Executive Assistant to the Executive Director

Title: Executive Assistant to the Executive Director (Volunteer)

Industry: Non-profit, Education

Location: Remote

Employment Type: Volunteer

About Us

The Institute for American Leadership (I4AL) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank committed to

revitalizing U.S. leadership and American soft power, to strengthening alliances, and to countering adversaries through educational initiatives, research, thought leadership, and strategic leadership.

Description

The Institute for American Leadership is seeking an experienced, reliable, and highly task-oriented Executive Assistant to provide high-level administrative support directly to our Executive Director. The ideal candidate is highly self-motivated, professional, and uniquely capable of managing a robust workload while prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced, fluid nonprofit environment.

This role requires a blend of high emotional intelligence, exceptional organizational skills, flexibility, and the ability to maintain composure under pressure. You will be juggling major projects and campaigns alongside daily tasks, navigating diverse personalities, balancing competing priorities, and smoothly handling the occasional "fire drill" with poise.

Key Responsibilities

Daily Triage & Strategic Support

• Daily Alignment: Participate in daily calls with the Executive Director to help plan, prioritize, and triage projects and workflows across the organization.
• Calendar Management: Coordinate and prioritize the ED’s complex calendar, strategically resolving scheduling conflicts and arranging meetings with internal staff, donors, board members, and external partners.
• Communications Management: Screen emails, draft correspondence, and field phone calls on the ED’s behalf, ensuring timely, professional, and high-impact responses.

Meeting & Event Logistics

• Meeting Preparation: Prepare detailed briefing materials, agendas, reports, and presentations for internal, leadership, and external meetings.
• Meeting Logistics: Coordinate scheduling, logistics, and projects for staff and committee meetings across the organization.
• Record Keeping: Attend key meetings to draft, transcribe, and distribute comprehensive meeting minutes while maintaining organized historical records.
• Event Coordination: Assist with the logistics, planning, and execution of special events, fundraising galas, and community outreach campaigns.

Special Projects & Donor Support

• Donor Support: Assist the ED in managing donor relations, tracking communications in our donor database, and supporting ongoing fundraising initiatives.
• Special Projects: Conduct research, compile data, and manage special organizational or operational projects as assigned by the ED. This may require working closely with other members of the leadership team and with departments across the organization.
• General Administration: Provide targeted administrative support for logistics, communications, note-taking, and cross-functional initiatives to optimize the ED's daily effectiveness.

Qualifications & Core Competencies/ Skills

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a similar high-level executive assistant or administrative role.
• Proficient in Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar) and experience utilizing CRM or donor management systems (e.g., Salesforce).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are an absolute MUST. You must be comfortable acting as a primary point of contact for key internal and external stakeholders.
• High EQ & Professionalism: Proven success working with executive leadership, major donors, and diverse personalities with discretion, diplomacy, and high emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrated ability to juggle large projects and campaigns alongside routine daily tasks without losing sight of details.
• Adaptability: A proactive problem-solver who thrives under pressure and can smoothly pivot when priority shifts or urgent tasks arise.
• Previous experience working within a nonprofit organization is highly preferred.

We welcome applications from current graduate or advanced students who possess at least 3 years of highly relevant, hands-on experience in a fast-paced office or team environment (capable of managing multiple complex workstreams simultaneously). To apply, please submit your resume and a brief cover letter explaining why you are the perfect fit for this fast-paced, high-impact role.

Time Commitment & Communication Flow: This is a remote volunteer position requiring approximately 10-15 hours per week. Because I4AL operates at a rapid pace where targets shift quickly, this role relies heavily on real-time verbal planning and agile communication rather than rigid, dense text-based documentation.

This role requires regular availability for phone calls to provide timely updates and co-plan initiatives. This includes participating in an extended, comprehensive weekly strategic alignment call with the Executive Director to synthesize objectives, followed by smaller, agile mid-week syncs to adjust and execute workflows dynamically.

This is initially an unpaid, volunteer role while in the developing stage, however it has paid potential as the organization grows.

Employment Status

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis without future

employment sponsorship.