Development Administrative Assistant

Position Title: Development Administrative Assistant

Tier / Category: Tier 2 / Associate II

Reports to: Deputy Director of Development

Employment Status: Full Time

FLSA: Exempt

Location: Remote (Anywhere in US)

Union: Bargaining Unit Member

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) is a national organization that brings white people into fights for racial and economic justice. We work to undermine the power of the Far Right and build the white flank of multiracial majorities fighting for the things all communities need. We organize white people by engaging their shared interest-- what they stand to gain by joining alongside people of color. We do this through roughly 100 local organizing formations across the US and Canada, a National Membership base, and local base building projects in the South.

Summary of Position:

SURJ is seeking an experienced, reliable and detail-oriented Administrative Assistant to the Development Team to support SURJ’s Development Director and Development Team.

A successful person in this role will become a trusted extension of the Development Director in many ways, providing real-time support and proactively anticipating their needs as well as the needs of the development team and the broader organization. They will be highly organized, be able to take direction and execute multi-step projects, be a strong communicator, and be the “calm in a storm.” They will also have strong project management skills, be relatable, and be able to stay organized amidst shifting priorities and conditions.

The Administrative Assistant organizes and coordinates Director Level Members of the Development Team’s outreach and external relations efforts, facilitates workflow, manages schedules and travel plans, coordinates work with the core development team as well as the Impact Team and other members of SURJ’s staff that are involved in fundraising or donor organizing, and manages a prioritized list of competing tasks. While some Executive Administrative roles are structured for asynchronous work and flexible response time, this person will be responsible for managing calendars that shift several times per day and manage priorities that shift several times per week, requiring a successful person in this role to respond in real time with and on behalf of the Development Team. The ideal individual will have the ability to assume Director level voices in written communications, including with donors and high stakes individuals. Therefore, excellent writing skills are critical. Other required skills include the ability to exercise good judgment, clear verbal communication, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. In addition, the ideal individual will be an expert at negotiating complex schedules and travel plans. The ideal candidate will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, negotiating and managing expectations, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities.

This position will report to the Deputy Director of Development. This position is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific terms and conditions of employment are subject to negotiations for a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES — Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following :

Priority 1: Scheduling (30%)

Supporting Director Level Members of the Development Team in aspects of calendaring, including:

• Coordinating and scheduling meetings with all internal and external individuals and groups.
• Scheduling and protecting priority work blocks and tasks.
• Close coordination around priorities and uses their best judgement when protecting time.
• Maintaining space between meetings as needed.
• Responding to all requests for time with director level members of the Dev Team.
• Primary point of contact for all scheduling requests.
• Balances priorities for all requests for director level members of the Development Team, including with staff, SURJ partners, donors, and members.

Priority 2: Administrative, Communications, Organizational Support (30%)

• Work closely with the development team to ensure director level members of the Development Team are prepared for all meetings with lead and major donors, and that director level members of the Development Team have data and information needed to monitor income goals.
• Support Development Committee meetings by scheduling meetings, drafting and disseminating agendas, attending meetings to take notes and stay apprised of strategies and projects, and coordinating follow-up.
• Work closely with the communications team and the Deputy Development Director to ensure that development and communications strategies are strategically intertwined.
• Manage communications strategies created by the DOI, including drafting and proofreading materials.
• Manage director level contributions to key internal systems, including EveryAction and Asana. This includes updating EveryAction after donor meetings, setting aside workblocks for donor communications, and tracking email communications to be reflected back in EveryAction.
• Manage the several director-level public-facing email accounts, including prioritizing, tracking, drafting and at times, sending responses directly.
• Filling out director level timesheets each month to reflect time spent across 501c3, 501c4, and PAC activity.
• Working with all Development Team members on data maintenance, data input, and updates the team calendar and projects when appropriate.

Priority 3: Travel Coordination and Expenses (10%)

Director Level Members of the Development Team travel consistently throughout the year, and travel coordination is an integral part of this role.

• When requested manage travel start to finish; finding appropriate accommodation options, creating and booking travel itineraries, and managing changes as they occur.
• When requested ensure Director Level Members of the Development Team are fully prepared for all travel, registering Director Level Members of the Development Team for events, and confirming any in-person meetings.
• When requested support follow up from travel, including thank you notes and ensuring that all next steps are appropriately tracked.

Priority 4: Development Team Support (30%)

• Support scheduling and task coordination amongst the growing development team, ensuring that all team members have the information they need to complete their work.
• Assist in Data Input and Maintenance for all members of the Development Team including but not limited to the Impact Team organizer and the Grants Manager
• Support all logistics and travel plans for Development Team in-person gatherings and supporting director level members of the Development Team in their individual work travel.
• Assist in the creation and maintenance of Asana Project Management for the Development Team
• This person will also undertake any other duties or projects that may be reasonably required, and deal with matters arising in a timely and effective manner.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of 2 years as an Executive Assistant or 4 years of equivalent work-related experience supporting Executives, preferably in a non-profit organization.
• Google Suite proficiency and experience with data tracking required.
• Strong relational / customer service skills are required.
• Familiarity with EveryAction and Asana preferred.
• Basic understanding of major donor strategy and engagement preferred.
• SURJ policy requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to reasonable accommodation under federal, state, and local law. Accommodations may be not possible for positions that require in-person contact with other staff or members of the public.
• While driving for work is unlikely, all those who drive for work must abide by our driving policy.

KNOWLEDGE:

• Demonstrated experience proactively managing a complex and dynamic schedule.
• Must be proficient in data management and demonstrate a command of spreadsheets.
• Experience working remotely or comfortable working with a distributed team.

SKILLS:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and capacity to work with people across a wide range of differences, especially lines of race and class.
• Extremely detail oriented.
• Feels at ease and comfortable amidst rapidly changing priorities and pivots.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including proofreading and copy-editing.

ABILITIES:

• The ability to build trust and work with a wide range of individuals and personalities, and to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to look ahead and anticipate needs.
• The ability to learn new technologies quickly.
• The ability to prioritize work and to balance several work streams at a time.
• Strong ability to complete complex tasks and projects quickly with limited guidance.
• Ability to handle confidential and/or sensitive organizational and personal information with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, with the ability to react with appropriate urgency and take effective action, even without having the full picture.
• Ability to make grounded assessments of how long tasks will take.

BENEFITS:

• Annual Salary: $66,500
• Health, dental and vision insurance including available employer contribution toward spouse, children and family coverage
• 401K retirement plan with up to 6% employer match
• Twenty (20) days paid time off per year (prorated)
• Twenty (20) days of health and wellness leave per year (prorated)
• Thirteen (13) paid holidays per year
• Three additional paid weeks off for organization-wide shutdown summer & winter breaks
• Employer paid short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employer paid life insurance
• All staff works remote from home
• Monthly $150 technology support stipend (internet, phone)
• Professional development resources each year
• Paid parental leave
• Paid sabbatical after 5 years

APPLICATION PERIOD:

Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled.

SURJ is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.