Natick, Massachusetts
Posted: 05-Aug-24
Location: Dedham, Massachusetts
Type: Full Time
Salary: $60,000 - $85,000
Categories:
Salary Details:
Preferred Education:
The executive assistant to the head of school provides comprehensive administrative support to ensure the smooth and efficient operations of the head of school’s office and overall school community. The position requires a high level of professionalism, diplomacy, patience, and confidentiality, as well as the ability to handle multiple tasks with flexibility and agility. This position requires exceptional communication skills and the ability to collaborate with a broad range of constituencies effectively. The executive assistant to the head of school serves as a trusted partner to the head, maintaining confidentiality around highly sensitive information and exhibiting the utmost integrity. The ideal candidate is proactive, resourceful, and has a strong understanding of executive support and project management.
Essential Duties
- Understand and anticipate the head of school’s needs regarding preparation for and scheduling all activities and meetings.
- Organize and maintain the head of the school’s calendar. Set up meetings for the head of school with various constituencies: students, parents, administrators, faculty, trustees, graduates, and other educational professionals.
- Prepare reports, mailings, internal documents, and correspondence. Maintain digital files of all correspondence from the head’s office.
- Support logistical arrangements and orchestration of all meetings and travel domestically and internationally.
- Coordinate agendas and collaborate with other school offices for a range of events during the school year, including the opening of school, all-school meetings, graduation, end-of-year dinner, and corporation dinners.
- Serve as liaison to the board of trustees. Oversee and coordinate materials, logistics, and support for all meetings, activities, and initiatives for the board, including coordination of the board and committee meetings, retreats, and the past presidents’ lunch. Take and record minutes at board meeting general sessions.
- Participate in calendar committee meetings and support maintaining the public calendar as needed.
- Work closely with the head of dining on menu selection for meetings and other events. Communicate and work closely with faculty, administrators, parents’ association, and members of all staff departments.
Qualifications and Preferred Competencies
A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent is required, along with at least five years of administrative support experience and, preferably, some experience in an executive office. In addition, the executive assistant to the head will demonstrate proficiency in the following competencies:
- Exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills
- Ability to make independent decisions, work under pressure, multitask, and see assignments through completion
- Comfortable working with a wide range of constituencies
- Commitment to working in and fostering an inclusive community
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including editing and proofreading
- Executive calendar management
- Meeting and event management experience
- Discretion working with confidential and sensitive information
- Maintain professional boundaries with regard to the handling of privileged information
- Contribute positively to the overall morale of those within the institution
- Ability to work an occasional evening, weekend, or early morning
- Advanced computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Suite—Gcal, Google Docs, and Google Sheets—and working knowledge of databases
Interested candidates should complete the online application and upload a resume with a cover letter addressed to Nicole Anastos, director of human resources.