Executive Assistant to the office of the CEO

Organization Profile: 

Founded in 1999, BUILD’s mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the power of youth in under-resourced communities to build Career success, Entrepreneurial mindsets, and Opportunity. BUILD helps students become the CEO of their own lives. We believe in the potential of every student and are dedicated to breaking down the educational, economic, and social barriers that stand in the way of their long-term success.

Our unique program offers high school students a four-year entrepreneurship experience where students launch real businesses and build 21st century skills. Our curriculum focuses on teaching collaboration, communication, problem-solving, innovation, grit, and self-management. Entrepreneurship is the hook; college, career, and life success are the goals. 97% of BUILD seniors have graduated from high school on time, and over 80% go on to college. Upon completion of the program in high school, students have the opportunity to stay connected through BUILD’s Alumni Program offerings.

With a budget of approximately $15M and a team of over 70 people, we currently serve approximately 2,000 high school students annually in New York City, Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. We are continuing to grow our national footprint through our new digital offerings that have enabled us to reach over 100 cities across the country. Our staff have trained nearly 400 educators, and over 12,000 youth have participated in our digital BUILD Design Challenge since its launch in 2020.

For more information on BUILD, please visit our web site at www.build.org and view our Annual Report here.

Our Culture:

BUILD believes in the potential of every student and is dedicated to breaking down the educational, economic and social barriers that stand in the way of their long-term success.  The remarkable young men and women whom we serve are at the center of everything we do. We are intentional about our culture so that we can best support them. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, including cross-cultural understanding. We work in a collaborative environment where flexibility, creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit are encouraged and celebrated.  Kindness, empathy and respect are at the forefront of the way we treat each other, our students, our teachers and our supporters.

Position Summary:

Working mostly remotely, the Executive Assistant will primarily support our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and, secondarily, our Chief Development Officer (CDO). Because much of our CEO’s work is focused on expanding our community of funders and strategic partners and developing our Board of Directors, this is an exciting position to join a collaborative and mission-driven team and play an important role in building BUILD’s impact in the U.S. The Executive Assistant plays a critical support role in ensuring that others have what they need to be successful and that our constituents have a rewarding and meaningful experience. A high degree of professionalism, initiative, customer service, project management and organizational skills are required, as well as the ability to work independently and with a team. This position reports to the Senior National Director, Offices of the CEO & President, and works closely with all members of the BUILD executive team.

Key areas of success will include a CEO and CDO whose work is effectively project managed and who are prepared for meetings and speaking engagements; efficiently scheduled meetings, travel and other logistics; constituents who feel well-served, respected and cared for in all interactions; timely, accurate recording of relationship management information; smooth logistics; and effective external communication. This is a great opportunity for an individual who would like to leverage their administrative talents to advance a mission-based organization which is navigating growth, scale and change.

BUILD does not have a national headquarters but does have major operations in California, Boston, New York, Washington, DC and Pittsburgh. Although the majority of the Executive Assistant’s work can be conducted remotely, the Executive Assistant will periodically travel to in person meetings and retreats.

Position Responsibilities:

External Affairs

• Triage incoming information from external stakeholders. This can include reviewing, prioritizing, and drafting responses for email, incoming phone calls and other correspondence.
• Communicate with high level donors and national partners on behalf of the CEO and CDO.
• Facilitate requests from the media and coordinate public appearances and interviews, in partnership with the Marketing and Communications team.
• Provide written drafts of CEO correspondence, reports and emails.
• Prepare and distribute documents for the CEO from dictated drafts as well as outgoing mail, email, contracts and other materials as requested.
• Design and draft PowerPoint presentations for the CEO and CDO on a broad range of topics and for a diverse set of audiences.
• Manage all of the CEO’s and CDO’s relationship management within NXT/Raiser’s Edge and ensure donor gift follow up and acknowledgements.
• Perform research on various topics as requested (primarily prospect research, web search and phone contact) and make recommendations where appropriate.

Operations

• Acts as a confidential assistant to the CEO and CDO.
• Serve as the communication hub for all direct reports to the CEO and CDO. This includes scheduling meetings, following up on task requests, and coordinating projects.
• Organize and manage the department’s knowledge management and communication tools, ensuring the department is compliant with organization-wide standards.
• Coordinate CEO and CDO expense reporting.
• Identify administrative needs and develop appropriate solutions or recommendations.
• Provide National Board management administrative support to the Senior National Director.

Scheduling

• Fully manage very busy and changeable CEO and CDO schedules using Google products.
• In partnership with the Senior National Director, manage scheduling for the CEO to ensure their time is directed towards the organization’s top priorities.
• Act as liaison with CEO and CDO external appointments; assure that meeting timelines are met, taking initiative to assure that the CEO or CDO scheduling is achieved as planned.
• Coordinate local and national travel arrangements for the CEO and CDO and create detailed itineraries.

Qualifications:

• Passionate commitment to BUILD’s mission, vision, values and strategic direction.
• 7 years’ professional experience directly supporting C-suite executives.
• Success in working collaboratively with a management team of senior-level professionals.
• Ability to handle a variety of constituencies and thrive in a complex, dynamic, and entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to work in a geographically dispersed, remote/hybrid organization with a leadership team that is frequently “on the road.”
• Highly competent in the use of G-suite, Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and video conferencing tools.
• Ability to independently manage constituent records and reporting with a CRM software platform. (BUILD uses Raiser’s Edge)
• Has a curiosity about and interest in research; Can quickly uncover facts and is curious to pursue additional information with focus and the ability to draw insights from what is  relevant
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; demonstrated ability to communicate with and engage a wide range of audiences, including C-Suite and high networth individuals.
• This position requires a high level of communication via laptop, video conferencing and cell phone.
• BUILD requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Reasonable Accommodations based on a qualifying medical exemption or sincerely held religious belief are being considered in accordance with applicable law.
• U.S. English fluency, written and spoken

Successful candidates will demonstrate BUILD’s Core Values and competencies through a combination of previous education/work experiences:

BUILD’s Core Values:

• Keep Students at the Center - As BUILDers, we hold an unwavering passionate commitment and belief in the power and potential of youth.  Our organization exists to serve students. We seize each opportunity to contribute to the foundation of knowledge, skills, and networks from which students can build extraordinary lives. Our operating principles and decisions focus on what is in the best interest of our students.
• Bring the Spark - As BUILDers, we excel in the entrepreneurial Spark Skills that we teach our students - Communication, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Innovation, Grit and Self-Management. We communicate through transparent and honest dialogue. We cherish teamwork, tenacity, and thinking outside the box. We demonstrate a relentless pursuit of excellence and approach work with a positive can do attitude. When we bring the spark we achieve great things together, and we model the way for our students.
• Bridge Communities - As BUILDers, we develop and foster relationships in service of creating access and opportunities for our students, staff, and stakeholders. We value all who come to the table as partners to maximize our collective impact. By connecting the communities in which we work, we build empathy, equity, and social capital.
• Promote Diversity and Social Action - As BUILDers, we understand that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion matters, but what matters even more is Action. We strive to create equity of voice, access, influence and power across lines of difference – both in and beyond BUILD, specifically for groups that have been historically denied social and economic justice. If we are not part of the solution, then we are part of the problem. We welcome, celebrate, and embrace the unique expressions and contributions of us all – our backgrounds, race, ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, and social class.

Role Specific Competencies:

• Project Management  - Identify the steps of a project, set appropriate deadlines, identify required participants, and hold self and others accountable to outcomes and deadlines.
• Problem Solving - Identify and/or anticipate a problem, analyze the situation, offer an appropriate range of recommended solutions, and when appropriate, decide on and implement a course of action.
• Customer Service Orientation - Anticipate and respond promptly and professionally to requests and needs from all key stakeholders and set clear expectations while taking other perspectives into account.
• Attention to Detail - Accomplish a task with a thorough and precise focus on every component of the project, no matter how small or time-consuming.
• Multi-tasking - Move seamlessly between any number of prioritized tasks and functions, as required.
• Thoroughness - Ensure that one's own and others' work and information are complete and accurate; carefully prepare for meetings and presentations; follow up with others to ensure that agreements and commitments have been fulfilled.

Position Details:

• Full Time/Exempt
• Location: Hybrid from CA, CO, DC, IL, MD, ME, MT, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, TX, VA, WA. Travel is required  for quarterly staff retreats and other strategic meetings as necessary. Anticipated travel is 10%.

Compensation:

The salary for the Executive Assistant, Office of the CEO role ranges from $95-110K in accordance with BUILD’s equity focused salary bands.  BUILD offers a competitive compensation & benefits package for eligible employees.  This includes medical, dental, vision and life coverage, flexible spending accounts, and a 403(b) plan with match.  In addition, eligible BUILD employees qualify for generous vacation, sick time, 11 paid holidays per year, and a flexible work environment.

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume.  BUILD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At BUILD, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles!