Executive Assistant to the Head of School

Friends Community School (FCS), founded in 1986, is a progressive, co-ed Quaker K-8 day school serving a diverse student body from the greater Washington, D.C. area. FCS’s LEED-certified building is situated on 17 acres surrounded by Greenbelt National Park, nine minutes from the University of Maryland, College Park, and thirty minutes from Washington, D.C.

Educators at FCS nurture lifelong learners, courageous risk takers, and joyous peacemakers through the expression of our commitments to Quakerism, Progressive Education, equity, and inclusion. Our progressive pedagogical approach emphasizes depth over breadth, creativity and innovation over memorization, and hands-on collaborative projects over rote schoolwork. Our curriculum engages students in the exploration of values rooted in our Quaker Heritage – simplicity, peaceful conflict resolution, integrity, community, equality/equity, and stewardship – from a range of perspectives.

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant to the Head of School provides executive-level administrative support to the Head of School, facilitating the smooth functioning of the School, and prioritizing the strategic implementation of the resources of the Head of School’s Office. The Executive Assistant organizes, coordinates, and performs administrative duties requiring independent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality. Strong organizational and communication skills and a professional demeanor are essential to this high-profile position. The Executive Assistant to the Head is a member of the Senior Administrative Team and supervises the Administrative Assistant. The Executive Assistant will be in frequent communication with faculty, administrators, trustees, parents, students, and alumni so that discretion, diplomacy, and courtesy are of the utmost importance. This position requires an individual who can assess, prioritize, and synthesize the varied requests. It will be important that this person enjoys both the details of the inner workings of the School and appreciates how the details inform the larger picture.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepare drafts of communications from the Head of School’s office; prepare and manage the preparation of reports, briefing materials, correspondence, proposals, and related documents to be disseminated school-wide.
• Serve as the liaison to the Board of Trustees (BOT): attend board and committee meetings as requested; prepare materials and handle logistics for New Trustee Orientation; handle all BOT meeting logistics; oversee the preparation and distribution of BOT materials prior to board meetings; maintain BOT contact information document; maintain email distribution lists for BOT and standing committees; assist with scheduling standing committee meetings as requested; prepare the BOT calendar of meetings and important events.
• Manage along with the Administrative Assistant, the Head of School’s calendar and schedule, being sure his/her schedule is set to reflect his/her highest priorities and that s/he has all materials prepared for each appointment; field inquiries from and arrange for meetings with staff, faculty, parents, and alumni; arrange all travel; reserve meeting spaces; track all meeting attendance, and arrange for refreshments.
• Schedule administrative meetings and retreats, individual routine meetings with the Clerk of the Board, Clerks of Board Committees, the Clerk of Adelphi Friends Meetings, Parent Association and other parent meetings as requested, meetings with Trustees, meetings with guests, and candidate interviews.
• Assist Head of School in arranging special events on campus, organizing and coordinating school-wide events such as faculty functions, trustee meetings, and varied special events (such as Opening party, End-of-year party, In-Service meetings), and working closely with the Office of Advancement.
• Triage all mail (electronic and postal) sent to the Head of School; respond to certain types of mail as his/her representative.
• Develop and implement a communications plan for the Head of School’s Office that assures effective and strategic communication with various school constituencies, in concert with the Communications Office.Director of Communication.
• Provide support in responding to incoming telephone calls for the Head of School, collecting reliable information to assist him/her in returning calls, or referring calls to more appropriate staff members.
• Evaluate and improve workflow and efficiency in the School’s administrative offices.
• Take the utmost care to maintain and protect the confidentiality of the Head of School’s Office and student and employee files.
• Prepare, edit, and update printing projects, including the School Calendar, in consultation with the Communications Office.Director of Communications.
• Perform routine office work including filing and other duties and special projects, as assigned by the Head of School.

Qualifications Desired and/or Required

• Bachelor’s degree preferred with 5-7 years of experience in a school or nonprofit setting
• The ability to effectively present information in writing and orally
• Discretion and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters appropriately
• State-of-the-art computer skills; facility with Google applications including Google Docs, Google Calendar, Gmail, Google Slides, Google Spreadsheet; familiarity working with databases such as Blackbaud
• Ability to effectively multi-task while working in a highly organized fashion – detail-oriented, flexible, unflappable and energetic
• An affinity for children and Quaker values
• An open and collaborative work style
• A positive outlook and a sense of humor
• A high level of integrity and a strong work ethic

Commitment to Diversity

FCS is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive educational community and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or a person's status as a qualified candidate with a disability in administration of its educational program, admission policies, financial aid program, staff hiring, and other school-administered programs.

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, we actively seek faculty and staff of varied backgrounds and encourage them to share their unique gifts to cultivate a rich educational experience. We strive to create a learning environment that exposes students to the value and breadth of differences, informs their perspective, and prepares them to shape the world.

Please send a cover letter, résumé, and the names and contact information of three professional references to jobs@friendscommunityschool.org.