Special Assistant to the President & CEO

Company Overview The Cathedral Arts Project (CAP) is a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive arts education in visual and performing arts for school-aged children. Committed to fostering creativity, inclusion, and community engagement, CAP creates opportunities for young people to develop essential skills through the arts in a supportive environment. Job Overview Executive Support | Board Relations | Communications | Special Projects (The title may be refined based on the selected candidate’s background and career path, but the core role will center on executive support, board relations, communications and special projects.) This is a rare opportunity to work closely with the CEO of a dynamic and successful nonprofit and to become a trusted partner in shaping how the organization runs. The right candidate may be earlier in their career but already strong in judgment, writing and administrative skills, or they may be an experienced executive assistant ready for a broader, high-trust role. What matters less than experience is the ability to think clearly, communicate well, take initiative, exercise discretion, understand nuance and reliably close loops. This role is designed for someone who thrives on bringing structure and insight to a fast-moving executive office. This position supports an executive office where priorities often span strategy, governance, public funding and private philanthropy, communications and day-to-day organizational leadership. Communication is frequent, fast-moving and often handled through text and email, so the right person must be responsive, organized and comfortable keeping work moving in real time. You will support this leadership style by anticipating needs, adapting when circumstances change and turning broad direction into organized action. Why This Role is Different Most assistant roles are defined by tasks. This one is defined by trust and the ability to think ahead. Here’s what sets it apart: • You are a partner. You will be trusted to speak up when something seems off, flag a concern, offer an idea or new ways of doing something or ask a clarifying question before a problem grows. • The schedule is genuinely flexible. Early starts, early finishes and outcome-focused remote days; this is not a traditional 9-to-5. When responsibilities are handled well, you will experience significant autonomy and flexibility. • You will be close to work that matters. As a trusted presence within the Leadership Team, you will often be inside strategy conversations, fundraising decisions and creative mission work, which means you’ll be close enough to understand the full picture and act on it. This is not a role where you manage logistics from a distance. We are guided by four core values: Color Outside the Lines, Sing Out Loud, Maintain Your Creative Spark and Inspire Every Creative Spirit. The person in this role will be part of a team that takes these values seriously. What You Will Do Drive Operations of the Executive Office • Manage the CEO’s calendar strategically. Anticipate conflicts, confirm logistics and prepare materials. • Monitor and respond to a high volume of emails, texts and requests promptly. • Track open projects, next steps, deadlines and recurring responsibilities independently. • Handle select administrative functions, including staff meetings, staff celebrations and a few other operational details. • Leverage current technology, maintaining efficient digital organization and productivity. Translate Vision into Action • Translate conversations and decisions into clear next steps, proactively tracking timelines and maintaining momentum across the organization. • Listen for what is needed, not only what is explicitly assigned, and connect the dots. • Ask clear, timely questions rather than allowing uncertainty to delay the work. Support Board and Governance Work • Serve as a trusted liaison for the Board of Directors. • Prepare agendas, materials, minutes and follow-up items for Board meetings. • Maintain accurate records and cultivate relationships with board members. Prepare High-Quality Materials • Draft, edit and format correspondence, reports, spreadsheets, presentations, newsletter content and other materials with strong attention to detail. • Read closely, understand context and audience, improve clarity and catch errors before materials reach the CEO or board members. • Support donor stewardship by preparing personalized correspondence, briefing materials, meeting follow-up and other communications that help deepen relationships. Model CAP’s Values & Standards • Interact with board members, donors, staff, public officials, community partners and guests with warmth, discretion and professionalism. • Coordinate selected events hosted by the President & CEO, including logistics, materials and on-site support when needed. • Learn CAP’s programs and mission deeply enough to represent the organization thoughtfully in communications with board members and stakeholders of all types. Schedule & Flexibility This role is designed around full-time responsibility and flexibility rather than a traditional 9-to-5. Because the CEO usually begins work early, the Special Assistant should plan to be in the office by 7:30 a.m. on CAP’s two in-office days (Tuesdays and Thursdays), leaving early in the afternoon. On remote days, you have the freedom to set your own hours around the workflow of the office, maintaining steady availability for early-morning communication and real-time collaboration as needed. While CAP’s standard policy requires all staff to be in the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, this role requires the flexibility to occasionally come in at other times on other days as organizational needs arise. We care about outcomes more than performative busyness. Some days will be lighter, while others will require availability outside typical business hours to handle time-sensitive matters. When the work is handled well, this role offers significant flexibility, autonomy and trust, supported by direct, transparent communication in both directions. This Role Is A Strong Fit If You: Are Built for Operational Excellence • Like being the person who keeps things organized, accurate and on time without being closely supervised • Take pride in precision, impeccable proofreading and follow-through • View administrative details as enjoyable and critical to executive success • Are highly tech-savvy and enjoy learning, configuring and maximizing digital tools Think Independently & Communicate Well • Have strong intellectual curiosity and enjoy reading, digesting context and working with language • Prefer to ask a timely question rather than let a task stall • Are comfortable reminding a senior leader of commitments and next steps • Take ownership of a project from start to finish, proactively closing loops with stakeholders and colleagues Stay Flexible & Focused • Are comfortable supporting a leader whose work moves quickly, thoughtfully and sometimes nonlinearly • Remain calm, clear and resourceful when priorities shift or pressure increases • Value a flexible, outcome-focused schedule and handle confidential information with maturity and discretion This Role May Not Be the Right Fit If You: The right match matters for everyone. This role may not be right for you if you: • Prefer reminders for routine responsibilities or need highly detailed direction before moving forward • View administrative details as minor or drudgery • Are uncomfortable asking direct questions when something is unclear or find it difficult to communicate progress, delays or barriers • Struggle with shifting priorities or prefer a role with predictable tasks and limited urgency • Prefer rote task completion over reading, listening and independent thinking • Thrive in routine with minimal day-to-day variety • Prefer a role with fewer real-time texts