Job Description
Department
Administrative
Reports To
President & Executive Director
Education Requirement
High School Diploma or Equivalent
FLSA
Exempt
Salary
$70K-$80K
Annually
Schedule
Monday- Friday
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
The Ali Forney Center (AFC) is dedicated to protecting LGBTQ+ youth from the harms of homelessness and empowering them with the tools needed to live independently. Founded in 2002, AFC provides comprehensive services, including housing, healthcare, and educational support to over 2,000 youth annually. AFC's mission is to create an affirming and supportive environment where LGBTQ+ youth can thrive.
POSITION Overview
Reporting directly to the President and Executive Director (ED), the Executive Assistant (EA) provides support to the Executive Director and across all programs. The EA serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of the ED. The EA also serves as a liaison to the board of directors and senior management teams, organizes and coordinates executive outreach and external relations efforts, and oversees special projects. The EA must be creative and enjoy working within a small, entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The EA will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Executive Support
- Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the ED including: managing an extremely active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; composing and preparing correspondence that is sometimes confidential; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings
- Communicates directly, and on behalf of the ED, with Board members, donors, AFC staff, and others, on matters related to ED's programmatic initiatives
- Researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the ED, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature. Determines appropriate course of action, referral, or response.
- Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the ED's office and internal departments, demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with senior management staff
- Works closely and effectively with the ED to keep him well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Acts as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the ED updated.
- Provides leadership to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization, and manages a variety of special projects for the ED, some of which may have organizational impact
- Successfully completes critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the ED's ability to effectively lead the company
- Prioritizes conflicting needs, handles matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.
Board Support and Liaison
- Serves as the ED's administrative liaison to the Ali Forney Center board of directors
- Assists board members with travel arrangements, lodging, and meal planning as needed
- Maintains discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members
- Adhere to compliance with applicable rules and regulations set in bylaws regarding board and board committee matters, including advance distribution of materials before meetings in electronic/paper format
Senior Management Liaison
- Participates as an adjunct member of the Executive Team including assisting in scheduling meetings and attending all meetings
- Assists in coordinating the agenda of senior management team meetings, off-sites, and all-staff meetings
- Facilitates cross-divisional coordination of travel and outreach plans
Communications, Partnerships, and Outreach
- Ensures that the ED's bio is kept updated and responds to requests for materials regarding the ED and the organization in general
- Edits and completes first drafts for written communications to external stake holders
Strategic Initiatives
- Works with the Strategic Initiatives team in coordinating the ED's outreach activities
- Follows up on contacts made by the ED and supports the cultivation of ongoing relationships
- Edits all, and creates acknowledgement letters from the ED to donors
- Partners with the COVID Testing Coordinator to ensure that compliance is maintained across departments
QUALIFICATIONS
Competencies
- Executive-Level Administrative Excellence
Demonstrates exceptional ability to manage complex executive calendars, coordinate travel and meetings, prepare high-level correspondence, and handle competing priorities with precision, discretion, and efficiency. - Strategic Communication & Relationship Management
Exhibits outstanding written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with board members, senior leadership, donors, partners, and internal staff while representing the Executive Director and organization professionally. - Judgment, Confidentiality & Professional Discretion
Exercises sound judgment in sensitive situations, maintains strict confidentiality, and handles confidential information with integrity, emotional maturity, and professionalism. - Organizational Agility & Problem Solving
Proactively identifies issues, prioritizes tasks, and develops effective solutions in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment, balancing multiple deadlines while maintaining attention to detail and quality outcomes. - Mission Alignment & Collaborative Leadership
Demonstrates a strong commitment to AFC’s mission, works collaboratively across departments, supports strategic initiatives, and independently drives projects to completion while fostering trust, credibility, and organizational effectiveness.
Qualifications
- Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail
- Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors
- Expert level written and verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
- Emotional maturity
- Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently
- Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response
- Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions
Education and Experience Requirements
- High School diploma
- Strong work tenure: five years+ of experience supporting C-Level Executives, preferably in a non-profit organization
- Experience and interest in internal and external communications, partnership development, and fundraising
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Adobe Acrobat, and Social Media web platforms
- LGBTQ individuals, people of color, and bilingual (Spanish) individuals strongly encouraged to apply
FULL-TIME BENEFITS & PTO
- Paid sick, vacation, personal, 12 holidays
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- 4O1k (matching) EAP program
Multilanguage speaking candidates are encouraged to apply (Spanish, French, etc.). Transgender and gender non-conforming people are encouraged to apply. People with lived experience of homelessness encouraged to apply. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color encouraged to apply. Emerging managers with experience seeking director leadership role are encouraged to apply.
The Ali Forney Center is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.