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Senior Executive Assistant

Organization
Northwest Minnesota Foundation
Location
Bemidji, MN
Salary Range
$61,088-$101,813
Posting Date
February 3, 2025
Application Deadline
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Job Description

Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Bemidji MN

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is one of the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs) established by the McKnight Foundation in 1986 to assist Minnesota’s rural regions during the farm crisis in the 1980s. As the region’s MIF and the only community foundation in the region, NMF has been serving the vast nonprofit community in northwest Minnesota for more than 30 years.

NMF provides grants and loans to organizations and small businesses that have offices located within the 12-county region and the two tribal nations. Since its founding, NMF has invested millions to help make the region a better place to live and work. 

Position Description

The Senior Executive Assistant provides advanced support to the President, with responsibilities extending beyond standard administrative tasks to include elements of governance, organizational development, and operational oversight. This role is integral in ensuring the effective functioning of the Office of the President, coordinating organization-wide initiatives, and playing a pivotal role in internal communications, including managing key aspects of the organization’s DEI journey.

Duties & Responsibilities

  • The Senior Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative support to the President, ensuring the efficient management of complex calendars, meeting coordination, and critical communications. As a key liaison between the President, Board of Directors, and senior management team, the Senior Executive Assistant ensures that all stakeholders are aligned with organizational goals and priorities. This role is crucial in supporting governance functions, including preparing and distributing board materials, organizing board meetings, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies. The Senior Executive Assistant plays a vital role in driving organizational development by supporting key initiatives that enhance internal processes and foster a culture of continuous improvement. In addition, this position oversees operational activities related to the Office of the President, ensuring effective internal communications and efficient coordination of cross-departmental projects and alignment with the organization's strategic goals. Additionally, the Senior Executive Assistant handles all sensitive information with the utmost confidentiality and discretion, maintaining a high standard of professionalism across all communications and interactions.                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  • The Senior Executive Assistant is responsible for overseeing office and facility management to ensure smooth day-to-day operations. This includes managing tenant relationships, handling lease agreements, and coordinating with vendors to maintain a well-functioning and safe work environment. The role also involves overseeing office-related contracts, monitoring building services, and ensuring that all facilities are running efficiently. By maintaining strong relationships with tenants and vendors, the Senior Executive Assistant ensures that any issues are promptly addressed, creating a productive and professional environment for both employees and external partners. Additionally, this role involves planning for future facility needs and ensuring that the office environment supports the organization’s evolving operational requirements.
  • The Senior Executive Assistant will play a key role in coordinating the organization's internal DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) journey, ensuring alignment with our values and strategic priorities. This includes managing the budget for internal equity and inclusion initiatives and overseeing the development and coordination of staff and board educational activities focused on these themes. As the primary point of contact for equity and inclusion resources, the Senior Executive Assistant will collect and disseminate relevant information and fulfill reporting requests as needed. In addition, this role will involve managing relationships with external DEI consultants. The Senior Executive Assistant will also coordinate the internal equity and inclusion committee, ensuring regular meetings and follow-up, while participating in external learning opportunities and sharing insights with staff and leadership. Furthermore, this role will assist with external communications on equity and inclusion issues, ensuring consistency and clarity in our messaging.
  • You are responsible for all other duties as assigned.

What success looks like

  • You are someone who consistently exercises the highest level of confidentiality and discretion in all aspects of your role. You demonstrate excellent judgment in determining who has appropriate access to sensitive information, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained at all times.
  • You foster a culture of professionalism and high customer service, particularly with the Board of Directors, senior management, and external partners. You lead by example, responding promptly and courteously to inquiries and requests, both internally and externally. You possess a deep curiosity about the organization and proactively seek to understand its complexities, allowing you to provide informed and effective support to those with whom you work.
  • You thrive in a fast-paced environment, adept at managing multiple projects and competing priorities with a focus on efficiency, clear communication, and attention to detail. As a self-starter, you are able to independently manage your workload and take initiative in identifying and resolving challenges. You work well in a team-first setting, collaborating effectively with staff at all levels to promote a positive, productive, and supportive office culture.
  • You maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail, ensuring that all materials and communications distributed on behalf of the President and the Foundation are clear, concise, and error-free. You anticipate the needs of those you support and are capable of making decisive and informed decisions within the scope of your authority.
  • As part of this role, employees are responsible for staying informed about and integrating generative AI tools to optimize work outcomes and improve operational processes.
  • You actively contribute to the organization’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), playing a key role in driving DEI initiatives both internally and externally. You embrace opportunities to grow your skills and expertise in this area, ensuring that the Foundation's practices reflect its values and its commitment to building an inclusive and equitable workplace that mirrors the communities we serve.

Obligations

Ownership of:

  • Governance support, including Board of Directors communications, the preparation and distribution of board materials, and organizing board meetings.
  • Internal scheduling, particularly for the President/CEO and senior management team, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
  • Coordination and oversight of tenant communication and relationship management, including lease execution, vendor coordination, and addressing tenant needs.
  • Managing the budget for internal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and acting as a key point of contact for DEI-related resources and reporting.

Will collaborate in:

  • The overall operations and future planning of the NMF office building, including maintaining a safe and efficient work environment.
  • Organization-wide operational oversight related to the Office of the President, including cross-departmental initiatives and special projects.
  • Records retention and management of key NMF records related to the Board of Directors, the Office of the President, and overall governance, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and confidentiality standards.
  • The coordination and implementation of staff and board educational activities related to DEI, helping to foster an inclusive and culturally fluent organizational environment.
  • Cross-departmental projects and organizational development initiatives, contributing to the enhancement of internal processes, communication, and collaboration across the organization.

Qualifications

Required:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent combination of higher education and professional experience.
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience in an executive support role, preferably in a nonprofit, governance, or organizational development context, or related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Proven discretion and professionalism in handling confidential and sensitive information.
  • Experience in supporting governance and Board of Directors operations, including preparation of board materials and meeting coordination.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with cloud-based systems for document management and collaboration.
  • Proven experience managing complex calendars, board materials, and organizational communications.
  • Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain high attention to detail.
  • Exceptional communication skills, with experience liaising between senior leadership, boards, and cross-functional teams.
  • Demonstrated expertise in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), including planning, coordinating, and reporting on DEI initiatives.
  • Demonstrated experience in building, facility, and office management, including overseeing tenant relationships, coordinating vendor services, managing lease agreements, and planning for future facility needs to ensure a safe, efficient, and professional work environment.
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating initiative and a team-first approach.

Job Information

  • This position offers a competitive salary (minimum of $61,088 to a maximum of $101,813), commensurate with experience and qualifications.
  • The primary location for this position is the NMF office in Bemidji.  However, a flexible/hybrid option is available where the employee is expected to be physically at the office for an agreed-upon number of days each week and has the option to work from home the other days, while being available for emergency on-site needs.
  • This position will require travel locally, regionally, state-wide, and potentially nationally.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation follows an equal opportunity employment policy and employs personnel without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, pregnancy, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status. This policy applies to hiring, internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, and terminations.

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