The Context

Atlanta leads the nation in income inequality and has one of the lowest rates of social mobility in the entire country. In fact, recent research suggests that a child living in poverty in Atlanta has about a four percent chance of moving out of poverty and into a higher income bracket in his or her lifetime.

Despite these odds, Atlanta’s students have dreams for their futures and their families. In 2015, Achieve Atlanta (AATL) was launched by a group of local leaders determined to support these dreams. Coming together initially with the goal of dramatically increasing the number of Atlanta Public School (APS) students who earn a degree. Achieve Atlanta today, inspired by the power of strategic, coordinated action, and using data as the spark for change, has expanded its vision for the future to include eliminating the degree attainment gap in the city, and making Atlanta a place where race and income no longer predict postsecondary success or upward mobility. A new Strategic Plan deepens and augments the organization's programming and support and expands its geographic footprint in the Atlanta Metro area. The Achieve Atlanta team is now growing to lead this exciting next phase of work, and to help us scale organizationally. 

The Work                                                                                                               

In pursuit of its vision, Achieve Atlanta’s mission is to help APS students access, afford, and earn postsecondary credentials. To do this, Achieve Atlanta:

• partners with college advising providers with proven results to serve APS students while they are in high school;
• establishes strategic formal relationships with postsecondary institutions that can successfully serve APS graduates, especially those who are first generation or come from underrepresented populations;
• is progressing along a plan to mobilize broad community support by leveraging data to accelerate collaborations that further college access, persistence, and completion in Atlanta; and
• provides Achieve Atlanta Scholarships to students to reduce financial barriers to college enrollment and completion.

The Results

It’s clear that Achieve Atlanta’s endeavors are yielding significant gains; driving an increase in college enrollment and persistence, creating greater access to financial aid and scholarships, securing meaningful commitments from partners, identifying and removing barriers to college completion, and supporting APS to institutionalize a culture that raises awareness of and encourages the pursuit of postsecondary education, thereby enhancing individual students’ ability to realize their own potential.

The Opportunity

Achieve Atlanta is seeking an enthusiastic Executive Assistant & Office Administrator to provide comprehensive administrative and secretarial support for the President/Executive Director and assist leadership as required. This key role involves managing schedules, coordinating meetings, handling communications, and various administrative tasks. Additionally, responsibilities involve financial record-keeping, meeting coordination, meeting and travel preparation, supply procurement, office management, and special projects. The role demands handling routine and sensitive correspondence and interacting with diverse internal and external contacts. Reporting to the President/Executive Director, the Executive Assistant & Office Administrator will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of the executive office and the organization’s physical office and supporting leadership in achieving organizational goals.

Primary Responsibilities

Administrative Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive administrative support to the President/Executive Director on a daily basis and to members of the leadership team, as needed, including scheduling meetings and conference calls among internal staff members and external stakeholders, managing expenses and arranging travel
• Proactively and reactively support the sustainable success of the Executive Director and Leadership Team
• Calendar management: Develop and maintain a strategic daily and weekly schedule that maximizes the President/Executive Director’s time, energy, and assets, including through efficient prioritization of tasks, ensuring critical items receive prompt attention
• Expense management: Complete and submit weekly expense reports for Executive Director’s invoices and corporate card expenses with accuracy and timeliness

Operations and Logistics

• Prepare the Executive Director and other leaders for internal and external meetings by gathering necessary documents, details, and equipment to meet objectives for each meeting
• Collaborate with the Operations team to facilitate smooth coordination of meetings and events
• Plan and execute travel bookings, accommodations, and on-the-ground transportation to maximize the President/Executive Director’s engagements
• Support the President/Executive Director and Vice President, Strategic Operations with administrative support for the Board of Directors, particularly coordinating the scheduling of the meetings, preparation of meeting minutes, and all board-related logistical support
• Manage correspondence and discrete projects related to the Executive Director and leadership team, both written and orally  
• Manage multiple self-led projects for the Executive Director and the leadership team to ensure all deadlines are met with contingencies in place to anticipate challenges/barriers
• Manage the physical office space, including coordinating break room duties, ensuring snacks and other office supplies are regularly stocked, and surfacing when office management issues occur
• Collaborate across teams to provide coordinated supports to partners and Scholars

The Profile

The ideal Executive Assistant & Office Administrator candidate will be a highly organized, solutions-oriented professional with a passion for supporting organizational leaders and advancing Achieve Atlanta’s mission, vision, and core values. They will possess strong administrative and communication skills, with the ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism. Additionally, they will be a self-sufficient professional demonstrating flexibility and adaptability in managing competing demands in a fast-paced environment.

Education, Experience & Knowledge  

• Associate degree, with a minimum of three-to-five years supporting executive-level professionals in a fast-paced environment
• Experience executing on multiple complex projects involving a variety of stakeholders in tandem and achieving exceptional results 
• Demonstrated experience providing extreme attention to detail and strong project management
• Experience in the nonprofit and/or education sector is preferred

Skills & Abilities

Project Management and Execution:

• Executes tasks with a high degree of detail and accuracy
• Displays proactive problem-solving abilities, capable of managing multiple self-led projects and anticipating and addressing challenges or barriers
• Effectively manages workstreams both horizontally and vertically within the organization

Organization:

• Demonstrates exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Proficient in calendar management, effectively creating and maintaining strategic daily, weekly, and monthly schedules to optimize time and resources
• Demonstrates strong prioritization skills and sound judgment, accurately assessing and managing competing priorities

Communication:

• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as active listening skills to understand and address colleagues' needs and concerns
• Engages confidently and comfortably with board members and other high-level stakeholders
• Exhibits strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, serving as a thought partner and effectively communicating timelines and information to stakeholders
• Demonstrates an empathetic nature and approaches working and learning with humility

Adaptability and Autonomy:

• Adapts quickly to changing responsibilities and tasks in a dynamic environment
• Ability and openness to learn new skills and technologies

Technical:

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Slack, Asana, and other standard office technological tools
• Skilled in accounting software (preferred)

Organizational Competencies 

• Mission and Values Driven: Understands how job contributes to the greater mission of AATL; operates within the core values; supports and performs responsibilities with Mission and Vision in mind. 

• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrates awareness of one’s own and others’ emotions, attitudes, biases, belief systems, strengths, and limitations to adjust behavior and thus manage interactions successfully and create a psychologically safe workplace.  

• Strategic Approach: Understands and processes complex information for use in long-term planning and execution. 

• Partnership: Works collaboratively across internal and external boundaries to build relationships and achieve common goals.  

• Growth and Development: Actively seeks to improve skills and knowledge to meet the organization’s vision and commitments, to fulfill current job responsibilities and prepare for future career goals and opportunities.  

• Leading: Takes personal accountability for the organization’s success. 

Organizational Culture 

• Achieve Atlanta is a value-driven organization, grounded in principles that guide everything we do.

Salary and Benefits

• This is a full-time position offering a competitive salary, and comprehensive health, dental, and retirement benefits.
• Anticipated salary range: $60,000 - $74,000

Location 

• Achieve Atlanta currently operates a hybrid model for all staff. Team members work in the office at our downtown Atlanta location for at least two days each week to allow for collaboration and in-person connections. Team members have the flexibility to work the remaining three days from the office, home, or another location. 

Achieve Atlanta is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of qualifications. Achieve Atlanta policy prohibits unlawful discrimination in any employment decision based on pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religious creed, color, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation.