Executive Operations Manager & Board Liaison

Maine Tasting Center; Seal Harbor (ME); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve seeks an Executive Operations Manager & Board Liaison to protect the CEO’s time, manage the calendar, and serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors. The role supports governance, donor relations, and strategic projects while maintaining discretion and confidentiality.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years of senior executive support experience, nonprofit exposure, and proficiency with Microsoft 365 and AI productivity tools.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience supporting a senior executive, preferably in nonprofit or relationship-driven setting.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience.
• Experience supporting a board, governance work, donors, or senior stakeholders.
• Sound independent judgment, knowing when to act or escalate.
• Exceptional discretion with confidential matters.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and task-tracking tools, plus hands-on use of at least one AI productivity tool.
• Ability to build systems from scratch and manage many open items with minimal oversight.

Responsibilities

• Protect the CEO’s calendar, meetings, and travel with foresight.
• Prepare agendas, briefings, minutes, and correspondence for trustees and donors.
• Coordinate board and committee meetings, onboarding, and confidential nominee pipelines.
• Partner with Development on donor meetings, VIP visits, and follow-ups.
• Build systems to track commitments and deadlines across 30–180 days.
• Use Microsoft 365, task-tracking, and AI tools to streamline workflows and handle confidential information.

Skills

Calendar management

Executive support

Board liaison

Donor coordination

Project tracking

Discretion

Microsoft 365

AI productivity tools

Decision making

Education

Associate or Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft 365

Task-tracking tools

AI productivity tools

Job description

About the Preserve

The nonprofit Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve stewards 1,400 acres of natural lands, trails, and carriage roads, along with three celebrated historic gardens: the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, Thuya Garden, and the Asticou Azalea Garden. The Preserve sits next to Acadia National Park, between Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor. For more than a century, it has balanced faithful historic preservation with horticultural excellence, ecological health, and public openness. The gardens open each summer, and the organization works year-round.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Executive Operations Manager & Board Liaison is a strategic and operational partner in the Office of the CEO. This role protects the CEO’s time, focus, and priorities. It also serves as the main administrative liaison to the Board of Directors and its committees. We’re looking for an organized, resourceful professional who anticipates needs, brings structure to ambiguity, and helps mission-driven leadership do its best work.

Key Responsibilities

• Calendar and time protection: Manage the CEO’s calendar, meetings, and travel with foresight. Triage requests, resolve conflicts, and build in preparation time.
• Meetings and executive support: Prepare agendas and briefing materials. Take minutes, track action items, and draft correspondence to trustees, donors, staff, and partners.
• Board liaison: Coordinate board and committee meetings and packets. Maintain the long-view governance calendar, support trustee onboarding, and manage confidential nominee pipelines.
• Donor and VIP coordination: Partner with the Development team on CEO donor meetings, trustee gatherings, and VIP visits, from preparation through follow-up.
• Tracking and projects: Build systems that track commitments and deadlines across 30- to 180-day horizons. Support CEO-led strategic projects and bring stalled items to resolution.
• Office administration: Use Microsoft 365, task-tracking, and AI-enabled tools to streamline workflows. Process expenses and invoices, and handle confidential information with discretion.

Qualifications

• At least five years of progressively responsible experience supporting a senior executive, ideally in a nonprofit or other relationship-driven setting
• Associate or bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience
• Experience supporting a board, governance work, donors, or senior stakeholders
• Sound independent judgment, including knowing when to act and when to escalates
• Exceptional discretion with confidential matters
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and task-tracking tools, plus hands-on use of at least one AI productivity tool
• A proven ability to build systems from scratch and manage many open items with minimal oversight

Preferred:

Experience as a senior Executive Assistant, Board Liaison, or in a chief-of-staff-adjacent role. Background in conservation, cultural, or mission-driven organizations is also a plus.

Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.