Executive Administrator - Air Zoo

Posted on 4/8/24  

Position Title: Executive Administrator

Department: Administration

Supervisor: President & CEO

Revised: April 2024

Position Summary: The Air Zoo seeks an Executive Administrator to serve as a trusted right-hand to the President & CEO, enabling his efficiency to manage a wide range of priorities and constituents, including internal and external stakeholders, the Air Zoo Board of Trustees, staff, donors, and external partners. This is a highly strategic and facilitative role that requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, self-motivation, strong analytical ability, and the highest level of attention to detail.

About Us: As a nationally recognized and Smithsonian-affiliated aerospace and science center, the Air Zoo is an industry leader in STEAM education programming, immersive exhibits, one-of-a-kind artifacts, and out-of-this-world experiences. As the Executive Assistant, you will assist in extending a powerful, positive guest experience for guests of the Air Zoo and Air Zoo programs.

Status: Exempt; Full Time

Measurables: The successful individual in this role will be able to anticipate needs and directives before they arise and ensure that the President & CEO is well prepared for each day and its unique set of challenges/opportunities. In addition to all-encompassing support of the CEO, the Executive Administrator will be highly collaborative, will nurture trusting, communicative relationships with other members of leadership and serve as clarifying presence.

Primary Accountabilities

• Support the CEO in his role, manage his schedule, including scheduling meetings, planning travel, and overseeing various aspects of the CEO’s daily work.
• Prepare and facilitate critical path meetings including, face-to-face meetings and calls with Trustees, donors, the leadership team, and other internal and external stakeholders. Ensuring the CEO’s time is leveraged effectively, by engaging the right participants, setting the agenda, and ensuring the CEO is well prepared.
• Attend meetings on behalf of the CEO to take notes and lead strategic planning processes across the organization. Provide department leaders with recommendations and consultation to improve teamwork.
• Draft communications on behalf of the CEO, emulating the CEO’s “voice” for a variety of communications including remarks at special events, meeting talking points, and materials for various speaking engagements involving internal and external audiences.
• Serve as a Board Liaison, build strong working relationships with the Trustees and ensure their needs are handled with utmost care and big-picture view.
• Ensure the Trustees stay properly informed and prepare for Board of Trustee and Board committee meetings, helping to set engaging agendas, coordinating speakers, managing content and materials, and ensuring that Board meetings are properly scheduled, handled, and attended.
• Oversee Museum-wide metrics, monitoring success metrics across departments on a weekly basis, compiling the dashboard summary that allows the Museum to effectively monitor progress and benchmark its goals.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred combined with 5 years of relevant work experience, ideally for a nonprofit.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Passion for museums, science, and the arts, and serving diverse publics.
• Strong emotional intelligence, including the ability to build trust and rapport in relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, be fully accountable for the impact of actions on others.
• Proven interpersonal skills with experience providing complex administrative support in a high-profile environment with tact and diplomacy.
• Confident written communication, with polished professional writing, and the ability to proof-read and craft documents.
• Ability to work across teams and with a wide variety of projects and constituencies.
• Ability to exercise good judgement, anticipate needs, foresee potential problems, and plan contingencies accordingly.
• Ability to use multiple technical applications including word processing, database management, spreadsheets, graphics and presentation software, electronic calendar, email, and other technical applications.
• Ability to protect confidential and proprietary information of the Air Zoo, and to maintain a collegial working environment.
• Ability to work some weekend and evening hours for special events.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

SCHEDULE: Full time- days, with occasional evening or weekend events. The majority of the work time for this position is in-office at the Air Zoo in Portage, Michigan.

HEALTH REQUIREMENT & Pre-Employment SCREENINGS: The Air Zoo follows CDC and Kalamazoo Health Department’s guidelines for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses and may require masks to be worn by employees in certain settings to improve safety. Pre-employment drug screening and state/federal background checks are required for all Air Zoo employees.

COMPENSATION: $47,000 to $50,000 annual salary, commensurate with education and experience.

BENEFITS: Health, dental, and vision Insurance options, free Employee Assistance Program, life Insurance, short-term and long-term disability Insurance, generous paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, complimentary family Air Zoo membership, 403B with employer match, and other benefits.

COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION: We are dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as part of the Air Zoo’s intentional, overall commitment to a welcoming environment for all. Air Zoo is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with our commitment, the Air Zoo will take the steps to assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the position, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, applicants are encouraged to contact Human Resources at talent@airzoo.org or 269.350.2816

Research shows that women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that an applicant meets 100% of the qualifications for a given role. Therefore, if much of this job description describes you, then you are highly encouraged to apply for this role.

TO APPLY: email your Resume, Cover Letter and List of 3 References to careers@airzoo.org

If you have questions or need assistance applying to this position, please email us at careers@airzoo.org