Executive Assistant to the Executive Director

Greenpeace is a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green, just, and joyful future. For over fifty years, Greenpeace has fought to save the planet from the threat of global warming, destruction of ancient forests, deterioration of our oceans, and the threat of a nuclear disaster.  As an independent organization, Greenpeace does not accept funds from any corporations or government entities, safeguarding our independence and ability to speak the truth and act boldly. We recognize the importance of the moment: Ours is the first generation to experience the impacts of climate change and ecosystem destruction, and the last generation with a window of time to do something about it.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Greenpeace is known for its creative communications, non-violent direct action and leadership in tackling global environmental issues. Essential to our role in the climate fight is our staff and the support they provide the movement. A key role in our support structure is the Executive Assistant. Reporting directly to the Chief of Staff, the Executive Assistant (EA) provides executive, project and administrative support to the Executive Director. The EA will work closely with the Senior Management Team, the Greenpeace Boards and other organizational partners and stakeholders in service of the Executive Director.

The Executive Assistant will serve as the first point of contact and communication liaison for all internal and external matters involving the Executive Director. This role will oversee and coordinate outreach, and serve as the gatekeeper for the executive office, helping to screen, prioritize and respond to requests. This position also works closely with the Chief of Staff and Senior Communications Specialist to manage and leverage the Executive Director’s time, correspondence, travel and speaking engagements, while developing and implementing administrative strategies that increase efficiency and impact of the Executive Director. This role will also oversee and manage specific projects, as assigned by the Executive Director and Chief of Staff. 

The ideal candidate must be an adept self-starter with the ability to thrive in a rapidly changing, dynamic and deadline-driven environment. Additionally, this position requires a high degree of professionalism, strong organization and communication skills and the ability to instill confidence and work well with a wide variety of people. The Executive Assistant must maintain a high level of discretion and handle confidential information appropriately. This position is not static and will be revised as the needs of the organization and Executive Director evolve. Please note the opportunity for this role to be a Senior Executive Assistant role for those candidates who meet the minimum years of required experience.

The Executive Assistant is a full-time, exempt, benefits-eligible, hybrid position, based in Washington, D.C, and will report directly to the Chief of Staff. While this position is generally a Monday - Friday role, there will be occasional need for availability on weekends and/or evenings for special events, as needed. This position requires in-office days, occasional travel for trainings and meetings and a willingness to work outside of normal business hours, as needed. 

The Executive Assistant will:

• Support the Executive Director's Office:
  • Work under the Chief of Staff to manage internal communications and transactions, manage a list of tasks and deadlines, complete special projects as requested and assist the ED with preparation for events, speeches, and conferences
  • Manage Executive Director’s scheduling, email communication, travel and speaking engagements requests of the Executive Director
  • Manage deliverables to Executive Director and provide any necessary reporting
  • Project manage special projects, including those within the organization and sometimes with allies
  • Research, draft and edit reports, memos, and correspondence for the Executive Director and will provide other written communication, as needed
  • Manage expenses of the Executive Director, and provide trainings to members of the executive team as necessary on budget management systems and processes
  • Manage timesheet of ED and approve direct reports’ timesheets and vacation requests on behalf of the ED
  • Assist Executive Director in administrative management, including submitting receipts, signing  letters, etc.
• Manage and Arrange  Executive Programs:
  
  • Support Governance Coordinator on board meeting needs (ie. minute taking at meetings, on site logistics, etc)
  • Work with Operations staff to Coordinate Greenpeace International Meetings  and events hosted at GPUSA or other activities the  Executive Director plans in the office and other locations 
  • Support international executives when visiting Greenpeace USA
  • Assist in training other Executive Assistants, develop and share tools for best practices
  • Lead and support event planning, coordination and preparation duties
  • Serve  as a member of the Greenpeace’s administrative support team and is responsible for meeting the needs of the Executive Director  and other team members.
• Relationship Management and Communication:
  • Develop relationships and support Executive Director’s relationships with high level contacts , allies, donors and funders 
  • Liaison between Executive Director and Greenpeace USA staff, Greenpeace International and other internal stakeholders 
  • Assist the Executive Director to cultivate and maintain relationships. Send out written communication including thank-you letters, acknowledgments and/or solicitations to donors, sponsors and partners on behalf of the ED, including customizing specialized content for special events and high-dollar gifts
  • Co-manage the Executive Director’s social media accounts, create content (textual, graphic, and/or video), search for materials, track followers, repost and comment dynamics and analyze the performance
  • Provide direct support to the Executive Leadership Team at the direction of the Chief of Staff

Minimum requirements for the Executive Assistant include:

• 5-6 years of executive support experience to be considered for Executive Assistant role
• 7+ years of executive support experience to be considered for Senior Executive Assistant
• Willingness to travel, as needed
• Willingness to work outside of normal business hours, as needed
• Bachelor’s degree or related experience preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint and able to learn new technology quickly;
• Ability to anticipate needs and manage up effectively
• Familiarity working with organizational budgets
• Non-profit experience a plus

Additional qualifications for the Executive Assistant include, but are not limited to the following:

• Highly emotionally intelligent leadership style; Recognized for leadership ability, credibility, judgment and discretion
• Project management skills inclusive of working on multiple projects at a time under tight deadlines, organizing, prioritizing and problem solving as needed
• Excellent attention to detail and efficient time management, skilled in understanding  and executing  complex instructions
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to interact with all levels within the organization with professionalism and integrity
• Models emotional awareness, self-disclosure, discretion and integrity with ability to keep specific information confidential 
• Advanced facilitation skills, including ability to create safe space within diverse groups, support groups through conflict, and create processes and structures in the moment to help a group move forward
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft correspondence and other communications quickly with minimum direction and inspire commitment and action in others
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills including a positive, enthusiastic approach, rapport-building, relationship- building and sustaining skills
• Ability to work independently and on a team with execution success of meeting goals and objectives
• Ability to  anticipate needs and manage up effectively
• Consistency and a high degree of quality in work
• Curiosity and a constant interest in learning
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and diplomacy

If you are passionate about helping activists succeed in our fight against climate change and are passionate about cultivating a just and equitable work culture, please submit an application on our careers page. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will conclude once we have found the best candidate.

Greenpeace is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, family/marital status, religion or other protected classes. We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented communities. If you require assistance applying to this opportunity, please contact: usa-resumes@greenpeace.org.

BENEFITS:

Greenpeace USA values a healthy work-life balance and has flexible, family-friendly employment policies. Our competitive benefits package for full-time employees includes medical, dental, and vision coverage with low contributions from staff. We have options for pre-tax flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care costs. Greenpeace employees enjoy generous 401K matching and time-off for vacation, sick, personal, and parental leave. After five years, staff are eligible for a paid sabbatical. To encourage public transportation use and biking, we offer subsidies for staff who choose to bike or ride mass transit to work. Greenpeace is committed to the growth and development of staff and fostering a creative workplace culture. For more information, check out our benefits plan.

Only applicants eligible to work and live in the United States without any legal restrictions need apply for this opportunity.

The salary range for this position is anticipated to be $76,473 - $100,900 and is commensurate with experience.

• Commitment to environmental issues and principles of non-violence central to Greenpeace’s mission

Greenpeace is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, class, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, family/marital status, religion or other protected classes. We strongly encourage applications from marginalized communities. If you require assistance applying to this opportunity, please contact usa-resumes@greenpeace.org.