Executive Assistant

By Marie Prentice. Friday, January 13 2017

Full-Time • Starts Immediately • Competitive Compensation • Excellent Benefits

Position is based in the Chicago, IL, area

MoveOn.org is a community of millions of members working together to create progressive change in America. We take on campaigns to challenge entrenched power and push back against right-wing policies, while pursuing economic, racial, and social justice.

MoveOn’s massive progressive community has a particularly important role to play in the Trump era. Our country is facing a unique threat from Trump; his bigoted, destructive politics; and the Republicans who control Congress. In the years ahead, MoveOn will help build a powerful and successful movement to oppose and obstruct Trump and the GOP’s agenda in Washington, defend and support communities on the front lines of Trump’s attacks, work to defend our constitutional democracy, and prepare to retake power in elections in 2017, 2018, and 2020.

The executive assistant provides administrative and strategic support to MoveOn.org Civic Action’s executive director, managing her schedule and supporting inbox and time management and prioritization. This job require professionalism, patience, positivity, constant juggling, organization, and calm under fire in the midst of David vs. Goliath battles to defend our democracy and defend our core values from unprecedented attacks. This position is crucial to the success of MoveOn’s important progressive efforts and will need to be in sync with the entirety of the organization to strategically advise and support the executive director. This position will split time, as decided upon by the executive director, between working virtually and in person, being able to keep the day moving regardless of physical location is essential.

Responsibilities: You’ll be a…

• Copilot and second brain. You’ll work side by side in the office and/or virtually with the executive director on a daily basis, keeping her on track and on time and helping her prioritize her schedule, inbox, and public engagement to meet the growing needs of the organization. You’ll be the bumper lanes in her attentional bowling alley, a writing partner and a sounding board, demonstrating daily that two heads are better than one while knowing when to step in and find a solution and when to defer.
• Schedule ninja. Scheduling is strategy. You’ll absorb and understand the short- and long-term strategic priorities of MoveOn and the executive director, make scheduling recommendations that reflect those priorities, and communicate scheduling decisions to all involved in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment. Sometimes, this means walling off distractions and protecting highly focused work sessions; at other times, it means scheduling back-to-back conference calls during rides to airports.
• Email and communications traffic conductor. MoveOn is a virtual organization, with staff working remotely from across the country. You’ll be the connective tissue to make sure that the executive director is in sync with staff and key partners, tracking incoming (sometimes confidential) email, responding to some yourself, and ensuring that the executive director responds directly when necessary.
• Meeting manager and participant preparer. You might be called upon to moderate internal staff calls—including making sure that agendas are circulated in advance and call-in numbers are listed in Google Calendar invitations. You might take notes during meetings and calls, and you’ll make sure that everyone understands their follow-ups and actually follows up.
• Editor and contributor to written materials. MoveOn thrives on written communications—to members, elected officials, members of the media, organizational partners, and others. Whether it’s for a strategy PowerPoint or an outline of spoken remarks, you may review, edit, fact-check, and help organize written materials that help the executive director to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Logistician. You’ll set up a shared office in the Chicago area and maintain all its essential functions, file expense reports and time cards, book flights, make sure contracts get signed, and generally fight the idea that details can slip through the cracks.
• Horizon scanner. You’ll keep a look out for upcoming opportunities and challenges that MoveOn generally—and the executive director specifically—should stay on top of. You’ll be sure that the small things (that are actually big things) don’t fall through the cracks.

Required qualities: You’re…

• Unflappable and confident. You’re grounded, mature, self-aware, patient, and present. When things are upended, you get practical. You’re calm, and you’re a calming presence. You’ve been in some version of this role before. You’re the person that people go to when a level head is necessary, and you can clearly communicate when issues arise. You’ve worked at a fast-paced nonprofit, in the political campaigns world, or as an assistant to someone in an executive position.

• Personable and relational. There will be issues that will need to be brought to the attention of the executive director that will require handling with expertly guided care. Understanding the needs and priorities of the organization from the viewpoint of the executive director when communicating to staff and partners will be key.
• Experience as the go-to person. You’ve been, officially or informally, an assistant, scheduler, or similar support person for a person or  team. You love to help people. You’re empathic and emotionally intelligent, tuned in to the people around you.
• Decisive and communicative. When something needs to get done, you’re politely assertive about pointing it out and making it happen.

• A meticulous, organized planner and a resourceful, flexible executor. You’re methodical. You’re rigorous. If you put something on a to-do list, it doesn’t disappear. You’re outstanding at estimating how long things will take, keeping them on track, and reshuffling plans when needed. You can stick to a plan or can be flexible in the wake of a new need.

• A digital native. You’re delighted to learn new ways to use technology to make things happen, and you’ve got a few tricks in your back pocket already, such as favorite scheduling tools or new apps that make life easier for you and the organization.

Location

Position will be based in the Chicago area. Relocation assistance for extremely qualified candidates outside of Illinois may be considered. Some travel will be required.

Classification, Salary, and Benefits

Full-time, competitive salary including benefits such as 100%-employer-paid premiums for medical, dental, and vision insurance for all staff and their children; employer-paid premiums for life insurance for all staff; four weeks accrued paid vacation time per year; 12 weeks of paid maternity or paternity leave, 10 days accrued paid sick time; and reimbursement of office expenses.

To Apply

Click here to submit your application, résumé, and cover letter. Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a goal of starting full-time ASAP. Apply ASAP for consideration.

MoveOn.org Civic Action and MoveOn.org Political Action provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.