Executive Assistant to the CEO

Acumen, an international nonprofit working to solve problems of poverty, is looking for an Executive Assistant to serve the CEO. This role is full time, eligible for overtime, a yearly bonus and benefits. The New York office operates under a hybrid model, with three days in the office: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Although this role is not “always on” it is “often on.''

About Acumen We’re investors. A different kind of investor. We invest in people and companies working to solve problems for people living in poverty, investing in essential products and services that bring more opportunities, more choices to millions. To date, Acumen has positively impacted 501 million lives by investing $154M of patient capital in 167 innovative, early-stage companies in Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. Through Acumen Capital Partners, we are responsible for nearly $243 million in assets under management via our for-profit funds which have impacted 32 million people and offset 18 million tons of carbon. But investing clearly isn’t just about capital. It’s about investing in people. We’ve been investing in people for years through Acumen Academy. Connecting with over 1,600 emerging leaders in their own countries and engaging them in extended collective dialogue on what constitutes a “good society”, moral inquiry, and skill building.

About the roleThe CEO holds international, overlapping networks of relationships: investee companies and entrepreneurs, Acumen Board members, partners and funders, employees, graduates of our Fellows program, thought leaders. Her daily and annual schedules reflect that complexity across time zones. This role is accountable for ensuring the seamless administrative function of the CEO’s office. The overall responsibilities are to allocate time, arrange travel, represent the office in communications, and handle miscellaneous tasks while treating everyone with dignity. This role works in close coordination with and functionally reports to the Chief of Staff. A successful candidate will work both in lock-step with the CEO and the Chief of Staff to ensure the smooth functioning of the Office of the CEO.

Specific accountabilities include:

Design a schedule for the CEO (~50% of the role)

• The CEO’s schedule is dynamic. It is crucial to anticipate the needs of the CEO and design the calendar with the end user in mind.
• Ensure that the CEO understands the basics of who, what, where, why, and how of every meeting. Prepare all essential logistics and support research and preparation for the CEO’s meetings
• Schedule, execute, and coordinate a seamless run of the CEO’s daily schedule, juggling multiple, simultaneous requests across various time zones
• Manage high volume of email traffic. It’s a skill and an art. Monitor and respond to inbound and outbound physical mail for CEO

Design travel for the CEO:

• Accountable for overseeing, arranging and booking all travel and check ins, coordinating with all stakeholders, and planning for the CEO’s needs throughout the journey. Must understand preferences, working to enact them or communicating when preferences are not attainable. The CEO travels approximately 60 to 70% of the year
• Provide clear, comprehensive travel packs including: detailed travel itinerary, logistical confirmations, diplomatic and/or medical clearance, meetings, investment context, etc.
• Be aware of where the CEO is while traveling and developing needs
• Forecast well in advance and obtain required medical documents, passport pages, and travel visas in advance of international trips
• Maintain accurate details for meetings in advance of travel, add to necessary calendars

Run a transparent and discrete operation with other members of the Office of the CEO team

• Serve as a main contact alongside the Chief of Staff for the CEO; prioritize and escalate issues to maximize use of the CEO’s time and proactively resolve issues quickly

Timely record keeping, current on relationship management documentation

• Prepare and track expense reports in timely manner; review and advise on expense reports for CEO and her direct reports while following Travel & Expense Policy; manage CEO timesheets
• Coordinate with Talent, Legal and Finance on any contract signing for guidance and policy
• Obtain necessary information and signatures for documents relating to the CEO and track to ensure proper processing and delivery
• Take on other assignments at times, including research, writing, designing presentations, etc.

Qualifications & Skills

• Minimum of 4 years of experience in a service role in a relatively demanding professional environment
• Ability to plan and execute with an end goal in mind and attention to the user experience, ability to communicate the implications of changes
• Total discretion with sensitive information in all contexts
• Excellent relationship management skills: ability to understand the players, their needs, their timelines, and treat them with dignity.
• Excellent project management skills: ability to orient the players toward the end game, the deliverables involved, the activities required to meet them, and the shared timeline to execute.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills: crisp, clear, kind.
• Ability to remain calm when plans change or plans go awry
• Ability to anticipate needs and identify challenges before they arise. Ability to solve for them or communicate barriers up the line.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from all walks of life, from all over the world and all levels of accountability
• Familiarity with Salesforce or facility with CRM software in general for ease in learning
• Mastery of tech apps including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Gmail, and Zoom
• Self reflective and aligned with Acumen values
• Permanent authorization to work in the United States

Deadline to apply
Apply as early as possible as applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis.

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The salary range for this role is $58,500 to $67,400 USD an**d is eligible for overtime plus a performance-based bonus. This range represents the present low and high end of pay range for this role. Actual compensation will vary based on various factors including but not limited to experience. Acumen has equal pay, so pay is determined through comparison to a cohort of employees in the market at the same level of accountability.