Join the PRIDE and Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s mission to ignite emotional connections with wildlife that spark conservation action while leading vital programs to protect endangered species. Our beautiful 235-acre campus offers a living classroom that is home to over 3,500 animals representing 500 species. Brookfield Zoo Chicago is embarking on a groundbreaking, ambitious Next Century Plan to achieve our vision. It is the beginning of an exciting transformative journey!
The Executive Assistant, President's Office contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago by providing a full range of administrative and executive support and facilitating maximum effectiveness of the President & CEO (“President”). Contributes to effective execution of institutional priorities, activities, communications, and board relations.
PRIMARY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
- * Represents the President and Office of the President in handling a wide variety of requests from staff, guests, volunteers, trustees, and government officials. Maintains a strong understanding of the Society’s operations at all levels and works closely with staff throughout the Society departments to handle requests in a prompt manner. Follows through to ensure appropriate execution and outcomes. Maintains strict confidence of privileged information at all times and works carefully at all times to ensure no lapses of confidential information occurs.
- * Works to provide effective access to the President and assists in prioritization of tasks and needs. Ensure President is prepared and has necessary resources from BZC staff for all meetings and engagements. Ensures timely provision of all necessary briefing materials for appointments and meetings. Assists President in maintaining adherence to daily schedule and needs. Works to effectively maximize President’s available time by handling routine and emergent tasks.
- * Provides substantial support for the Senior Director of President’s Office & Board Relations (“SD POBR”) in the form of scheduling, communications, data entry and database management, board reports and presentation preparation, and other general assistance. Reports to the SD POBR with regards to daily office functions and logistics. Assists with preparation and seamless execution of Board meetings and other Board events, including after-hours events, as needed. Represents Brookfield Zoo Chicago and President with the highest level of professionalism at all times.
- * Manages incoming messages and information for the President including, but not limited to, screening phone calls, personal visits, mail, email, and general BZC Admin mailbox. Responds on behalf of the President as appropriate. Reviews prepared remarks for speaking engagements for accuracy of content and grammar, ensuring adherence to BZC vision and mission, and advises speech writers as needed.
- * Manages President’s schedule, including all travel arrangements and conference registrations. Coordinates expense reporting and preparation of time and attendance tracking. Manages and approves time and attendance bi-weekly reporting for all of the President’s direct reports.
- * Monitors AZA communications, list serves, and other communication streams for pertinent information. Briefs the President and other Executive Team members as appropriate. Consolidates reports from BZC workgroups to facilitate efficient review by the President.
- * Works with the SD POBR to ensure efficient and consistent messaging and communication from the President’s office to the Executive Team, Society Board, and all staff as appropriate. Ensures adherence to BZC communication guidelines and brand. Must be able to capture the President’s communication style and voice in written correspondence.
- * Ensures adequate general operation of the President’s office under the guidance of the SD POBR. Maintains all physical and electronic files. Responsible for the clean and neat appearance of all areas of the President’s office, including but not limited to conference rooms, kitchen, etc. Works with appropriate staff to maintain physical facilities. Manages use of conference room facilities in the President’s office and sets policies/guidelines regarding the use of such facilities by other BZC staff members. Ensures good hospitality for visitors, etc. to the office. Provides physical presence to ensure President’s Office appears open and welcoming.
- * Monitors and manages President’s external Board and professional organization communications relating to meetings, inquiries, requests, attendance, and materials. Prepares all necessary materials for review and decisions by President. Responds on President’s behalf as needed.
- * Assists in orientation of Management Team members to President’s Office operations, BZC procedures, and general operating processes. Guides Management Team and Executive Team members accordingly.
- Performs special projects as assigned. Represents the President’s Office at BZC events as needed, and other related duties as assigned.
* Denotes Essential Job Function(s)
POSITION REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS:
- Associates degree or four years equivalent on the job experience required.
- Five years’ experience in a responsible position providing comparable high-level administrative, coordination, and/or management support.
- Excellent organizational, proofreading, and prioritization skills required.
- Ability to effectively assess and juggle multiple priorities required.
- Effective problem-solving ability. Sound, logical and decision-making skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills required. Ability to deal with all levels of contacts both within and outside the organization. Ability to consistently represent the President and President’s Office with the highest level of professionalism.
- Strong writing/composition skills, strong verbal communication skills, excellent telephone etiquette, and effective listening skills required.
- Ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure and meet critical deadlines.
- Ability to maintain the strictest level of confidentiality of highly privileged information.
- High moral and ethical standards.
- Ability to think at the institutional level and remain focused on big-picture/high-level needs.
- High-level of computer proficiency with Microsoft Office suite applications required, including experience with Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Previous experience with database management.
- High-level typing and data entry proficiency.
- Cultural proficiency; experience and/or ability to work and interact effectively with diverse, multicultural people.
- English fluency at a working professional level.
- Valid driver’s license required at time of hire. Illinois residents must possess a valid Illinois driver’s license or obtain one within 90 days of hire. Valid out-of-state driver’s license is required for out-of-state residents.
DESIRABLE/PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Previous experience providing administrative support at the executive/C-suite level and/or close work with high-level vice-presidents/department heads.
- Non-profit experience a plus.
- Experience using InDesign and Raiser’s Edge a plus.
- Experience working with Board members a plus.
- Experience with other office software packages preferred.
- Multilingual ability, Spanish fluency a plus.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This position description summarizes the primary duties and functions of this position, but should not be considered a complete listing of every duty the incumbent may ever be called upon to perform. This is a key, visible position that requires a highly conscientious and responsible individual who can effectively represent the President’s Office in a professional and diplomatic manner. Incumbent handles a myriad of contacts/requests from staff, guests, volunteers, trustees, and government officials and handling these contacts is a critically important function of this position and requires diplomacy, tact, resourcefulness, and knowledge of the institution’s operations. Position requires a bright, motivated, highly capable individual who is committed to excellence. Must be proactive, persistent, helpful, and able to identify tasks to be completed without prompting. Must be energetic, self-motivated, results-oriented, and confident.
Incumbent is required to gain a solid understanding of the organization, its mission, vision, values, history, and operating principles, and how the President’s office interacts with individual departments and outside organizations. Incumbent interacts regularly with senior managers, trustees, external organizations and individuals, including dignitaries, government officials, chief executives, organizational leaders, representatives, and others.
PHYSICAL -MENTAL REQUIREMENTS: See Physical-Mental Requirements Form.
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