Job Description Summary
The George Washington University ( GWU ) is seeking a highly motivated and capable Executive Associate to serve as a member of The GWU Alliance for a Sustainable Future (the “Alliance”) team. The Alliance is the primary public-facing organization for sustainability at GWU . It administers and supports academic programs, research projects, public and internal communications, and convenings in the field of sustainability. Sustainability is a broad cross-disciplinary field that encompasses a wide range of subjects related to the environmental, social, and economic health of the planet. The Alliance works with faculty, staff, and students across all of GW’s schools and related Institutes as well as many of its administrative and operations offices to coordinate, strengthen, and amplify the work done by GW in this dynamic field. The Alliance consists of a small full-time staff but connects with hundreds of faculty, staff, and students across the University and will work with many external partners, donors, and others. The Executive Associate will be at the center of the Alliance’s activities, supporting the Executive Director and the Managing Director of the Alliance and all Alliance activities. The Executive Associate will also work closely with the Directors for the research and academic arms of the Alliance, and with their support teams. To succeed in this role the Executive Associate will be a highly organized, tech-savvy, adaptable team player, with demonstrated problem-solving skills, a keen eye for detail, and expert-level communication skills. The Executive Associate’s specific responsibilities include: Office Management and Administrative Duties Provides administrative support to the Executive Director and Managing Director including but not limited to managing their calendars, travel, expenses, and meetings. Organizes and maintains records and databases of information in a manner that makes information easily accessible to other staff. Serves as primary point of contact for all inquiries about the Alliance, greets, and serves as the host for in-person office guests of the Alliance. Schedules and allocates use of office space (e.g., conference rooms, guest offices); monitors the Program’s office phone, mail, electronic communications, and deliveries; and responds to or refers inquiries, as appropriate. Creates and maintains good relationships with suppliers and service providers who are internal to GW (e.g., IT, building maintenance) or external (e.g., food vendors) and serves as their primary point of contact. Resolves matters such as office maintenance, IT problems, etc., and procures and organizes office supplies. Researches and compiles information as needed to support Alliance activities and office operations. Researches and becomes familiar with University procedures and processes as needed to support the work of the Alliance. Establishes new office procedures. Undertakes such other duties as needed to maintain an orderly and well-functioning office. Communicates problems related to office management and suggests solutions as needed. Event and Communications Management Aids in planning, scheduling, and organizing events, small and large, which may entail, among other tasks, scheduling venues and people, ordering food and beverages, booking travel, paying honoraria, arranging on-line hosting, on-site coordination, and aiding with other aspects of events. Maintains and updates a master calendar of events. Manages listservs, mailing lists, and other data as needed for dissemination of Alliance communications, does website updates, and coordinates mailings. Gathers information as needed for the preparation of reports and other communications and handles special projects. Generates routine business correspondence (invitations, thank you notes, etc.) HR and Finance Responsibilities Handles administrative HR matters, including those associated with hiring and supervising timekeeping of student employees. Organizes orientation and onboarding for new staff members. Works with the Finance Department to coordinate contracting and processes regarding employee payroll for students and shared employees. Assists Managing Director with expense and income tracking and assists with the preparation of financial reports for the Alliance and its associated programs. Tracks expense authorizations, and prepares and submits, or facilitates the timely submission by others, of expense reports. Identifies, reports, and helps resolve budget deviations; and coordinates reallocations as needed. Helps monitor and collect key metrics on program operations. In addition to the above, the Executive Associate performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position. This is a full-time in-person position on the Foggy Bottom campus.
Minimum Qualifications
Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate area of specialization plus 2 years of relevant professional experience, or, a Master’s degree or higher in a relevant area of study. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. Degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Preferred Qualifications
We are seeking a highly motivated, capable, and collaborative individual to fill the Executive Associate role on our inaugural team. Desired qualifications include: Five or more years of experience performing similar administrative duties and office management in a dynamic office environment. Able to perform job duties with minimal supervision (after training). Excellent writing and oral communications skills with significant experience crafting professional business correspondence. Demonstrated ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. Ability to work independently on multiple projects from conception to completion. Demonstrated problem solving skills and a keen eye for detail. A passion for acting to counter climate change and mitigate its impacts. Uses software, as appropriate, to support Alliance communications and activities, including Microsoft 365, Adobe Creative Cloud, and other platforms as needed.
Work Schedule
8:00 AM- 5:00PM M-F with some evening and weekend work possible
