Assistant to the President

ISI is seeking a highly organized, action-oriented administrative professional to support the President’s Office. This is an excellent opportunity for an early to mid-career professional who wants to gain deep exposure over time to nonprofit leadership, strategic communications, and board governance within a national institution--while advancing conservative values, statesmanship, and true higher learning rooted in the Western tradition.

The Assistant to the President reports to the Chief of Staff and works in close partnership with the President & CEO. The role’s primary mandate is to enable the President to lead the organization effectively through high-level administrative support, calendar and meeting management, Board of Trustees support, project coordination, and execution of the President’s Office initiatives.

The Assistant to the President serves as a trusted partner to the President, Chief of Staff, and senior leadership team by helping them stay focused on top priorities, ensuring strong internal coordination across departments, and supporting their work with the Board of Trustees and its committees.

The ideal candidate enjoys supporting leaders directly, anticipates needs, and reliably drives important work across the finish line with persistence and follow-through.

This is a full-time, salaried, on-site position with benefits. The role is based at ISI’s F.M. Kirby Campus headquarters: a historic 20-acre estate in Wilmington, Delaware, which features a newly built event hall and digital media studio. 

Salary: $70,000 - $80,000 DOE

Key Responsibilities

1. Executive Support for the President

• Provide high-level executive support to the President (70-80%) and the Chief of Staff (20-30%).
• Manage the President’s calendar, including scheduling internal and external meetings and calls, in a manner that reflects institutional priorities.
• Coordinate with ISI’s Office Manager on booking travel and preparing and submitting expense reports for the President.
• Handle day-to-day administrative tasks for the President’s Office (e.g., document management, speaker honorarium requests, printing and assembling communications, basic research and data entry).

2. Board & Governance Support

• Partner closely with the President and Chief of Staff to assemble, organize, and distribute Board meeting materials. 
• Coordinate logistics for meetings of the Board of Trustees and Board committees, including scheduling, invitations, RSVPs, room and technology setup, and hospitality. 
• Attend Board and committee meetings; record and draft minutes; track follow-up items, owners, and deadlines. 
• Under the direction of the Chief of Staff, maintain organized digital and physical systems for Board documents (minutes, resolutions, reports, reference materials) and ensure Board members have timely access to what they need. 
• Uphold the highest standards of confidentiality and discretion with all Board and executive materials. 

3. Project Management & President’s Office Initiatives 

• Provide project management support for special initiatives originating from the President’s Office (e.g., donor-facing pitch decks, cross-departmental problem-solving efforts).
• Translate high-level decisions and strategic plans into action; follow up with staff and departments as needed.
• Under the guidance of the Chief of Staff, monitor and track key action items from senior team meetings, Board meetings, and other high-level discussions, ensuring that tasks move forward and stakeholders are informed.

4. Internal Coordination & Meeting Management

• Work with the President and Chief of Staff to schedule and support key internal meetings, including monthly all-team meetings and select senior team meetings. 
• Draft and circulate meeting agendas and relevant materials in advance of meetings. 
• Take notes at important internal meetings and circulate summaries and action items to participants. 
• Help maintain strong communication flows between the President’s Office and other departments so that information moves quickly and accurately across the organization. 

5. Communications & Correspondence

• Draft and manage correspondence for the President, including emails, letters of recommendation, meeting invitations, thank-you notes, and other written communications.
• Coordinate with the Development team to support key donor- and fundraising-related communications for the President (e.g., outreach emails, thank-you notes, event follow-up).

6. Event & Visit Support

• Coordinate logistics for high-priority meetings and visits at ISI’s campus involving trustees, major donors, speakers, and other distinguished guests, working with the Events team and Office Manager as needed.
• Work with colleagues in Events, Development, and other departments to support the successful execution of Presidential- or Board-level events and gatherings.

Qualifications

Mission & Cultural Fit 

• Demonstrated enthusiasm for ISI’s mission and a serious interest in the Western intellectual tradition, American political thought, and/or conservative ideas.
• Professional presence, maturity, and judgment appropriate for working closely with senior leaders, trustees, and major supporters.

Experience & Skills

• 3 years of relevant professional experience in executive support, project management, or a similar administrative role.
• Excellent writing and editing abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with colleagues at all levels.
• Demonstrated discretion and ability to handle sensitive information with the utmost care.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including experience managing calendars, meetings, and competing deadlines.
• Comfort with common office software (e.g., email and calendar tools, word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software).