Special Assistant to President

The Special Assistant to the President & CEO strengthens the effectiveness of the President’s office by helping the President focus on the high-level priorities, stay prepared for meetings and engagements, and ensure that decisions and commitments are strategic, well informed, and well-coordinated. Serving as a trusted partner, the Special Assistant reports directly to the President and provides high-level executive and administrative support, coordinates priorities across internal and external stakeholders, and ensures consistent follow-through with discretion, sound judgment, and exceptional attention to detail.

There are no supervisory responsibilities, but significant cross organization collaboration and cooperation responsibilities. This is a new position, offering a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with the President/CEO to customize the full scope of the partnership.

Julie Morita, MD, is The Joyce Foundation President & CEO and board member. In her role, Julie oversees the charitable distribution of more than $60 million annually from assets of approximately $1.3 billion. The Foundation works to ensure that more people can prosper in the Great Lakes region. We accomplish this by championing the public policy and civic partnerships needed to advance racial equity and economic mobility, and ensure a vibrant civic life across the region.

The Foundation’s values (equity, inclusion, accountability, trust, and courage) guide how we make decisions and deploy resources, how we steward relationships, and how we stay accountable to its mission.

• Manage the President’s calendar, scheduling priorities, travel, correspondence, and administrative systems to ensure the President is focused on the highest-value work.
• Prepare the President for meetings, decisions, and engagements by organizing materials, anticipating needs, and ensuring timely follow-up.
• Serve as a primary point of coordination for requests to the President’s office, exercising judgment about urgency, sequencing, and appropriate delegation.

• Track and coordinate follow-through on strategic priorities, cross-functional initiatives, and commitments that require presidential attention or visibility.
• Prepare concise briefing materials, background research, and analyses to support decision-making and help the President stay ahead of emerging opportunities, issues, and risks.
• Coordinate with internal leaders and external stakeholders to ensure clarity, alignment, and progress on projects connected to the President’s agenda.

• Working with the Board Secretary and relevant staff, oversee preparation for board meetings, board-related sessions, and external engagements, including agendas, briefings, speaker research, and logistics.
• Identify relevant speakers, partners, convenings, and thought-leadership opportunities aligned with the Foundation’s priorities and the President’s role.
• Ensure timely follow-up from board, stakeholder, and external meetings so relationships and commitments are managed with care and continuity.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience providing high-level support to a senior executive, executive office or comparable leadership function, including experience managing priorities, coordinating across stakeholders, and supporting executive-level decision-making and follow-through.
• Experience supporting a senior leader in a fast-paced, complex environment with multiple internal and external priorities and stakeholders…