The Kresge Foundation is one of the top 20 private foundations in the United States and the only one focused exclusively on expanding opportunities for people with low income in American Cities. With a $3.8 billion endowment and a staff of over 100 employees, the foundation deploys grants and social investments across arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development. The foundation’s state-of-the-art headquarters maintains an array of energy-efficient, water-conserving and health-promoting systems. The foundation also operates an office in Detroit’s Midtown district.
Position Overview
About the position
The Administrative Assistant provides administrative and project-based support to the Managing Director, Program Officers, and other team members as assigned.
This position requires highly professional, customer-service focused interaction (verbally and in writing) with grantees, consultants, the public, and representatives within the foundation. This person is required to be familiar with and engaged in the team strategy and initiatives. The Assistant role requires the ability to be proactive and self-directed. The Assistant must display sound judgment and demonstrate the initiative to work through multi-part assignments with high attention to detail. This position also requires a commitment to producing high quality work and support while displaying a consistently collaborative and cooperative work style.
Primary responsibilities
· Manage and maintain calendars for three team members, including scheduling and confirming appointments, and managing schedule changes.
· Schedule and organize internal and external meetings, convenings, and special events, including securing venues and equipment, making meal arrangements, preparing invitations and announcements, and maintaining the attendee list.
· Greet, assist and direct visitors as needed. Manage visitor access to foundation staff.
· Attend and assist with meetings and events by documenting minutes, creating briefing books, and providing other assistance as needed.
· Maintain event calendars and confirm appointments for the department and visitors to the foundation.
· Make travel arrangements, including airfare bookings, accommodations, car services, conference registrations, and Outlook itineraries for team members and meeting participants as needed.
· Finalize documents and post to appropriate locations adhering to the processes and deadlines set by the Executive Office.
· Prepare correspondence, proofread documents, draft decline letters, create charts and Excel spreadsheets, and manage contacts and distribution lists.
· Process department expenses, prepare expense reports, and resolve expense discrepancies with Finance.
· Serve as a first point of contact to internal stakeholders relating to documents and information for the team.
· Respond to and/or distribute initial email and verbal general grant inquiries as needed.
· Prepare mailings and shipments of materials. Open and distribute department mail.
· Research, assemble and track various department information and data.
· Represent the foundation externally (verbally and in writing) in a highly professional and customer-service focused manner.
· File, manage documents, and prepare special projects as requested by program team members.
· Provide main support for the reception area in the Detroit location, including telephone and receptionist activities.
· Requires alternating presence in both Kresge offices located in Detroit and Troy, with some local off-site work, and light travel for meeting preparations.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
· Demonstrate a strong commitment to the foundation’s vision and values in daily interactions.
Qualifications
· Associates degree required. Bachelor’s degree preferred, including course work in business communications and related areas.
· Knowledge of, passion for, and commitment to the city of Detroit.
· A minimum of three to five years of professional administrative office experience.
· Strong interpersonal and communication skills necessary to interact as a team member and with foundation colleagues.
· Proven experience with advanced features of the Microsoft Office suite.
· Proven experience and skill with calendar management, travel arrangements, and proofreading.
· Highly collaborative approach to working in a team-based environment.
· Demonstrated high work quality in a highly detail-oriented role.
· Demonstrated ability to organize, plan and prioritize work.
· Proven ability to maintain confidentiality and maintain discretion.
· Knowledge of software programs preferred, e.g. expense management, general ledger accounts, project management.
· Proven ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities.
· Demonstrated ability to be proactive and show initiative.
How To Apply
Application deadline for this position is April 8th, 2019
Kresge is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBT applicants. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or other applicable legally protected characteristics.