Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

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Role Description

Application deadline: May 05, 2024

The executive assistant to the president and CEO is an advisor and orchestrator of the president and CEO’s time, a key partner in relationships management, and a facilitator of focus for HOPE’s leadership. This includes calendar management, travel preparation, workflow prioritization, collaboration with HOPE leaders, correspondence support, and excellent meeting planning and preparation. The role requires close collaboration and building relationship with senior leadership as well as a variety of staff across all HOPE departments and is a core contributor to fostering healthy culture and care for staff.

  • Location: Lancaster, PA, United States

  • Level: Professional

  • Salary range: $43,000-$47,000

  • Type: Full-time

  • Department: Executive Office

  • Reports to: Director of Strategic Initiatives

Responsibilities

  • To promote and fulfill the mission and vision of HOPE International
  • Serve as advisor and orchestrator of president and CEO’s time
  • Partner with president and CEO to ensure attention on highest-priority topics and relationships, anticipating daily needs and proactively arranging what is needed to enable focus and work-life balance for the president and CEO
  • Manage daily calendar and all details of the president and CEO’s often changing schedule with his or her top priorities in mind, including ensuring materials are prepared, meeting rooms are ready, details to join virtual calls are accessible, and all other resources needed are anticipated and present to facilitate a smooth daily schedule
  • Enable excellent travel experience for president and CEO, managing transportation and accommodation details, connecting with external contacts to confirm event details, and preparing travel binders for each trip
  • Advise on prioritization of weekly executive office workflow with president and CEO’s priorities in mind, collaborating with the director of strategic initiatives and executive office staff to anticipate necessary resources needed for the president & CEO’s speaking engagements and writing projects
  • Manage administrative tasks to enable president and CEO’s focus, including completing monthly expense reports, supporting administrative tasks for executive office, and other tasks as needed
  • Cultivate strong relationships with president and CEO’s connections
  • Collaborate with HOPE advancement leaders and regional representatives to prioritize the president and CEO’s fundraising engagement, facilitating strategic decision-making and leading clear communication on time availability and travel details
  • Support excellent relationship management with president and CEO’s connections through correspondence support, maintaining contact lists, and identifying key connections ahead of events and trips
  • Build relationships across HOPE’s global functions and departments to strengthen collaboration and support between the executive office and other teams
  • Welcome and host all visitors meeting with the president and CEO at HOPE’s Lancaster office, coordinating travel arrangements and visit agendas, as needed
  • Coordinate details to enable focused and strategic leadership meetings
  • Coordinate preparation for monthly executive council meetings and quarterly retreats, collaborating with director of strategic initiatives to ensure meetings are focused on timely and strategic topics and that the setting and preparation for meetings enables focus for HOPE leadership
  • Ensure excellent execution of quarterly Board of Directors meetings (2 in person, 2 hybrid/virtual) working closely with director of strategic initiatives to confirm meeting timing and details, prepare meeting materials, and draft clear prep and follow-up communication to Board members
  • Schedule committee calls for seven Board committees in advance of each quarterly Board meeting, ensuring all committee members have necessary details and resources in advance of each call
  • Support proactive planning for future Board engagement to foster excellent governance across the HOPE International network of economic development organizations
  • Coordinate travel arrangements and provide other administrative support to the Board and executive council, as needed
  • Foster healthy culture and care for HOPE staff
  • Identify opportunities to promote and cultivate healthy culture among staff, in collaboration with the president and CEO and the executive office
  • Assist with the planning and execution of core cultural rhythms, potentially including support for events like Global Staff Meeting and Leadership Summit to quarterly pancake breakfasts or Lancaster office activities
  • Undertake special projects (e.g., annual thank you note campaign, distribution of president and CEO’s publications), as needed

Qualifications

  • Personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to the mission and vision of HOPE International
  • Passionate about Christ-centered holistic economic development
  • Exceptional communication skills, both oral and written
  • Exceptional ability to build and cultivate relationships
  • Strong strategic and problem-solving skills and a solution-oriented attitude
  • Ability to interact with and make requests of senior management required
  • Strong attention to detail and organization skills, including effective time management and prioritization of competing demands and deadlines
  • Ability to self-direct daily and weekly priorities and work independently
  • Competence with Microsoft Office, particularly Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel preferred
  • International travel, missions, and/or work experience and strong cross-cultural skills preferred
  • Bachelor’s degree required and up to five years of professional experience preferred

Additional information

Download Job Description

HOPE's hiring process

This guide will help you to understand where you are in the process and what to expect next.

  1. PRAYER

    We start each posting with prayer that God would prepare and lead the right person to this position and that we would make a wise choice.

  2. COMMITTEE

    A small group of relevant people connected to the open position is formed to discuss the needs and requirements.

  3. POST & REVIEW

    The job description is posted, and we review all applicant resumes.

  4. SCREEN & INVITE

    We review and screen candidates for skill, culture, and mission fit and then invite them to an initial interview.

  5. SECOND INTERVIEW

    We will then pass along qualified candidates to the hiring manager for a second-round phone interview.

  6. DECISION

    At that point we will make a decision. Our process typically takes about 120 days but of course varies depending on the role and candidate pool.

Get to know HOPE before you apply.

Details & eligibility

Key dates

Key dates: The openings for HOPE's summer internship program are posted in the fall and applications are typically accepted through mid-January. The summer term for internships is late May through mid-August. Many fellowship openings also begin around late May and will continue beyond mid-August, but fellowships could also be posted and begin at any time of year.

Eligibility

Undergraduate students who have completed at least their sophomore year by the start of the internship, recent graduates, and graduate students are eligible to apply for internships. Recent graduates, graduate students, and business professionals are eligible to apply for fellowships.

Spring and fall fellowship applications are considered on a rolling basis.

Interviews

Individuals being considered for a position will have a preliminary pre-recorded interview and then secondary interviews over the phone or Microsoft Teams.

Wages & Housing

HOPE International offers a stipend to offset the expense of rent during the internship/fellowship. Interns and fellows receive a stipend of $500/month. HOPE may provide interns and fellows with fundraising resources if necessary.

Early decision

Applicants requiring an earlier decision date should state such in their application. Although HOPE will try to grant these requests, the candidate will be competing against an unknown candidate pool, which lessens the likelihood of a favorable decision.

Work schedule

Full-time interns and fellows work 32-hour weeks (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with an hour for lunch) and are given Friday off. Because HOPE interns and fellows work a shortened week, there may be opportunities for them to seek weekend employment to help cover expenses. Work schedules vary for interns and fellows based overseas. Internships with HOPE should span a minimum of 10 weeks and can be extended up to a total of nine months per the acceptance of the supervisor. Fellowships are typically 6- to 12-month positions.

Applicant FAQs

Why is HOPE International in Lancaster, PA?

HOPE was founded in Lancaster in 1997 by Jeff Rutt, a local home builder. A vibrant city of approximately 60,000 people, Lancaster has something for everyone. Here are the top 10 reasons we love Lancaster:

  1. Named by Forbes as one of the 10 coolest cities to visit in the U.S.
  2. Close to Baltimore, Philadelphia, D.C., and New York—but without the high cost of living
  3. Great shopping and a vibrant local food scene
  4. Home of the country’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market
  5. Regular events like First Friday, free concerts in Long’s Park, and more
  6. Scenic location, perfect for exploring the great outdoors
  7. Dynamic art, theater, and music scenes
  8. Downtown Lancaster is unique and authentic
  9. Summer evenings cheering on our very own minor league baseball team
  10. Delicious ice cream and whoopie pies: Need we say more?

What is HOPE culture like?

We like to say that we take our work seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Our culture is something we’re really excited about. So excited that we have a whole section on this page dedicated to talking about it. Learn more about our culture through our PASSION statement, manifesto, and statement of faith.

What does a typical day look like?

There is no typical day at HOPE! Daily responsibilities will depend on your role, but there are some things that you can count on if you are a domestic staff member: staff prayer times on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; staff devotions on Tuesdays; and staff meetings every other Thursday. These are times that domestic staff get together and intentionally study the Word, pray, celebrate, and hold one another accountable. We look forward to these times of building relationships with each other and with the Lord.

What do staff members say is their favorite thing about working at HOPE?

If you ask different people this question, you’ll get different responses. Many people cite their passion for HOPE’s mission to alleviate both physical and spiritual poverty. Some love HOPE because they get to make an impact for the Lord while using their gifts and abilities. Others love the culture. Often, people say their favorite thing about HOPE is that they get to pray and worship with colleagues. Many love to see the pride on the faces of those we serve when they use their gifts and passions to provide for their families and communities. It varies, but everyone has a long list of things that bring them back to work each day!

What is the interview process like?

HOPE’s interview process is extremely collaborative. We begin by screening resumes. The next step is an initial phone interview with human resources. Candidates who move beyond the initial phone screen will interview over the phone again, this time with the hiring manager. There is sometimes a third phone screen with an executive team member, and finalists are brought to Lancaster to interview in person with the search committee. Our goal is to complete each hiring process within 120 days.

This process may vary for international roles.

How do I know the status of my application?

After you enter your resume and cover letter into our applicant tracking system, you will receive an email indicating that we have received your materials. You will be emailed again with any relevant information regarding your application. Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to answer individual phone calls or email requests for status updates.

How should I apply?

First, check out HOPE’s open positions. If there are any roles that could be a fit, please click on the open position and click on the “apply now” button. You will be directed to enter your resume and cover letter into our applicant tracking system. Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to answer individual phone calls or email requests for status updates.

We cannot accept hard-copy materials. Thank you!

Applicant FAQs

What is the difference between an internship and a fellowship?

Internships are semester-based positions for undergraduate and graduate students of all disciplines. Fellowships are 6-12 month positions for recent college graduates, experienced graduate students, or business professionals.

What if I’m interested in multiple positions?

You are welcome to submit your application for any roles you are interested in. There will also be the opportunity to share in your interviews which roles you would be willing to consider and which would be your top preference. However, the job postings will have closed before interviews begin, so we would encourage you to save the role descriptions for the opportunities you would be interested in learning more about.

What is the support-raising process like for interns and fellows who choose to fundraise?

In the past, some have chosen to raise support for their internships or fellowships. If you choose to do this, HOPE may share resources such as sample fundraising letters to help you in this process.

Are there any opportunities for interns and fellows to become staff members?

Yes, quite a few HOPE staff members first came to HOPE through an internship or fellowship! However, a job is not guaranteed as a result of your internship or fellowship.

What does the average day look like for a HOPE intern or fellow?

There is no typical day! Some interns will work primarily from an office setting while others may have opportunities to travel into the field. Interns and fellows who work from our office in Lancaster, PA may have opportunities to connect with teammates in person over lunch, a game of ping-pong, or joining team meetings like staff prayer. Interns and fellows who work remotely have opportunities to connect with teammates and other interns virtually though scheduled meetings like book studies, connect times, leadership sessions, and more!

What is HOPE looking for in candidates?

HOPE looks first for candidates who exhibit an active and vibrant relationship with Christ and demonstrate commitment to serving families who have been marginalized. An ideal candidate has experience leading others, whether on campus, in their church, or in the community as well as a desire to serve. An ideal candidate also has excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as international experience, specifically in the developing world. Finally, an ideal candidate is a lifelong learner—someone who gets excited by continually learning new things and is actively pursuing knowledge.

Why do you require that students complete their sophomore year in order to be eligible?

HOPE International’s internship and fellowship program is a competitive one, and we anticipate large applicant pools each year. Interns and fellows who have completed more semesters of college tend to contribute more professionalism, maturity, independence, and confidence in the workplace. Also, they have received more relevant coursework in their major, better preparing them for their specific work here.

What is housing like if I want to relocate to Lancaster, PA?

We work to help provide interns and fellows with low-cost housing options. For example, occasionally staff members or supporters of HOPE will open their homes to host interns and fellows. Sometimes interns and fellows may stay over the summer on a local college campus, or some interns may choose to pay a higher rent to live in a preferred area or with their friends. Accommodations for interns and fellows will vary according to several factors such as time of year, funding, availability of host homes, and transportation needs, but it is ultimately up to the intern or fellow to determine the option that works best for them.

Do you consider non-business majors?

Absolutely! Each of our internship and fellowship openings are unique and favor different areas of expertise. At HOPE, we believe it’s important to evaluate a candidate as a whole. We want an individual with the heart of a missionary, the mind of a businessperson, and the soul of a development worker. We have had interns and fellows with majors in English, social work, economics, international studies, foreign languages, and many more

Are HOPE internships or fellowships paid?

We offer a living stipend of $500 per month. Some interns and fellows raise funds to help cover additional living costs.

Our mission

At HOPE International, we invest in the dreams of families in the world's underserved communities as we proclaim and live the Gospel.

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Resources: If you're part of a church, nonprofit, or school and would like to learn more about HOPE's methodology, visit our resource library. If you're part of a church network or organization and would like to learn more about implementing HOPE's savings group (SG) methodology, visit our SG Multiply page.

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