Executive Associate

Executive Associate

Department: Executive

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Job level: Specialist

Status: Full-time, salaried, exempt, grant funded

Schedule: 40 hours per week; occasional evenings and weekends for events

Pay range: $37-$40 per hour ($76,960-$83,200 annualized);

Location: Oregon based, with occasional travel (4 timers per year) for meetings, events, and program delivery

Position Summary

The Executive Associate - Policy, Advocacy, and Capital Projects, provides comprehensive administrative support to the Chief Executive Officer while engaged in policy development, advocacy initiatives, and capital campaigns. They also serve as a liaison to the Board of Directors providing administrative management and support. The successful candidate will play a critical role in ensuring the seamless operation of our organization's leadership, enabling them to focus on driving impactful change in the realms of policy, advocacy, and fundraising.

Essential Functions

Key responsibilities of this position include, but may not be limited to:

Administrative & Executive Support

• Manage the executive’s calendar, schedule appointments, coordinate meetings, and prioritize internal and external engagements to support effective time management and organizational priorities.
• Draft and respond to correspondence on behalf of the executive, including partner communications, grant related requests, acknowledgments, and thank you letters.
• Coordinate the executive’s participation in conferences, community events, speaking engagements, and other external activities, including registration, scheduling, and related logistics and prep materials.
• Support the CEO in key meetings by documenting decisions, commitments, and action items and taking responsibility for coordinating and completing follow up activities.
• Serve as a point of coordination between the executive team, staff, Board members, partners, and external stakeholders.
• Manage the CEO’s administrative and financial documentation, including timesheets, receipts and expense coding, and preparation and submission of expense reimbursements.
• Steward relationships with contractors, key community partners, funders, and other external stakeholders, serving as a key point of coordination with the CEO and ensuring timely communication and follow through.

Communication and Correspondence

• Manage executive communication, including emails, phone calls, and written correspondence. Identify priority and time sensitive matters, route inquiries to appropriate staff and contractors, and ensure timely follow up.
• Draft, edit, and coordinate executive communications, correspondence, presentations, speeches, talking points, and other written materials.
• Ensure timely and professional responses to inquiries and requests from partners, funders, community members, government representatives, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the communications team to review and edit social media content, newsletters, and other external communications to ensure alignment with the CEO’s priorities, organizational messaging, and current initiatives.

Project Oversight and Coordination

• Management responsibilities within the entire lifecycle of special projects from conception to completion, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and organizational objectives.
• Develop comprehensive project plans outlining tasks, timelines, and resource allocation, and regularly monitor progress to identify potential bottlenecks or deviations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for project stakeholders, providing regular updates, addressing concerns, and soliciting feedback to ensure alignment with expectations.
• Coordinate complex strategic initiatives and special projects from planning through implementation, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, work plans, action items, milestones, and tracking systems to support progress and accountability.
• Serve as a key point of coordination for project stakeholders, facilitating communication and collaboration among executive leadership, staff, consultants, contractors, community partners, funders, and other stakeholders.
• Organize project meetings, prepare and coordinate supporting materials (agendas), document decisions and action items, and carry out follow up to keep projects moving forward.
• Track project milestones, deliverables, outstanding decisions, emerging needs, and potential barriers, elevating issues to executive leadership as appropriate.
• Track project funding, grant budgets, expenditures, funding commitments, and reporting requirements to support accurate financial monitoring and alignment with grant requirements.
• Maintain funding and grant tracking tools, coordinate budget information with internal staff and project partners, and identify upcoming funding needs, deadlines, and reporting requirements.
• Maintain organized project records and institutional knowledge to support continuity across long term initiatives.

Government Relations and Advocacy Support

• Assist in the research and compilation of information related to policy issues and advocacy initiatives.
• Monitor legislative developments, draft summaries, and prepare briefs to keep the executive team informed and prepared for engagements.
• Coordinate meetings with policymakers and advocacy groups.
• Support the collection and organizational data and information, and other materials needed by government relations partners to support policy and advocacy efforts (i.e., one-pagers for James’ travels to DC as an example).
• Track commitments, requests, action items, and follow up resulting from government relations and policy meetings, working with executive leadership, staff, and external partners to move next steps forward.
• Coordinate meetings and communications with elected officials, government agencies, Tribal leaders, policymakers, advocacy partners, and other stakeholders.

External Relations & Relationship Stewardship

• Steward relationships with key community partners, funders, contractors, Tribal and government partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Serve as a key point of connection between external partners and the CEO, maintaining consistent communication and ensuring commitments and follow up are completed.
• Support the development and maintenance of long term organizational partnerships through thoughtful communication, coordination, and relationship building.
• Coordinate meetings, introductions, invitations, acknowledgments, and other engagement opportunities that strengthen organizational relationships.
• Maintain awareness of partner history, current engagements, commitments, and emerging opportunities to support continuity across relationships.
• Represent NWNC and the CEO in meetings, events, and partner engagements as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience as an executive coordinator or in a similar administrative role.
• Strong organizational skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with policy issues, advocacy strategies, and capital campaigns is a plus.
• Proficiency in office and project management software (e.g., Asana, Google Workspace).
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality and discretion.

Professional and Personal Abilities, Attributes, and Experiences

While no one person will embody all the qualifications listed below, the ideal incumbent will possess many of the following:

• Proactive and solution-oriented mindset.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively.
• Adaptable to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
• Passion for social change and commitment to the organization's mission.
• A deep interest in advancing and strengthening Native American businesses, entrepreneurs, and professionals in the Pacific Northwest region.
• Knowledge of the issues and trends of the economic environment of Native American communities in the Pacific Northwest region.
• Excellent communication skills, specifically the ability to understand the needs of your audience and adapt your communication style accordingly.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make decisions assertively and confidently, specifically the ability to lead an initiative by corralling intersectional thoughts from partners and stakeholders and making the right decision for the community.

Additional Requirements:

Physical Activities

Sitting: Heavy

Standing: Moderate

Kneeling: Light

Carrying: Light

Bending: Light

Lifting: Light

Walking: Light

Typing: Heavy

Talking: Heavy

Seeing: Heavy

Speaking: Heavy

Hearing: Heavy

Schedule & Work Environment

This is a full-time 40 hours per week position. The standard schedule worked is Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00am-5:00pm PST. This position will work under normal business office conditions. This position’s primary work location will be at the NWNC office in Portland, Oregon with the ability to work remotely as necessary. Occasional evenings and weekend work may be needed.

Travel

The periodic ability to travel independently to various locations within the Pacific Northwest region is required.

This job description is not intended to encompass all functions and qualifications of this position; rather, they are intended to provide a general framework for the position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by a person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements to the work of NWNC and are subject to possible modifications to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. NWNC is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay: $76,960.00 - $83,200.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Portland, OR 97239

Salary : $76,960 - $83,200