The Business Manager's primary role is to support the CEO across responsibilities by adapting to the specific needs of the Executive as a customer. The Business Manager must understand the responsibilities, needs and priorities of the CEO to create the time and space needed for the CEO to focus on the most strategically critical demands of the position. Responsibilities also include business contacts, calendar, meetings, travel and special projects.
The Business Manager interacts with members of UWSEM staff, Board members, staff from United Way network organizations, and other key constituents.
Overall, the Business Manager must exercise a high-level of judgment, work independently, in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities, draw from experience to perform advanced support and maintain a high level of confidentiality. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
Provide a high-level of support to the CEO, including:
- Work with the CEO to prioritize an agenda and focus on the most important issues and opportunities.
- Strategically manage the CEO's time and calendar by exercising discretion and decision-making while sorting and filtering requests for the Executive's time while ensuring strategic priorities are met in a timely manner. Keep the CEO on schedule by providing prompts.
- Responding to routine questions and requests and refers higher level managerial requests to the Executives and/or directors, as appropriate.
- Perform special projects as directed by the CEO, including the review, research, summarization or analysis of information.
- Working with the CEO to strategize and manage a portfolio of relationships including scheduling of meetings and relationship management tactics such as thank you notes.
- Managing the CEO's portfolio of goals and objectives; ex: videos, blogging, other.
- Work with the CEO on meeting planning, preparation and coordination, including logistics, materials, etc. Work with the CEO to identify and schedule strategic presentations.
- Assist with Board and Executive Committee meeting preparation, including logistics, materials, etc. Assist with other committee meetings as needed.
- Attend key meetings with the CEO with the purpose of ensuring follow-up and execution on identified next steps.
- Oversee, coordinate, assist with such routine administrative duties such as, receiving telephone calls and correspondence (including emails) and flagging them as appropriate; coordinating the CEO travel program and itineraries, preparing the CEO credit card statements and expense reports, composing non-routine and routine correspondence, preparing and proofreading letters, memos and other documents using proper grammar, spelling, punctuation; compiling and organizing data for special reports, and sending correspondence on behalf of the CEO using the CEO's "voice."
In addition to the core responsibilities of the position, may be asked, or may seek, to engage unique abilities, strengths and passions through participation on cross-functional teams.
- Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities
- Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment
- Fierce determination to successfully meet complex challenges
- Learning agility: the ability to give up skills, perspectives and ideas that are no longer relevant and acquire new ones that are
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Professionalism, confidentiality, empathy, customer service orientation, discretion and proper telephone skills are essential
Acquired Knowledge:
- Requires 7-10 years of experience providing business and administrative support; including 3-5 years supporting senior level manager(s) or an executive
- Experience in the nonprofit sector is highly valued