Executive Assistant & Board Liaison - Columbus Symphony Orchestra

Organization

The Columbus Symphony has served as central Ohio’s flagship music organization since 1951. Our musicians, conductors, chorus, and world‑renowned guest artists enrich the central Ohio community through extraordinary talent, passion, dedication, and the highest standards of musicianship. Guided by the artistic vision of Music Director Rossen Milanov, the Columbus Symphony offers four programming “brands” – Masterworks, Pops, Picnic with the Pops, and Education/Community Engagement.

This segmented approach, innovative within the American orchestra industry, is helping the Columbus Symphony to reach new, younger, and more diverse audiences.

• Do you anticipate needs before they arise and take pride in keeping a fast‑moving executive and organization operating at their best?
• Do you thrive in a role that requires absolute discretion, sound judgement, and the ability to manage competing priorities with grace?
• Do you enjoy being the connective tissue of a small, high‑performing team – ensuring communications, logistics, and follow‑through are seamless?
• Do you bring a mindset of ownership, professionalism, and continuous improvement to everything from board governance to day‑to‑day operations?

This unique opportunity works side‑by‑side with the CEO of a dynamic arts organization at a pivotal moment of growth. As Executive Assistant & Board Liaison (“EA”), you serve as a trusted partner to the CEO, managing the flow of information, time, and relationships that power the organization. You will have direct exposure to senior leadership, the Board of Trustees, major donors, and an ambitious capital campaign.

This role offers an unparalleled window into nonprofit leadership, fundraising, governance, and organizational strategy, ideal for someone who is highly organized, proactive, independent yet collaborative, and eager to learn how high‑level decisions are made and executed.

• Manages the CEO's calendar such that no more than two meetings are scheduled back‑to‑back without a buffer.
• Ensures all meetings include appropriate transition time between meetings.
• Maintains at least four blocks/week of no less than 30 minutes each for protected thinking time.
• Implements and maintains a complete task tracking system: 100% of assigned tasks are logged; each task has a clear status and next step; no deadlines are missed without prior communication.

KPIs:

• Weekly calendar review shows >90% adherence to calendar principles, as conveyed by the CEO.
• CEO reports timely follow‑up by EA and ability to focus, with no day‑of rescheduling that is within the control of the EA.

• Provides useful and concise prep briefs for all priority meetings (generally with external parties) at least 24 hours in advance.
• Serves as a trusted resource to ensure compliance and consistency in all board‑related activities.

Additional KPIs:

• Zero dropped tasks without CEO approval for a continuous 30‑day period.
• CEO feels well‑prepared for meetings and does not need to track or follow up on outstanding items.

Executive Support & Time Management

• Manages a complex and dynamic calendar, ensuring the CEO’s time is aligned with top priorities, balanced between internal and external needs, and structured to maximize effectiveness, focus and energy.
• Builds and maintains trusted, positive relationships with the administrative assistants of the executives for whom scheduling is occurring.
• Receives, interacts with, and provides hospitality to visitors as needed.
• Drafts correspondence and materials for meetings, speeches, conferences, etc.
• Acts as default note taker for meetings the CEO attends unless specified otherwise.
• Follows up on CEO’s To Do items; ensures the CEO is aware of deadlines, dependencies, etc.
• Handles executive travel arrangements, including arrangements for other CSO staff or board members upon request from the CEO.
• Prepares the CEO’s expense reports, makes timely submissions, and resolves open items.
• Anticipates potential roadblocks to the successful management of the CEO’s calendar and To Dos and proactively brings these items…