Executive Assistant to the Executive Director

SEIU- ESF; Northampton (MA); Remote; USD 67,000 - 84,000; Full time

Job summary

SEIU-ESF is seeking an Executive Assistant to support our Executive Director and facilitate board operations. This role emphasizes organization, communication, and the ability to thrive in a dynamic environment. With a commitment to worker-centered initiatives, you will help us align our strategic goals while ensuring smooth operations within our leadership team.

Benefits

100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision plans

Defined benefit pension plan

Vacation accrual of up to four weeks within the first two years

Paid holidays and sick leave

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in executive support or operations.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Strong communication skills across roles and departments.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct administrative support to the Executive Director.
• Manage logistics for Board of Directors meetings.
• Coordinate executive-led retreats and internal gatherings.

Skills

Organization

Communication

Problem Solving

Flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Google Suite

Salesforce

Slack

Job description

LOCATION OF POSITION:
Remote. Northeast is highly preferred. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Research shows that qualified talent from historically marginalized groups often self-select out of applying to positions if they don't meet all the qualifications listed. Consider this description our best thinking at the moment. Strong candidates may not meet all the requirements but still have valuable experience and expertise to offer. If you believe you could be a strong candidate, please apply!

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

An increasing number of Americans – most of whom are women and people of color – are employed in service sector jobs that are marked by low wages, no health care, job insecurity, and lack of training and career advancement opportunities. The SEIU Education & Support Fund
tackles these issues by designing and facilitating worker-centered, relationship-based, and accessible education, training and workforce development programs. We serve as a strategic partner to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and collaborate with other unions, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and employers to help workers access good jobs and spark positive social change. Throughout our work, we promote a culture of empowerment that honors experience, culture, diversity, and inclusion.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Executive Assistant is a highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive team member who ensures the effective coordination of Executive Leadership Team (ELT) operations, board engagement, and executive convenings. Reporting directly to the Executive Director (ED), this role is responsible for managing executive-level logistics, project management, scheduling, internal communications, and high-level administrative support across the Executive Office.

This role plays a key function in helping the ED stay focused and effective by creating systems that promote alignment, accountability, and efficiency—while supporting, but not leading, strategic planning or cross-functional execution efforts. The position is ideal for a candidate who thrives in fast-paced environments, anticipates needs, and brings a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset to internal operations.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive & Board Support

• Provide direct administrative and operational support to the Executive Director, including calendar management, scheduling, travel arrangements, and meeting logistics.
• Manage all logistics and materials related to Board of Directors and Board Committee meetings, including notetaking, agenda packet preparation, and timely distribution of follow-ups.
• Coordinate the annual board operations cycle, including elections, policy tracking, Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosures, and onboarding of new board members.
• Serve as the main logistical lead for executive and board travel, including the in-person annual board retreat.

Executive Leadership Team (ELT) Coordination & Communications

• Own scheduling and calendaring for recurring ELT meetings, in alignment with organizational priorities and leadership availability.
• Partner with ELT members to develop focused, actionable agendas and ensure preparedness for strategic discussions.
• Coordinate the collection and distribution of pre-read materials, updates, and data points that support meaningful ELT engagement.
• Track decisions, document next steps, and monitor follow-up actions to support clarity and accountability across ELT operations.
• Maintain an understanding of ELT members’ functional areas to support effective communication and elevate critical issues to the ED as needed.

Executive Convenings & Retreats

• Lead end-to-end planning and execution of executive-led retreats and high-priority internal gatherings.
• Develop and manage planning timelines, coordinate venues, meals, transportation, materials, and guest speakers.
• Create run-of-show documents, event agendas, and logistics plans to ensure seamless implementation.
• Support executive sponsors by keeping them on task for key decisions and planning milestones.
• Manage and monitor the budget for all executive convenings and retreats, ensuring responsible and strategic use of funds and alignment with organizational priorities.

Project & Operations Coordination

• Serve as the executive office liaison to internal teams working on time-bound, high-priority initiatives, ensuring strong communication and follow-through.
• Prepare internal communications, presentations, and planning documents on behalf of the Executive Office.
• Track and reconcile budgets related to board and executive convenings.
• Maintain strong internal systems for organizing executive office documents, calendars, and workflows.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

• Is committed to a worker-centered, empowerment-based approach to training
• Is flexible, comfortable working independently and is a sophisticated collaborator
• Exceptional judgment, interpersonal, and communications skills and ability to manage up, down, and laterally; demonstrates flexibility, creativity, humility, and patience.
• Has excellent organization and communication skills; demonstrated initiative, flexibility, creativity, humility, and empathy
• Digitally fluent and comfortable using technology tools including Google Suite, Canva, Salesforce, SurveyMonkey, and Slack in a professional environment.
• Ability to work independently and be a self starter as well as a collaborator in a dynamic team environment; can balance inclusive processes while driving toward deadlines.
• Is able to flex hours to support staff across multiple time zones as needed (generally with notice).
• Ability to travel approx 5 times/year ranging from 1-3 days per trip.
• Has exceptional judgment, interpersonal skills, and a desire to develop and grow a talented
  team
  

EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Five to seven years of experience in executive support, operations, project coordination, or nonprofit administration.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and planning skills with keen attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills across roles and departments.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Strong problem-solving abilities with a focus on practical, actionable solutions.
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects and work under tight deadlines

BENEFITS

We understand the importance of offering our employees strong support and benefits. That’s why we provide 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your eligible dependents and offer a defined benefit pension plan for retirement. We also offer an initial and annual home stipend, and you can choose between a biweekly cell phone stipend or a company-sponsored cell phone.

In your first two years with us, you’ll accrue up to four (4) weeks of vacation and five (5) weeks after completing two years of service. We also recognize the value of work-life balance, so we offer paid holidays, 13 days of sick leave, six (6) personal days, and two (2) floating holidays.

COMPENSATION

At the Education and Support Fund (ESF), we understand how crucial it is to create a compensation and benefits system that not only attracts but also retains a diverse and talented team. We are committed to ensuring that our compensation practices reflect our values and the unique experiences of each employee. Our philosophy focuses on the following important principles:

1. **Honoring Our Culture**: We believe that every individual's lived experiences and professional journeys are invaluable. Our compensation framework aims to acknowledge and celebrate this diversity, as it enriches our organization and strengthens our community.

2. **Innovative**: We strive to be forward-thinking in our approach. By embracing an inclusive design process, we are dedicated to crafting a compensation program that is not only fair but also transformative, promoting a culture of growth and opportunity for everyone at ESF.

3. **Worker-Centered**: Your voice matters to us. We are committed to listening to the needs, experiences, and perspectives of our staff as we develop our Compensation Framework. We want to ensure that all factors are thoughtfully considered to create a supportive and equitable environment.

At ESF, we are committed to fairness, consistency, and transparency in our compensation practices. The salary for this role is predetermined based on standardized geographical cost of labor data and the candidate's primary place of residence. The selected candidate will receive one of the following salaries: $67,693, $75,816, and $83,262, depending on their location.

Salaries are assigned by matching the candidate’s current location to our cost-of-labor chart and cannot be negotiated. We understand that compensation is an important factor in your decision-making and encourage candidates to review and ask questions about our benefits information to get a better understanding of our total compensation package.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

SEIU Education and Support Fund follows the spirit and intent of all federal, state and local employment law and is committed to equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. In alignment with our mission, we recognize the importance of our staff reflecting the communities our work aims to benefit as well as the desirability of increasing employment opportunities for people from historically marginalized groups. We encourage and seek applicants from people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ communities, bilingual and bicultural individuals, and people with disabilities.