Executive Assistant to the Head of School

Primary Responsibility: The Executive Assistant to the Headof School provides high-level administrative support by exercising substantial judgment and decision-making, attention to detail, professionalism, confidentiality, grace, and a sense of humor. The person in this role must be a creative problem solver and enjoy working in a mission-driven, fast-paced, and community-oriented environment. The ideal individual will write and speak precisely and eloquently, possess exceptional administrative and organizational skills, and have a demonstrated ability to prioritize amongst competing goals and objectives. The ability to work under pressure while handling a wide variety of activities is crucial to success in this position.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Executive Support

Completes a wide variety of administrative tasks for the Head of School (HOS), including, but not limited to:

• Managing, prioritizing, and protecting a highly-active schedule of appointments, creating win-win situations for direct access to the HOS,
• Completing expense reports and gathering information for annual reports,
• Composing and preparing correspondence,
• Keeping the HOS apprised of essential upcoming commitments and potentially sensitive issues, following up as appropriate,
• Warmly welcoming visitors, including faculty, students, parents/guardians, volunteers, donors, and board members, and
• Answering phones and directing incoming inquiries to the appropriate party as necessary in a positive and professional manner.

Event Planning

Directly manages or provides support for a variety of special events and projects for the Head of School and school-wide community, such as:

• Annual community events like Convocation, Commencement, and Lessons and Carols,
• High-level meetings and retreats for various constituencies such as the Board of Trustees, Senior Administrative Leadership Team (SALT), and committees assembled by the HOS, and
• Special activities hosted by the HOS, such as priority guest visits, luncheons, and notable celebrations on and off campus

Administrative Leadership

• Engages with administrative colleagues in a leadership capacity, initiating quarterly meetings and training and coordinating phone coverage when necessary.
• With direction from the HOS and in collaboration with the Communications department, coordinates the School's calendering process for internal and external events and
• Contributes to scheduling internal event requests and room reservations for internal meetings.

Board Support and Liaison

With guidance from the HOS and Board Chair, serves as liaison to the Board of Trustees for all campus and off-campus constituencies. Manages all administrative matters related to the Board, including responsibilities like:

• Creating agendas, related materials, presentations, and invitations for board meetings, retreats, and new trustee orientations,
• Coordinating logistical needs such as space reservations, technology support, and food,
• Gathering all notes, minutes, and presentations for distribution to board members and archiving in the board portal and internal drive, and
• Maintaining updated board committee rosters, directory updates, and major dates calendars.

Characteristics Sought

• Demonstrated ability to work both collaboratively and independently with diverse populations, including students, parents/guardians, faculty and staff, trustees, donors, volunteers, and government officials,
• Exceptional organizational, time management, and customer service skills with the ability to effectively and positively communicate with all constituents, both orally and in writing,
• Uncompromised integrity and maturity in handling confidential information, recognizing the dignity of all people,
• Energized by the responsibility of managing multiple priorities and projects with extreme accuracy in a service-oriented environment, often under deadline pressure,
• Prioritizes conflicting needs and handles matters expeditiously and proactively, and
• Ability to learn new skills and adapt to changing conditions.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree,
• Three to five years of supporting C-level executives, preferably non-profit executives,
• Expert use of professional software (Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace), specifically word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Experience with database management systems such as Veracross or Blackbaud is a plus,
• Event and meeting planning experience,
• Ability to work long hours on occasion, including attending weekend and evening events on and off campus, and
• Demonstrated ability to maintain credibility, trust, and support across departments and with management.

St. Anne's Belfield School has retained IndySchool Consultancy to assist with this search. All inquiries and applications should be directed to:

Tim Viands, President, IndySchool Consultancy

tim@indyschoolconsultancy.com