Description:
The Executive Assistant to the Director provides active administrative support to the head of the Boston Athenaeum, one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries and cultural centers in the United States. Reporting to the Director, this is a full-time role with excellent benefits and a salary commensurate with experience.
The position is at the heart of a busy organization. The ability to work with a variety of colleagues is vital. Excellent communication, organizational, and multi-tasking skills are critical to success in the role. The position also requires absolute discretion with sensitive information.
Calendar Management
Manage Director’s schedule; prioritizing issues and creating efficiencies
Add already confirmed meetings to the calendar & invite attendees
Ensure all events are on Director’s calendar & that she has dial-in information
Schedule meetings (use scheduling tools like Doodle Poll when necessary)
Set up Zoom calls and/or reserve meeting rooms
Reschedule lower priority meetings to accommodate for more pressing meetings
Draft agendas, send reminders, and distribute materials
Assist with cross-departmental meetings (All Staff, Management Team, Strategy Group, etc.) by scheduling, gathering agenda items, maintaining a record of decisions.
Monitor messages sent to Director’s Office & redirect to other staff members when necessary
Monitor Director’s phone line & redirect to other staff members when necessary
Manage Director’s mail
Coordinate the physical set up for meetings such as reserving rooms, printing materials, setting up technology.
Greet and escort Director’s guests
Maintain Director’s office files both paper and electronic.
Governance and Development Coordination:
Support Director in managing interactions with Board President, Trustees, and donors.
Interact independently with Board President, Trustees, and donors when appropriate.
Coordinate Board and donor visits with Development so that Director has all of the information she needs ahead of time
Oversee meeting preparation, coordination, and planning of the Board of Trustees meetings and delegated Committee meetings. This includes the Facilities Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee, and Standing Committee meetings.
Attend Board of Trustees meetings and take minutes. Write first draft of minutes for Director and Board’s approval.
Administrative
Draft and edit correspondence on the Director’s behalf, prepare for signature, and send.
Communicate in writing with the Board of Trustees as well as people outside of the Athenaeum.
Contribute to weekly staff newsletter.
Manage reimbursements for the Director.
Support Director’s business travel needs.
Approve direct reports’ time off requests in ADP
Manage Director’s electronic signature
Coordinate All-Staff Meetings
Other projects and needs will arise over time. This position requires the flexibility, adaptability, and willingness to take on unanticipated assignments.
Why work at the Boston Athenaeum?
The Boston Athenaeum is seeking to engage a wider and more diverse audience. To make that possible, we have begun a variety of new initiatives including a major expansion project. We are looking for a colleague who will be excited by the opportunity to reshape the Athenaeum’s future as a central part of Boston’s cultural landscape.
Beyond the opportunity to work amongst the collections at one of the most distinguished libraries in the nation alongside a passionate and welcoming team, working at the Boston Athenaeum comes with plenty of other perks. Some of our benefits include:
Paid time off and sick days.
Competitive 401k package
Paid parental leave.
Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
Life Insurance
Commuter benefits
Qualifications:
College degree strongly preferred, and five or more years of experience providing administrative support in an environment that requires balancing multiple needs.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and Google applications.
Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others.
Able to work a standard schedule (Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm). Willing and able to make occasional adjustments to accommodate periodic meetings that begin or end outside of that time frame.
Strong organizational skills, including the ability to balance multiple projects simultaneously without losing sight of details.
Commitment to fostering a workplace culture of diversity and inclusion.
Research shows that women and people from underrepresented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the qualifications for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role
About this Organization: Founded in 1807, the Boston Athenæum is located at 10½ Beacon Street on Beacon Hill. A distinguished membership library and cultural institution with a long history at the center of intellectual life in Boston, the Athenæum hosts events nearly every week of the year and supports a dynamic exhibition program. It desires to be a place that is welcoming to all, a place that nurtures a sense of wonder and delight in sharing the joy of physical books, maps, prints, and other works of art, and a place that fosters community and civil discourse as members and guests engage in face-to-face interactions.
The Athenæum’s collections are housed within a National Historic Landmark that is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. The reading rooms—crowned by the silent, barrel-vaulted fifth floor—have served as a haven and inspiration to countless writers and researchers. The library maintains over 600,000 volumes with strengths in history, biography, and literature, as well as fine and decorative arts. Notable holdings include primary materials on the American Civil War; the largest portion of President George Washington's library from Mount Vernon; a first edition copy of Audubon's The Birds of America; a 1799 set of Goya's Los caprichos; one of the most extensive collections of contemporary artists' books in the United States; and numerous artworks, including portraits of notable Americans such as Hannah Adams, John Marshall, and Alexander Hamilton, and by artists such as Gilbert Stuart, John Singer Sargent, Allan Rohan Crite, and Polly Thayer Starr. Membership is open to all, and visitors are warmly welcomed Tuesdays through Saturdays.