Executive Assistant

Applications to: Employment@YWCApdx.org
Include job title in the subject line

Position Overview
Do you have an uncanny ability to anticipate needs and a strategic sense of priorities in a rapidly growing and constantly evolving environment? Are you an administrative wiz who can bring order to chaos with grace and aplomb? YWCA of Greater Portland’s Executive Assistant will work alongside the Executive Director and Board of Directors to champion the organization’s mission and values. With strong organizational skills, a keen eye for detail, and a great sense of humor, the Executive Assistant will be on a mission to provide strategic support, anticipate needs, and ensure that YWCA’s Executive Director is efficient and effective while leading change.

YWCA IS ON A MISSION
YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For more than 120 years, YWCA of Greater Portland has invested in our community, supported survivors, and advocated for the most vulnerable among us: women, children, seniors, the unhoused, and the incarcerated. As one of 200 Associations nationwide, we are proud members of YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation.

Department: Administration
Reports To: Executive Assistant
Status: Full time, exempt
Wage Range: $58,000 - $62,000 per year + generous benefits

Key Responsibilities & Deliverables/Outcomes

Strategic Executive Support

• Represent the Executive Director in both internal and external facing situations while balancing access and agency priorities effectively.
• Schedule and attend meetings with, and occasionally on behalf of, the Executive Director, taking minutes/notes, sharing information, and following up on action items as appropriate.
• Manage Executive Director’s calendar through effective scheduling including confirming appointments, handling logistics (RSVPs / refreshments / materials / technology), setting agendas, producing materials, prioritizing urgent and/or sensitive requests, and ensuring productive, inclusive, and welcoming gatherings.
• Track Executive Director tasks and short- and long-term projects; prioritize and organize information and project timelines, including deadline and task reminders, to ensure Executive Director is fully briefed and meets all obligations in a timely, strategic, and thoughtful way; provide meaningful thought partnership on strategy, priorities, and activities.
• Draft emails, memos, and reports, and prepare other communications in partnership with, and on behalf of, Executive Director.
• Schedule and assist with agency-wide projects and standing meetings, including coordinating attendance, logistics, food, and venue set up.
• Anticipate and perform additional office tasks including maintaining records, coordinating travel arrangements, and other duties as assigned.

Effective Engagement for YWCA Board of Directors

• Support board members’ enthusiastic engagement with their YWCA volunteer activities by providing high-touch, personalized, and consistent communications and assistance to ensure high commitment and responsive agency guidance.
• Work closely with the Executive Director to create the yearly board schedule including setting priorities, meeting topics, and meaningful opportunities to connect the board to agency activities.
• Assist in board member recruitment, orientation, requirements of board membership including annual signing of job description, commitments, and policies.
• Manage and track all board requirements including decisions, elections, terms, training, committee participation, and giving history.
• Prepare board members to meet all agency governance requirements including annual YWCA USA membership, CVSSD and OCADSV training, audit, government ethics, taxes, and any other regulatory demands with discernment.
• Coordinate all aspects of board meetings including communications, reminders, and RSVPs and quorum requirements; preparing and distributing board packets; collecting all appropriate and necessary documentation; recording and distributing meeting minutes; and following up on all tasks identified during meetings.
• Produce and distribute a variety of documents including reports on the agency’s status, departmental updates, action items, new board member materials, yearly disclosures, and other documents as needed.
• Track volunteer hours and annual training requirements.
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate records.

Participatory Teamwork & Responsible Representation

• Engage consistently in anti-racism practices and approaches with internal and external work based on a deep understanding of historical and present-day structural racism.
• Uphold YWCA of Greater Portland’s mission, vision, and values by acting with integrity, accountability, and responsibility toward community-based projects, fellow employees, volunteers, donors, and everyone the organization engages with.
• Maintain all required training and certification plus 12 hours of YWCA Social Justice Training annually.
• Help set strategic priorities and agency-wide policies as a member of the Leadership Team.
• Represent the Executive Director and YWCA in the community, with community partners and other collaborators.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate

• Commits to eliminating racism and empowering women, strives for equity in all aspects of our work, and has a strong understanding of trauma-informed principles and practices.
• Communicates clearly, consistently, and kindly with colleagues, volunteers, donors, funders, and community partners and responds in a timely, compassionate, and appropriate way to multiple partners.
• Manages a complicated and frequently deadline-driven work environment with consistent and effective self-care strategies and techniques.
• Advocates for social justice including further the rights, protections, and empowerment of historically oppressed, under-represented, and/or marginalized communities.
• Regulates personal emotions and practices self-care while enduring moderate amounts of stress and vicarious trauma.
• Brings an intersectional lens to the work that focuses on lived experience, resiliency, and opportunities for calling in and deeper learning.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Required: 40-Hour Domestic Violence Certification (provided upon hire).
• Minimum 4 years of experience as an Executive Assistant providing administrative and clerical support; previous experience working for a non-profit Executive a plus.
• 2 years of experience supporting a board of directors preferred.
• Strong organizational skills, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Excellent service orientation that is prompt, courteous, and competent; proven ability to effectively ‘manage up’.
• Strong communication skills and ability to convey verbal and written information clearly and effectively using various formats.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Zoom and other virtual meeting tools.
• Demonstrated ability to self-manage workload priorities and calendar while being responsive to executive’s needs and priorities. High self-motivation is key.
• High standard of accountability and openness to receive feedback to support personal and professional growth.
• Ability to build rapport with people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds; consistently treat others with respect and dignity.
• Commitment and desire to work collaboratively, and to be part of a dynamic, interdisciplinary team with leaders, peers, and external partners.
• Bilingual and cross-cultural knowledge, experience, and skills a plus.
• Flexibility, kindness, discretion, sense of humor, and collaboration are essential.

Job Conditions

• Primarily remote position in Portland Metro Region that requires in-person meetings with colleagues, funders, volunteers, and community-based partners at varied community locations.
• Must be able to provide own transportation (employer-reimbursed).
• Laptop, phone, and other materials to work from home will be supplied as needed.

Benefits

• 100% Employer paid Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance coverage (with a no deductible option) and an employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account
• Generous paid time off (including 13 paid holidays).
• Employer paid Life, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
• Monthly Internet Reimbursement of $50.
• Unlimited access to no-cost Social Justice Trainings (see www.ywcapdx.org) and additional position-specific professional development.
• 100% Employer Paid Pension Plan (generous contribution) after 2 years of service in the YWCA Retirement Fund, one of the oldest pension plans in the country; a 403(b) Retirement Savings plan is available to all new employees.
• Membership in the YWCA USA sisterhood, a 160-year-old network of 200 associations worldwide.

Our Hiring Philosophy
We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace makes us a stronger, more creative, and more resilient organization. As an organization that works to amplify the voices of those from different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and/or expressions, we highly encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply.

YWCA of Greater Portland is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We are also a Second Chance Employer. We work to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We welcome candidates who have diverse lived experiences and intersectional identities including those who are multicultural, multilingual, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, differently abled, and have experienced sex work or been impacted by the criminal legal system. We encourage everyone who is passionate about our mission and who can bring valuable lived experience to this position to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the described qualifications. YWCA will not hire someone currently receiving services or within the first 6 months of ending YWCA services. YWCA cannot provide services to our own employees but can provide referral to other agencies.

Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for all employees.

Posting is active until November 3rd, 2023. Interviews conducted in early November.
Please submit a complete application, which includes:
• A cover letter that highlights what inspires you about our mission, and how your personal and/or professional lived experience will strengthen YWCA and support our Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Resume
• 3 to 5 References
ONLY complete applications will be considered.
Applications to: Employment@YWCApdx.org / Include job title in the subject line.