization. As the Senior Executive Assistant to the President, you play a critical role in supporting the Office of the President and helping to drive strategic initiatives that move the organization forward as a national leader in college access and success.

This appointee will frequently act on behalf of the President in both private and public spaces and must represent the organization competently in complex and rapidly changing contexts.

The Senior 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.

The position requires a high degree of independent judgment. This individual must be someone who takes initiative and is willing to take on any task. By managing critical administrative functions, the Senior Executive Assistant will create invaluable time and space for the President to focus on organizational priorities that will improve outcomes for students. You must excel at working cross-functionally and building relationships with all levels of the organization to identify challenges and opportunities. You play an active role in supporting the efforts to deliver on strategic objectives needed to successfully run a growing, high-impact organization.

The Senior Executive Assistant is integral to the culture, effectiveness, and impact of College Possible:

Strategic Support Functions:

• Work in partnership with the President, Chief of Staff, and other senior leaders on managing strategic initiatives to advance the organization.
• Work with senior leaders to expand College Possible’s impact by connecting the dots between teams and projects, anticipating needs, and creatively and proactively tackling challenges.
• Serve as appointed representative for the Office of the President at internal and external meetings as requested.
• Provide thought partnership in setting strategic goals and identifying organizational priorities.
• In partnership with the President, take ownership of helping to lead high-level initiatives such as the annual planning process.
• Assist in crafting internal messaging strategies to keep all team members appropriately informed of organizational decisions and processes.

Administrative Support Functions:

• Streamline the President’s time by managing all scheduling and ensuring proper alignment between time and priorities.
• Perform office and administrative duties to assist executive management, such as managing calendars, processing expenses, designing agendas, developing itineraries, organizing files and making travel, meeting and event arrangements.
• Ensure the President is prepared for all meetings collecting, researching, and/or preparing all briefing materials.
• Communicate with leaders from across the organization to create weekly briefings that ensure the President is informed on organizational priorities.
• Contribute event planning support including Executive Committee retreats, Board meetings, etc.

What You Bring

As the Senior Executive Assistant to the President, you must have a bachelor’s degree or above and bring a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. You must be resourceful and adaptable enough to handle tasks ranging from the mundane to the more complex. You possess strong interpersonal skills and are an effective communicator. You also must be discrete and maintain confidentiality given the sensitive information you’ll have access to in this role. You have a strong foundation in project management, robust technical know-how i.e. proficient in Microsoft Office, technologically savvy, etc., and ability to take initiative and thrive in a fast-paced environment. You bring prior success in managing strategy and execution. You also bring a willingness to do whatever it takes and belief that no job is too big or too small as you work to help the organization serve students and increase our national impact.

What We Offer

In addition to joining a committed, diverse, values-based organization, we offer:

• An opportunity for you to have a tremendous impact both internally and in the broader country
• a competitive salary commensurate with experience
• excellent benefits including complete health, dental, life, short-term and long-term insurance
• 401k retirement plan
• Encouraged sustainability through a generous paid time off program
• Personalized professional development and growth opportunities

To Join Our Growing College Possible Team

Submit your application, including your resume and cover letter by January 15, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact Chant Chambers at cchambers@collegepossible.org.