Board Relations Senior Coordinator (Job ID: 2026-3882)

The Brookings Institution; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Generous time off

Workplace flexibility

Job summary

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum three years of relevant administrative experience.
• Experience working with high-profile individuals and organizing high-level events with senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide key support to the Senior Director of Board Relations, President, and EO team to meet governance goals.
• Prepare agendas, take notes, draft minutes, and maintain confidential materials.
• Coordinate meetings and special events, ensuring timely distribution of materials and follow-up.
• Maintain trustee records, CRM entries, and board portal content with accuracy.
• Collaborate with Development, Legal, and Research teams on governance-related tasks.

Skills

Board governance

Executive support

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

BoardEffect

Raiser's Edge

Job description

Overview

Join one of the most influential, most quoted, and most trusted think tanks! Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to equip decision-makers with nonpartisan research and policy strategies to create a more prosperous and secure country and world.

To advance our mission, we are committed to the following four goals:

• Develop economic growth strategies for a changing world
• Expand economic and social opportunity for all
• Revitalize U.S. democratic institutions
• Advance peace and security worldwide

At the core of our mission is the quality, independence, and impact of our research. We are dedicated to finding bold, pragmatic solutions for societal challenges through open‑minded inquiry, diverse perspectives, and holding ourselves to the highest standards of scholastic rigor.

Beyond pursuit of excellence, Brookings places immense value on creating a supportive and collaborative environment where every individual can do their best work, learn, and grow. Brookings has been at the forefront of public policy for more than a century.

Position Location

This position requires 4–5 days a week of in‑person work onsite in our Washington, DC office with flexibility depending on the needs of the office.

Responsibilities

Ready to contribute to Brookings success? The Board Relations Senior Coordinator provides key support directly to the Senior Director of Board Relations, President, and the EO team in support of Brookings Board of Trustees governance goals as well as for EO special projects.

Day‑to‑day duties include proactive administrative support, document preparation and retention, accurate data entry and reporting, scheduling, and meeting preparation. The Coordinator maintains a high level of confidentiality and handles sensitive information appropriately.

Board Governance (55%)

• Maintain and update annual project plan for Board and Committee meeting planning, materials, and documentation.
• Co‑lead overall management of the annual cycle, providing timely updates and adjusting as necessary.
• Create first drafts of agendas for Board, Executive Committee, and Nominations and Governance Committee meetings.
• Develop templates for new minutes, resolutions, and board documents.
• Take accurate notes and draft minutes for Board and Committee meetings.
• Serve as primary interface with support staff for Audit, Budget and Finance, Compensation, Development, Investment, and People Committees.
• Post all Board and relevant Committee meeting documents on BoardEffect and maintain publishing schedule.
• Maintain searchable database for resolutions and minutes.
• Ensure signatures, scanning, uploading, and filing of all final Board documents.
• Draft notices for Senior Director of Board Relations/Assistant Board Secretary.
• Collect, collate, and archive Trustees’ annual conflict of interest questionnaires, review responses, and prepare reports.
• Update Trustee records, including affiliations, membership lists, and CRM entries.
• Regularly audit and update Trustee and staff information on the board portal and public‑facing website.
• Compile materials for Trustee orientations, build orientation books, and archive them.
• Create fillable PDFs, online surveys, and other methods to collect information from Trustees and their staff.
• Proofread and copyedit all documents.

Governance Support of Trustees (15%)

• Support new users gaining access to BoardEffect and troubleshoot user issues.
• Respond to questions from Trustees and their staff regarding Board meetings and requests for information.
• Draft and proofread correspondence.
• Provide updates to Development staff related to Trustee interactions and CRM.
• Take meeting notes and ensure follow‑up.
• Handle sensitive information and confidential projects.

Research Support & Coordination (10%)

• In support of the Nominations and Governance Committee, synthesize background research on prospective Trustees with Development and legal staff.
• Assist with analysis of Trustee data and projections related to Board composition, engagement, and philanthropy.
• Conduct ad‑hoc research on Board composition and comparative data.
• Stay up to date with Brookings research programs and Trustee interests; notify Trustees of relevant events and activities.

Administrative & Meeting Support (10%)

• Schedule internal and external meetings and provide logistical and technical support for remote sessions.
• Send calendar appointments, track attendance, and prepare attendance reports.
• Ensure agendas and materials are timely distributed and appropriate follow‑up occurs.
• Submit expense reports and ensure timely responsiveness to administrative requests.
• Support Board meetings and special events, both in‑person and remote, executing technical requirements and providing attentive service.

Special Projects (10%)

• Provide coordination support for EO special projects: drafting questions, preparing staff‑wide communications, writing final reports.
• Perform administrative tasks such as reserving rooms and managing sign‑ups.
• Contribute to research and editorial tasks for recurring content delivered to Trustees and advisory audiences.
• Assist with communications from the President to the Board.

Qualifications

Ready to make an impact? In this role you will support Brookings values of collegiality, respect, inclusion, diversity, and community.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum three years of professional relevant administrative experience (preferably in a related field and/or nonprofit organization).
• Experience working with high‑profile individuals and organizing high‑level events and meetings with senior stakeholders.

Knowledge & Skill Requirements

Excellent interpersonal, organizational, technical, and communication skills are required. Strong grammar, spelling, proofreading, and editing skills are essential, along with the ability to research and compile information for briefings. Candidates must have acute attention to detail, be discreet, dependable, and work quickly. They must exercise excellent judgment and initiative while maintaining confidentiality, possess a professional demeanor, and be comfortable working with high‑profile individuals. Ability to interact politely with the public and internal constituents, and excellent phone and email manner, is required. Candidates must work independently and collaboratively, coordinate multiple tasks, and follow up on details consistently. Knowledge of Microsoft Office (especially Excel) is essential, with the capacity to learn additional software such as Publisher, Adobe Pro, and Raiser’s Edge or other CRM.

Additional Information

Brookings provides a generous benefit package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage, generous time off, and workplace flexibility. For more information, please visit the Brookings Benefits page.

Application Instructions

Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply. If you have applied to more than one Brookings opening, include a position‑specific cover letter as a separate attachment.

Background Investigation

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings.

EEO Statement

Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms, including diversity of experience, thought, and personal background. We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first‑generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace. All selection decisions are based upon merit, skills, abilities, and experience.