Founded in 2009, the Chef Ann Foundation (CAF) believes that all children should have equal access to fresh, healthy, delicious food providing them the foundation to thrive and meet their true potential. We ensure that school food professionals have the resources, funding and support they need to provide cook-from-scratch meals that support the health of children and our planet. To date, we’ve reached over 13,000 schools and over 3.3 million children in all 50 states.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Executive Assistant provides executive support in a one-on-one working relationship. The Executive Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Office of the CEO. The Executive Assistant also serves as a liaison to the board of directors and senior management teams; organizes and coordinates executive outreach and external relations efforts; and oversees special projects. The Executive Assistant must be creative and enjoy working within a small, entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The Executive Assistant will have the ability to work independently on projects, from conception to completion, and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support

• Completes a broad variety of administrative tasks for the CEO including: managing an extremely active calendar of appointments; completing expense reports; composing and preparing correspondence that is sometimes confidential; arranging detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.

• Communicates directly, and on behalf of the CEO, with Board members, donors, Foundation staff, and others, on matters related to CEO's programmatic initiatives.

• Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the CEO’s office and internal departments; demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with senior management staff.

• Works closely and effectively with the CEO to keep them well informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Acts as a "barometer," having a sense for the issues taking place in the environment and keeping the CEO updated.

• Provides leadership to build relationships crucial to the success of the organization, and manages a variety of special projects for the CEO, some of which may have organizational impact.

• Successfully completes critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the CEO's ability to effectively lead the company.

• Prioritizes conflicting needs; handles matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

Board Support & Liaison

• Serves as the CEO’s administrative liaison to Chef Ann Foundation's board of directors

• Assists board members with travel arrangements, lodging, and meal planning as needed

• Maintains discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members

• Adhere to compliance with applicable rules and regulations set in bylaws regarding board and board committee matters, including advance distribution of materials before meetings in electronic/paper format.

CAF Team Support

• Participates as an adjunct member of the Executive Team including assisting in scheduling meetings and attending all meetings

• Assists in coordinating the agenda and note taking of senior management team meetings and off-sites, and all staff meetings

• Provides leadership and structure to cross-functional team associate positions as it relates to organizational-wide protocols and and processes

• Leads support, and works cross functionally, and hand in hand with the the COO to plan and implement annual team and board in-person meetings

Communications, Partnerships, and Outreach

• Ensures that the CEO’s bio, speaker resume, and headshots are kept updated and responds to requests for materials regarding the CEO and the organization in general

• Edits and completes first drafts for written communications to external stakeholders

Strategic Initiatives

• Works with key stakeholders in coordinating the CEO’s outreach activities

• Follows up on contacts made by the CEO and supports the cultivation of ongoing relationships

• Represents the CEO, when needed on coalition calls and in person meetings to drive CAF mission

Position Qualifications & Requirements

• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail

• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with stakeholders, including staff, board members, external partners and donors

• Expert level written and verbal communication skills

• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability

• Emotional maturity

• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently

• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response

• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment

• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions

• Bachelor's degree required

• Strong work tenure: five to 5 years of experience supporting C-Level Executives, preferably in a non-profit organization *preferred 

• Experience and interest in internal and external communications, partnership development, program management and fundraising

• Proficient in full Google Platform, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, and SalesForce.

Hesitant to apply? Even if you do not believe that you meet 100% of these skills or experiences but feel that this is a great role for you, we would still like to hear from you!

Essential Traits

• A passion for food systems and a strong interest in childhood health and wellness

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Flexible mindset and innovative thinker

• Willingness to engage in continuous learning and training

• A positive attitude and excitement to blaze new trails

At the Chef Ann Foundation, our work to ensure access to fresh, healthy school food for all is built on the idea of equity. We support and celebrate differences, and our team and community are stronger with every new voice. CAF is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. CAF is committed to the incorporation of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) throughout our organization, including increased efforts to hire, support, and engage BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other historically marginalized groups.