Executive Assistant

The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

The Aspen Institute's College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to achieve this higher standard and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. Learn more at https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/

The College Excellence Program staff is a diverse team of driven and energetic professionals who share a commitment to increasing access to and success in higher education. We are motivated by the power of education to change lives, and we work hard to have measurable impact while also pushing ourselves to learn constantly, collaborate and innovate, and take joy from our work. The Aspen Institute's D.C. headquarters provides a vibrant setting in which to pursue these goals, and we benefit from a rich array of expert panels, discussion groups, and lectures that occur throughout the year.

Position Overview

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative support to an executive or team within the College Excellence Program, including proactively managing schedules/calendars (internal and external) according to the leader's priorities, planning and organizing travel, processing reimbursements, and credit card reconciliations.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Provides administrative assistance, such as writing and editing e-mails, drafting memos, and preparing communications
• Organizes meetings, including scheduling, sending reminders, and organizing catering when necessary
• Manages the executive's calendar, including making appointments and prioritizing the most sensitive matters
• Prepares reimbursements and credit card reconciliations on a monthly basis
• Maintains accurate records
• Other duties as assigned

Core competencies

• Manages multiple processes and/or projects at the same time, with significant complexity involving multiple inputs and stakeholders, and different timelines
• Always meets deadlines or delivers early; anticipates roadblocks that might delay deadline, proposes and negotiates a timely solution
• Helps others deliver strong results through proactive collaboration
• Keeps current with best practices in the field of executive administration and continually builds technical and/or substantive expertise
• Able to identify the interests and needs of key audiences and design written products and oral communications with clear focus on intent
• Able to produce solid first drafts of concise written products, and proactively get feedback and incorporate feedback effectively
• Modifies and adjusts as changes are implemented to ensure results are achieved
• Models and encourages flexibility
• Embraces change as an opportunity for growth and learning
• Often thinks about ways to perform duties more effectively
• Provides feedback to supervisors
• Develops relationships with staff members on other project teams
• Develops relationships with team members from other programs/departments

Knowledge, education, and experience

• High school diploma, and 5+ years experience required
• Experience as an executive assistant in a similar setting preferred

To learn more about how we hire at CEP the generous health, retirement, and other benefits offered by the Aspen Institute, please visit our website.