Executive & Office Assistant

DEPARTMENT: Administration

REPORTS TO: General Manager

PAY: Annual, Full-time; Salaried; Non-Exempt (eligible for overtime)

LOCATION & SCHEDULE: This is an in-person position reporting to our administrative offices located at 91 University Place in Princeton, NJ. In-person requirements are generally based on departmental needs and staff meetings. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm., with some weekends, evenings and holidays depending on show openings and events.

POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES

McCarter Theatre Center is seeking a detail-oriented and welcoming Executive & Office Assistant to provide essential support to our Executive Leadership and ensure the smooth daily operations of our administrative offices. As the first point of contact for guests—including artists, trustees, senior leadership guests, and business associates—this role is based at the front desk and plays a key part in creating a warm and professional environment. Responsibilities include managing information flow, scheduling and calendaring, coordinating project logistics, and handling a variety of administrative tasks. If you thrive in a dynamic setting and enjoy being a core facilitator of organizational coordination, we’d love to hear from you!

Essential Functions & Duties:

Executive Leadership - Artistic Director and Executive Director

• Maintain an accurate and detailed calendar and scheduling for the Artistic Director and Executive Director.
• Coordinate and facilitate the processing of executive invoices and expenses, including though not limited to credit card expense management.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments for the Artistic Director and Executive Director.
• Organize executive business travel arrangements.
• Manage booking of house seats and complimentary ticket offers for McCarter productions and performances on behalf of executive leadership.
• Additional support for the artistic and executive directors may include gathering agenda items for and occasionally facilitating arrangement of artistic or other staff meetings; processing and following up on invoices and payments to artists and collaborators within Financial Edge (FE) and the Finance department; serving as an on-site coordinator for events such as company dinners; and, other needs as they arise.

Administration Department

• Have a consistent presence in the reception entrance of the administrative offices, greet and welcome visitors, collaborators and others with a warm and inviting demeanor and assist in connecting them with appropriate staff, as needed. Unlock and lock the administrative entrance doors coinciding with business hours.
• Efficiently process outgoing mail, as needed, as well as receive, sort and distribute incoming packages, mail and deliveries, and notify relevant staff when packages have arrived.
• Maintain an organized inventory of office supplies, regularly assess stock levels and coordinate monthly supply orders in collaboration with the Events & Operations Manager.
• Answer and field phone calls and emails received by the general administration inboxes.
• Schedule full Board meetings, Board committee meetings, and Board retreats with Executive Director and committee chairs; and correspond with Board members. Organize meeting set-up, and coordinate catering and necessary materials. Take meeting minutes for full Board meetings. Keep the Board Handbook and trustee website up to date. Coordinate gifts for outgoing trustees.
• Help to schedule and orchestrate staff celebrations, meetings and trainings with General Manager.
• Assist the Human Resources Director with posting all available full-time, part-time, seasonal and internship positions on various posting boards; update the internal phone list, the departmental staff list, and staff photo boards; process parking permits and employment verifications; regular filing, scanning, and shredding; and occasional project-based tasks.

Other Responsibilities

• Provide occasional administrative assistance to various departments on an ad hoc basis, such as Operations and Development, subject to supervisor approval.
• Help liaise on behalf of both the executive and artistic directors for events such as Behind the Scenes, First Rehearsals, Invited Dress Rehearsals, and other events.
• Maintain consistent awareness of institutional events, meetings and other information via company email and other modes of communication.
• Prioritize safe working practices while embodying McCarter's safety and community expectations policies to maintain a secure environment for all staff, patrons, and guest artists.
• Engage in the ongoing work of fostering an equitable and inclusive environment at McCarter. Actively seek ways to improve work practices to ensure greater accessibility, representation, and belonging for all, while upholding and exhibiting our stated values of 'justice and joy, beauty and belonging.’

Qualifications:

• Availability to work primarily in-person. This may include occasional evenings and weekends with advance scheduling.
• Superior customer service skills in highly collaborative, cross-departmental settings.
• High level of computer aptitude and proficiency in Office programs (e.g., Word, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams) as well as Zoom video conferencing.
• Awareness and willingness to maintain confidentiality and discretion when handling sensitive information.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects with a keen eye for detail and deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, fostering positive working relationships with colleagues, vendors, and artists, across various departments.
• Proven ability to set priorities, work collaboratively, and take initiative.
• A collaborative mindset, with the ability to work harmoniously with individuals from diverse backgrounds, personalities, and work styles, always approaching challenges with optimism, civility, and a solutions-oriented approach.
• Exhibit a critical consciousness and genuine interest in promoting equitable, diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplace values and practices while working with individuals of diverse needs, personalities, and work styles, and employing an optimistic and solution-oriented mindset towards fostering inclusivity and support within the team environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience as an assistant to individuals in leadership roles.
• The ideal candidate will embody an enthusiasm for theatre and live performing arts, with particular interest in supporting and elevating the work of global artists across many disciplines
• Experience with the administration and management of performing arts institutions and theatre

Work Environment:

• Led by our core values, McCarter fosters and expects a culture of care and respect for the wellbeing of our staff.
• Work will primarily be completed at a desk in the reception area in our administrative office located at 91 University Place in Princeton, NJ, subject to HVAC cooling/heating, as well as close proximity to an exterior door.
• This position entails extended periods of sitting, manual dexterity for operating office equipment, and the ability to read and interpret documents, while occasionally requiring lifting and carrying objects up to 50 pounds (e.g., a box of letter copy paper), engaging in repetitive tasks, standing, walking, bending, and reaching within the office environment.
• Employees may be asked to use a personal cell phone in order to access authenticator apps and related software necessary for work credentials/multi-factor authentication (MFA). Applicants should be comfortable using their personal devices for these purposes as part of their job responsibilities, as workarounds cannot be guaranteed in order to access certain platforms.

This job description may not be inclusive of all assigned duties, responsibilities, or aspects of the job described, and may be amended at any time at the sole discretion of McCarter.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

McCarter is one of the country's flagship theatres, a vibrant center for community and for the performing arts, and a key cultural anchor for Central New Jersey. Located on the campus of Princeton University and incorporated as an independent, charitable nonprofit, the company is a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub of arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and educational programs for all ages.

A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter’s legacy of artistic excellence traces back to the theatre’s first performances in 1930. A home for new play development and world premieres, the company has launched numerous works that have gone on to tens of thousands of performances reaching millions of audience members around the world.

Among the 100,000 community members who directly participate in the company’s work every year, more than 7,500 are students taking part in McCarter’s robust arts-in-education offerings. The company offers more than 20 annual in-school residencies in classrooms in Princeton and Trenton, hosts schools from throughout the region for student matinee performances, and offers need-based scholarships to every one of its dozens of educational after-school and summer programs each year. Co-led by Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen and Executive Director Martin Miller, McCarter leads with values of “justice and joy, and beauty in belonging,” creating stories and experiences that enliven minds, expand imaginations, and engage communities.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMITMENT

McCarter is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring, supporting, and promoting a diverse workforce and inclusive culture. As such, McCarter seeks team members who: contribute to a diversity of backgrounds and experiences to support an expansive artistic vision; are committed to engaging in ongoing anti-racism and anti-oppression work collectively and individually; value collaboration, curiosity, flexibility, and an openness to continuous personal and professional growth.

We encourage all candidates to apply, even if they do not currently meet all the qualifications. We know there are great candidates who may not have all the qualifications listed above but possess intuitive knowledge or other fully transferable skills. If that is you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself. McCarter is committed to on-the-job training and mentorship. We also encourage candidates who do not live within commuting distance to apply; We are eager to tell you about the area, which includes many vibrant communities and towns outside of Princeton.

McCarter Theatre Center is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in the application and hiring process for individuals with disabilities if needed and requested. To request disability accommodation, please contact (609) 258-6500 and connect with Human Resources.