Temporary Special Assistant

Hawthorne Lane; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Hawthorne Lane is seeking a seasoned Special Assistant to support the CEO and senior leadership in a hybrid, temporary capacity in Washington, DC. The role emphasizes calendar management, strategic preparation, and discreet handling of sensitive information.

You will coordinate executive communications, prepare briefing materials, and liaise with board members and donors, ensuring timely execution and high standards of professionalism.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Eight+ years of experience supporting executives.
• Strong written and verbal communication with professional executive correspondence.
• Proactive, diplomatic, and discreet with mature judgment.
• Able to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing needs.

Responsibilities

• Manage C-suite calendars, balance priorities, flag conflicts, and track follow-up.
• Serve as liaison with senior leaders, board members, donors, and stakeholders.
• Prepare meetings with agendas, briefing documents, and talking points.
• Coordinate scheduling needs with discretion and responsiveness.
• Draft and edit executive communications with clarity and professionalism.
• Provide board coordination: scheduling, materials, and day-of logistics.
• Ensure seamless board experience with meeting tech and support for directors.
• Coordinate multi-day events from invitations to follow-up.

Skills

Calendar management

Scheduling

Communication

Discretion

Strategic thinking

Travel coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

This nonprofit in DC is seeking immediate support for the C-suite! As the temporary Special Assistant, you will facilitate calendaring, scheduling, meeting preparation and execution, travel booking, briefing document preparation, board scheduling, and more. This role requires a mature, experienced EA with excellent organizational skills, time management, discretion, and strategic thinking.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manager dynamic C-suite calendars, thoughtfully balancing competing priorities and proactively flagging conflicts, and important follow-up.
• Serve as a trusted liaison with internal and external contacts, including senior leaders, Board members, donors, and other stakeholders.
• Prepare the C-suite for meetings by developing agendas, presentations, briefing documents, talking points, and other materials that provide the necessary context.
• Coordinate select scheduling needs while maintaining a high level of responsiveness and discretion.
• Be a master of tracking action items, deadlines, and follow-up to ensure priorities continue moving forward.
• Draft, edit, and polish executive correspondence and other communications with an eye toward clarity, professionalism, and tone.
• Provide administrative coordination for the Board of Directors, including meeting scheduling, communications, materials, records, and day-of logistics.
• Foster a seamless Board experience by anticipating needs, coordinating meeting technology, and serving as a responsive resource for Board members.
• Coordinate C-suite meetings, and multi-day events, managing logistics from invitations and venues through materials, technology, and follow-up.
• Assist with special projects and research on behalf of the C-suite.
• Identify ways to strengthen executive office processes, improve organization, and create greater efficiency.
• Handle confidential information and sensitive relationships with maturity, diplomacy, and sound judgment.

Why You'll Love Working Here:

• Join a mission-driven nonprofit directly supporting communities throughout the region and improve qualities of life.
• Work closely with an engaged CEO and senior leadership team in a role that provides meaningful visibility across the organization.
• This is a temporary, hybrid role with one day remote per week and free on-site parking.

What We're Looking For:

• Experienced. You bring a bachelor's degree and at least eight years of experience supporting executives.
• Polished. You communicate exceptionally well and have a strong track record of producing thoughtful, professional executive correspondence, presentations, and other materials.
• Technically Strong. You are highly proficient in Microsoft Office, and are comfortable adopting new tools.
• Proactive. You naturally look ahead, recognize what an executive or team will need, and take action without waiting for direction.
• Diplomatic. You interact comfortably with others, bringing warmth, professionalism, and sound judgment to every interaction.
• Composed. You remain steady when priorities shift, deadlines converge, or unexpected challenges arise, while maintaining a high standard of execution.
• Mission-minded. You are genuinely motivated by the opportunity to contribute your skills to an organization addressing significant needs in the broader community.

The hourly listed reflects the anticipated compensation range for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on relevant experience, qualifications, location, business considerations, and internal equity. Final offer amounts are determined at the employer's discretion.

Essential to Hawthorne Lane's success is our ability to attract talent from a range of backgrounds. Our network reflects the diverse community around us, and we believe in a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed. Applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.