Executive Affairs and Special Projects Officer (NEFA)

Executive Affairs and Special Projects Officer (NEFA)

Posted on October 16, 2019

The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a 501(c)3 organization with an annual budget of $7.5 million. NEFA invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation.

As an organization, NEFA values an equitable, diverse, and inclusive world, which we interpret as all people having fair access to the tools and resources they need to realize creative and community endeavors. We acknowledge structural inequities that have excluded individuals and communities from opportunities based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, and geography and strive to counter those inequities in our work.

NEFA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is invested in creating an equitable and inclusive working environment and organizational culture. We are committed to hiring individuals who share, value, and support these goals, and who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. NEFA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Executive Affairs and Special Projects Officer is the principal support staff for the Executive Director and fulfills an array of strategic functions including serving as chief administrative liaison to the Board of Directors and Advisory Council. The person in this position reports directly to the Executive Director. They will assist the Executive Director with special projects including some program initiatives and will work closely with development staff to support fundraising activities and stewardship of individual donors.

The Executive Affairs and Special Projects Officer provides an essential communications and logistics interface between the Executive Director and NEFA staff, board, and council members, external partners, and constituents on a day-to-day basis.

The Executive Affairs and Special Projects Officer will be highly organized and able to prioritize and manage multiple and varied projects; have strong administrative, organizational, and communication skills; develop and maintain positive interpersonal relations with all levels of staff, Board of Directors and Advisory Council members, and outside contacts; and exercise a high degree of integrity while managing highly sensitive and confidential information.

The Executive Affairs and Special Projects Officer will be able to work effectively both within teams and independently, as well as with remote supervision due to Executive Director travel schedule, to accomplish goals and implement initiatives. The successful candidate works proactively, anticipating needs, conflicts, and opportunities while exercising considerable judgment, initiative, and discretion, and is comfortable advancing projects with remote supervision due to Executive Director’s travel schedule.

This is a new position and may evolve over time.

Executive Support – 35%

• Coordinate calendar management, travel arrangements, professional association memberships, event attendance, and expense reporting for the Executive Director;
• Ensure the Executive Director is provided with detailed itineraries and briefing materials for meetings and events, by developing and/or coordinating with appropriate NEFA staff to create reports, briefings, presentations, and responses on organizational issues as appropriate;
• Interact with board members, donors, community leaders, and the public on the phone, via email, at meetings, and in correspondence; greet and direct office visitors;
• Prepare draft correspondence from the Executive Director to board, advisory council, donors, and other constituencies as needed;
• Collect, sort, and distribute office mail and voicemail; open and process all incoming mail for the Executive Director

Governance & Board Relations – 30% of time

• Plan and execute all meetings of the Board of Directors, board committees, Advisory…