Encore.org is a national nonprofit building a movement to tap the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond to improve communities and the world. Originally called Civic Ventures, Encore.org was founded in 1998 by social entrepreneur Marc Freedman and grew out of a desire to transform the aging of America—one of the most significant demographic shifts of the 21st century—into a powerful, positive source of individual and social renewal. Our ultimate goal is to create a better future for young people and future generations.

The Position: Special Assistant, New York Office

This position reports to the President, with a dotted line to the Vice President, Marketing and Communications, and is a full-time, non-exempt position. The Special Assistant will provide critical administrative support to the President, in order to leverage her ability to advance Encore.org’s mission and vision, while making the New York office (located at WeWork SohoWest) an effective, efficient and pleasant place for all team members to work.

The Special Assistant will attend to countless administrative, design and logistical details throughout the day, including scheduling and preparing for meetings, managing email traffic, arranging travel, producing presentations and other materials, and more. This position requires regular (Monday through Friday) office presence in order to attend to the on-site demands of the role.

Responsibilities

Administrative Support
The Special Assistant will partner with the President to provide support across the following functions:

• Manage the President’s calendar with impeccable accuracy to align with priorities.
• Lead preparation for the President’s meetings (research, materials), ensure timely follow up and execution of next steps, transcribe and record meeting notes.
• Oversee the President’s trip planning, including managing all logistics, expenses and registrations.
• Help troubleshoot digital platforms, including but not limited to Apple OS X, Apple Mail, PowerPoint, Gmail, Google Plus and Box.com; coach the President on the use of major social media.
• Provide other support functions, as needed, including expense reports, research and writing.
• Act as an internal resource and liaison for various operational needs and projects at the President’s request.

New York Office Manager

The Special Assistant will serve as Encore.org’s New York office manager and the main point of contact for the following:

• Order supplies, arrange for meetings (including meals, space and logistics) and ensure timely guest access.
• Greet all visitors and help with transportation and lodging support, if needed.
• Liaise with WeWork community managers/landlords.
• Liaise with Encore.org’s San Francisco office, particularly with the Operations and Finance teams.
• Organize and manage use of desks and conference room space in a co-working environment, including tracking use of allotted conference room credits.

General Support and Special Projects

• Lead and curate weekly All-Team calls, including providing input on topics, scheduling guests, communicating with staff and facilitating calls.
• Design and produce professional presentation materials for various team members, as directed by the President and/or VP, Marketing and Communications, for special meetings and projects.
• Work with Board meeting preparation team to help arrange logistics, prepare materials and support senior managers.
• Support logistics and coordination for development cultivation events and other special events, as needed.
• Schedule and support regular Leadership Team meetings, as needed.

About You

You’re a hungry learner. You bring a problem-solving orientation to your work and have a knack for strengthening processes to improve quality and efficiency. You’re insanely proactive, and anticipate others’ needs before they ask – or even become aware of them. You obsess about the details. You’re diligent about maintaining accurate, up-to-date records because you know that strong knowledge management is the foundation for solid decision-making. This attention to detail permeates your work. You have an eye for design and presentation. You’re an early adopter of the latest visual presentation tools.

You’re resourceful and at ease with ambiguity and rapid change. You’re a natural people person and you thrive on building internal and external relationships. You possess a positive, can-do attitude and can juggle many important responsibilities at once. You have spot-on instincts about when to forge ahead and when to seek guidance and input from others on the team. You are comfortable with an office-bound role in an environment where most other team members are working virtually.

Key Qualifications

• A strong commitment to Encore.org’s mission and goals.
• Superb communication and design skills across all mediums that engage and inspire others.
• Professional poise and polish working in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, time management, and prioritization skills.
• Rigorous, almost obsessive, attention to detail.
• A strong work ethic, with a desire to go above and beyond standard expectations.
• Impeccable judgment, including a high level of discretion when handling confidential materials.
• A high level of emotional intelligence and ability to develop relationships and credibility with internal and external stakeholders; ability to work with colleagues remotely and in different time zones.
• A high level of proficiency with multiple types of technology, including:
  • Word processing and spreadsheets;
  • Presentation software and other design tools (PowerPoint skills required);
  • Web-based tools: Google Apps, social media and other online/digital communication tools;
  • Facility with Mac technology is critically important for this role; PC facility is a plus.
  • Board secretariat experience a plus.
  • A college degree is required, with a minimum of five years of work experience that shows increasing operational responsibilities and a proven record of success.
  • Experience in both nonprofit and corporate environments is a plus.

How To Apply

Please submit your resume in Word or PDF format, along with a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, by February 3, 2017. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please respond to these two questions in your cover letter:

• What makes you a great person to support a busy executive in a bi-coastal organization?
• What learning and growth opportunities do you think this role offers you?

Please note: Cover letters will be judged as writing samples; no application will be considered without a cover letter. Please send your resume and letter as one document to [email protected]. Name your attachment with the format: “LastName NYCSA 2017 Application” (e.g., “Hamilton NYCSA 2017 Application”). Applications that do not follow this format may not be reviewed. 

It is Encore.org’s policy to employ, compensate and advance personnel without regard to race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, height and weight, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, partnership status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, arrest record and any other characteristic protected by law. We are an Employer of National Service: AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply and to tell us how your service experience has shaped your career.

We are seeking to develop a multigenerational and diverse team. Qualified people of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Open until filled.

A Note on Encore.org’s Culture 

Our staff members are part of a social movement that challenges old norms and seeks to establish a new definition of success in later life. We are a small, geographically distributed team, committed to making a significant impact. We attract people who think about how small investments can yield big results in the service of Encore.org’s mission.

We work hard, and we value our colleagues and the causes we dedicate time to outside of working hours. We understand the importance of commitments—family and otherwise—beyond Encore.org. Vacation time is meant to be used.

As an organization focused on deploying human talent in innovative ways, we try to walk the talk. We strive to have an intergenerational team. We also encourage and sometimes require flexible work; results matter more than face time. Many Encore.org positions require some or a great deal of travel; all require the use and mastery of a growing array of virtual tools.

Perhaps most important, Encore.org is in a period of transition and growth. We work in a dynamic environment that values mutual respect, rapid response to changing conditions or new opportunities, flexibility and intelligence, as well as a sense of humor and humility. Those who thrive tend to be creative, entrepreneurial types who are dedicated to our mission and who know how to execute ambitious plans in a lean environment.