Executive Assistant to the CEO

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Join the team at Habitat for Humanity of Dane County as the full-time Executive Assistant to the CEO

We're growing! Habitat for Humanity of Dane County (Habitat Dane) is a Madison-based nonprofit that helps families achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable homeownership. In Dane County alone, one in eight people live in poverty, including 16 percent of all Dane County children. We are looking for an Executive Assistant to the CEO to be part of a thriving, positive team that is making a difference every day for our partner families.

The Executive Assistant to the CEO provides strategic and dependable administrative support that frees the CEO to focus on organizational leadership, relationships, fundraising, and Habitat Dane’s growth. The role organizes the CEO’s time, prepares for meetings, coordinates communications, and makes sure commitments move forward. This role also provides administrative support to the philanthropy team.

The right person anticipates routine needs, takes ownership of details, and follows through without repeated reminders. They know when to act within established guidance and when to ask for direction.

Habitat Dane values diversity of all kinds and seeks to build a staff that reflects the communities we serve. We strongly encourage people from racial and ethnic backgrounds underrepresented in our organization to apply. Applicants of all backgrounds are welcome; hiring decisions are based on job-related qualifications.

The Role

CEO administrative support (70%)

• Manage the CEO’s calendar using agreed priorities; protect time for focused work, preparation, and follow-up, and resolve routine scheduling conflicts within established guidance.
• Review calls, emails, and requests through authorized access; route routine matters, flag urgent or sensitive issues, and draft or send routine responses within approved authority.
• Hold a brief weekly planning meeting with the CEO to review upcoming commitments, deadlines, preparation needs, and decisions requiring attention.
• Maintain a shared system for commitments, deadlines, and follow-up; request updates from staff on the CEO’s behalf and flag delays or missing information.
• Enter CEO donor interactions, approved meeting notes, and next steps in the donor database promptly and accurately, following team standards for confidentiality and data quality.
• Track donor follow-up assigned to the CEO and coordinate with philanthropy staff to help complete it on time.
• Prepare daily or weekly schedule previews and assemble concise meeting materials, including purpose, participants, relevant background, and outstanding follow-up.
• Draft and organize agendas, correspondence, and presentations using input from the CEO and staff; check names, dates, links, and attachments before distribution.
• Attend meetings as requested, including selected meetings the CEO cannot attend; capture key discussion points, decisions, owners, and deadlines, and provide a clear summary.
• Coordinate travel, itineraries, registrations, meeting logistics, expense reports, and receipts; maintain accessible executive files and contact information.

Philanthropy team support (30%)

• Coordinate donor meetings, visits, and calls involving the CEO and Vice President of Philanthropy; confirm logistics and preparation needs in advance.
• Prepare, process and deposit check payments received by the organization, including check donations.
• Manage processing of all donations received by check, credit/debit card, ACH, stock transfer, and gift-in-kind.
• Prepare and send thank-you letters, acknowledgments, and other donor correspondence using approved templates, review processes, and team procedures.
• Assist with mailings, invitations, RSVPs, materials, and donor event logistics as capacity allows; refer gift, solicitation, and donor strategy questions to philanthropy staff.
• Assist with events, including coordinating food and supplies, ordering, expense submittal, setup, takedown, and guest stewardship. 

Technology and general coordination

• Use Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint, for scheduling, documents, basic spreadsheets, records, and file sharing.
• Use approved AI tools for routine drafting, formatting, and summarizing within organizational privacy rules; verify accuracy and obtain required review before use. Training can be provided.
• Maintain administrative checklists and recurring calendars, document routine procedures, and suggest practical improvements that reduce avoidable work.
• Provide logistical support for occasional CEO projects with clear deliverables, deadlines, and priorities.

Authority and confidentiality

The Executive Assistant may resolve routine scheduling and administrative matters within guidance established by the CEO and may request information and follow-up on the CEO’s behalf. Sensitive communications, organizational decisions, and commitments of funds require appropriate approval. This position does not supervise staff. Maintain discretion and appropriate access controls for executive, personnel, board, and donor information, and promptly alert the CEO to time-sensitive concerns.

What success looks like

The CEO can hand off routine administrative work with confidence that it will be completed accurately and on time, without repeated reminders. Requests arrive with the information needed to respond, commitments are captured, and fewer details depend on the CEO addressing them.

Compensation and benefits

The annual salary range is $60,000–$70,000. Starting compensation will reflect relevant experience and qualifications within this range. The role includes Habitat for Humanity of Dane County’s excellent employee benefits package.

Equal opportunity and inclusion

Habitat for Humanity of Dane County values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. We welcome applicants whose relevant skills were developed through varied work, education, and community experience.

Employees and applicants for employment will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, medical condition, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by law in any employment-related decision, including recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, promotion, demotion, transfer, layoff, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

Reasonable accommodations are available during the application and hiring process and to enable qualified employees to perform the essential functions of the position.

What You Will Bring

• At least three years of relevant administrative, scheduling, office coordination, or similar experience; an equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and reliable follow-through, including the ability to anticipate routine needs and complete work without repeated reminders.
• Clear written and verbal communication; ability to draft routine correspondence, proofread materials, and take accurate meeting notes.
• Professional, welcoming interactions with staff, board members, donors, volunteers, and community partners, including people from all racial, ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds.
• Sound judgment about confidentiality, urgency, and when to seek guidance; comfort asking clarifying questions and respectfully communicating priorities and boundaries.
• Working proficiency with Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365 and willingness to learn donor databases, approved AI tools, and other systems.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, adapt to changing priorities, and flag competing deadlines before work falls behind.
• Commitment to Habitat for Humanity’s mission and to an inclusive workplace where people are treated with dignity and respect.
• Experience supporting an executive, working in a nonprofit or philanthropy office, or using a donor database is helpful. A college degree and prior fundraising experience are not required.