Special Assistant to the CEO

Company Description

Uncommon Schools is a non-profit network of 53 outstanding public charter schools in grades K-12 across New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. Our mission is to start and manage outstanding urban public charter schools that close the achievement gap and prepare students from low-income backgrounds for success in college and beyond. We are accomplishing that mission every day, with a college graduation rate that is well above the national average and thousands of stories of our students and alumni achieving their dreams.

Job Description

The Special Assistant to the CEO provides essential support to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as he leads the organization in accomplishing its goals. In this role, you will manage the CEO’s calendar and ensure seamless execution of senior leadership meeting logistics, support board and executive team presentation creation, and contribute to special projects and strategic initiatives. As the work evolves, new responsibilities will be added. We are looking for someone who is excited to help us grow and increase our impact!

RESPONSIBILITIES

Maximize the CEO’s time and effectiveness. Your savvy and proactive support will allow the CEO to focus on the organization’s most critical priorities. This work requires responsiveness and strong time and task management skills. It also requires building strong relationships with the CEO and internal stakeholders. You will:

• Expertly manage the CEO’s calendar: prioritize appointments, arrange meetings and travel, and ensure that the CEO is prepared to engage with senior internal and external stakeholders
• Plan and support C-level meetings: manage logistics and operations, create meeting materials, and capture action items to ensure execution
• Perform general administrative duties, including photocopying, mailing, and managing expense reimbursements

Work on projects of various complexities for the CEO, Chief of Staff, and Special Projects Team. You will:

• Support CEO internal and external presentations: create slides, conduct research, draft talking points, manage logistics, and analyze feedback
• Demonstrate an interest in and aptitude for handling a wide variety of responsibilities, at varying levels of complexity
• Demonstrate flexibility and a positive, service-oriented mindset
• Enjoy tackling multiple projects and requests at once, all with a fierce attention to detail
• Keep a pulse on work happening across the organization to serve as a hub for information and to actively make connections across Home Office, school, and regional teams
• Answer data requests and research policy issues and educational trends

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

You will be a member of the Special Projects Team and report to the Senior Director of Special Projects. Our team’s work is broad and focused on improving organizational effectiveness and efficiency. You will also interface with leaders across Uncommon’s instructional, operational, and Home Office teams.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• You get things done! You have a “whatever it takes” attitude, coupled with strong organizational skills and efficient systems for time and task management. You are an expert at managing multiple tasks and meeting tight deadlines
• You exude flexibility and professionalism--even in challenging situations, you are emotionally constant and able to handle confidential information with grace and discretion
• You’re a natural problem-solver, moving urgently and applying critical thinking to find people-oriented solutions
• You demonstrate excellent communication skills, including the ability to develop polished and professional written communications
• You are eager to learn and receptive to feedback - you seek input on how to improve in your work and strive to continuously grow

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 2-5 years professional experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook