Executive Assistant 

Executive Assistant

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understand the scope of the position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, or responsibilities associated with the position.

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC) is seeking an experienced administrative support person to serve as the Executive Director’s right hand to help her execute her vision and fulfill her organizational and progressive ecosystem commitments. Ideal candidates must have previous experience working with executive or senior level director positions for a minimum of three years and be able to work independently with significant autonomy to successfully complete tasks without constant supervision. The person in this position must be extremely well organized, enjoy administrative support and systems, and demonstrate a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

The Executive Assistant will manage a wide range of administrative and support activities including managing internal and external scheduling, preparing the Executive Director for meetings; attending meetings and providing next steps and synthesis; among other responsibilities. Additionally, the Executive Assistant will manage items related to and provide support to the BISC INC and Foundation boards. Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and an excellent communicator as well as have good judgment and practice discretion. While not required, preference for people who have worked in the political and non-profit advocacy space.

BISC is a mission and values-driven organization that recruits and seeks to retain a staff committed to excellence by fostering a work environment that is flexible, fairly-compensated, respectful, and fun.

Location: BISC HQ is located in Washington, DC, but the location for this position is flexible within the U.S. This position will travel for organizational activities such as retreats, board meetings, and BISC’s annual conference. This position reports to the Executive Director.

Executive Support:

• Manage aggressive and dynamic executive calendar, requiring interaction with both internal and external stakeholders and book travel
• Manage and draft correspondence on behalf of the Executive Director
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for external, funder, partner, and Board contacts on behalf of the Executive Director;
  • Ensure funder and stakeholder contact information is captured and shared with team members via organizational CRM;
• Support meeting preparation and logistics, ensure all follow up from meetings is completed, documented, and reported out in a timely manner
  • Create and edit presentations for the Executive Director
• Prioritize and manage the Executive Director’s multiple projects and requests, and help with follow through in a timely manner;
  • Prepare the Executive Director’s nightly report and resources document;
  • Proactively work with the senior leadership team to make sure the Executive Director follows through on her commitments and is up to date on organizational day-to-day items;
• Work collaboratively with the Development Team by attending weekly development meetings and additional development-related meetings to ensure any funder-related meetings and events are scheduled and reported back to the Development team
• Work with the Communications Team to ensure Executive Director is prepared for reporter meetings and press briefings, schedule media interviews, and ensure Executive Director communications follow BISC branding;
• Work with the Operations Team on logistical related items, ensure Executive Director campaign engagement is entered into compliance forms, and prepare and process expenses and reimbursements

Board liaison/support:

• Manage all board meeting related activities including administrative and logistical support, recording minutes, and managing the board report and work packet process including handling material of a confidential nature
• Manage board chair and executive committee meetings including scheduling, note taking, and preparing board members for meetings
  • Work with Chief of Staff and board secretaries to conduct the Executive Director’s annual review
• Manage the board committees including scheduling meetings, note-taking and supporting next the next steps of the Development, Nominations, and Futures committee meetings
• Manage all board communications including monthly newsletter

Additional Responsibilities:

• Aid the organization in implementation of BISC’s 5-year strategic plan focused on changing culture, centering directly impacted communities, capacity building, convening, and internal continuity and growth;
• Record notes for all staff meetings;
• Support other BISC and BISC Foundation projects and activities as needed; and
• Assist with the planning and execution of BISC’s annual conference

Key qualifications and experience:

• 3 to 5 years of relevant experience supporting an executive or senior level position, preferably in a non-profit setting
• Experience composing executive-level correspondence on behalf of a principal, preferably for communications with donors and/or board members
• Experience managing up and working across multiple departments and with senior level stakeholders
• Exceptional verbal and communication skills
• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors
• Demonstrated attention to detail and follow-through on job responsibilities
• Responsive and efficient in completing tasks and correspondence. Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines
• Sound judgment and discretion especially with sensitive and confidential information
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Ability to balance competing priorities, complex situations, and tight deadlines
• Ability to work independently on assigned tasks as well as to accept direction on given assignments
• Intermediate to advanced mastery of Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, etc.) as well as Microsoft Office products, experience with Canva a plus
• Comfort with technology and virtual communication systems, including Zoom, Slack, EveryAction and/or other content management systems
• Long-term commitment to the progressive movement and demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and racial justice

Notice of Exempt Position:

This is a full-time position and in accordance with the provisions of Federal and DC wage and hour laws, this position is classified as Exempt, which means that you will not be eligible for overtime for hours worked in excess of forty (40) during a work week.

Salary & Benefits

• $67,000-71,000 per year
• 100% Medical insurance for family paid for by employer
• Dental insurance
• Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage
• Paid vacation
• Sick leave
• Generous 401(k) plan with employer contribution

To apply:

Submit cover letter, resume, and 3 references by clicking here.

Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

About BISC

BISC’s mission is to strengthen democracy by implementing a national progressive strategy for ballot measures rooted in building state-based power.

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC), a 501(c)(4) organization, is the only progressive organization that works across many policy, organizing, and political organizations, with local, state, and national leaders to analyze and support the ballot measure landscape.

We believe direct democracy can be a tool for liberation. We leverage ballot measures across the United States as part of a larger movement to strengthen democracy, center people of color, queer, low-income, immigrant, indigenous and other marginalized communities, move towards racial equity, build and transform power, and galvanize a new progressive base. In February 2020, we launched our strategic framework to help move towards our vision of building a world where all people are fully liberated, live with dignity and thrive so that equity and justice prevail.

We lead by supporting the use of ballot measures as a tool for transformational impact, not just in a measure’s outcomes, but at every stage of the ballot measure process—from policy development, signature gathering, civic engagement, the campaign itself, implementation and beyond. We believe in movement building and empowerment, bringing communities into the work and leaving lasting infrastructure for continued social change.

We know that success isn’t just defined by getting 50% + 1 of the vote. If we’re serious about building a more equitable world, we also must consider who’s driving the change and whether it will have a transformational impact on the people and communities who have been pushed to the margins for too long.

We achieve impact through training the field and developing leaders, convening state and national leaders and funders in a co-created strategy that results in transformative wins, leading innovative research and providing assistance to support ballot measures as a tool to build long term power.

BISC’s Racial Equity Stance

At the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, we work to transform our country into one that is equitable and just. In our work, we strive to challenge structural racism, and center the people most impacted. BISC works with commitment to racial equity inside our organization in our operations and management processes, and externally through our research, training and organizing work with ballot-measure campaigns, partners and funders.

EEO Policy

BISC follows an Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and employs personnel without regard to race, ethnic or religious background, descent or nationality, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy), gender identification, disability, marital status, age, height, weight, or military service. This policy applies to employment, internships, internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, terminations, relationships with vendors, use of contractors and consultants and in dealing with the general public.