Operations / Administration ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Job Description
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, EDUCATION
About the Education Program
The Robert R. McCormick Foundation has a decades-long commitment to supporting the education and healthy development of young children in Illinois, ages birth to eight, through investments in early education. A good portion of our current $6 million annual investment goes toward leveraging systemic change in the state’s early education system to improve the effectiveness and quality of care children receive. Ultimately, our aim is to help move the state toward ensuring that all Illinois children – particularly those most in need of extra support – arrive at kindergarten and 3rd grade fully on-track to thrive.
The Education Program focuses its strategy on systemic ways of cultivating outstanding leaders, teachers, and care providers and to support parents to fully optimize their young child’s learning and development at home. The Program also aims to support its grantees to fully realize the impact of their work and use our own voices to raise awareness and public understanding of these efforts and critical issues in early education.
Opportunity
We are looking for an administrative officer with exemplary customer service skills. The person in this role will perform all general office duties to help maximize productivity within the Education Program, including scheduling, communicating with grantees and partners, grants administration support, administering contracts and invoices, organizing and maintaining electronic and physical files, arranging travel, helping coordinate events, and more. The ideal candidate is a quick learner and self-starter with adaptability, flexibility, and good judgment. The ability to manage time and juggle priorities is a must, as is a passion for creating efficiencies and supporting the team to be productive.
Responsibilities
- Manage scheduling, travel, and expenses for the Education Program team
- Coordinate logistics and provide general administrative support for meetings
- Manage follow-up communications with Education Program partners and grantees via phone and email
- Administer contracts and invoices and provide grants administration support via the foundation’s BBG grants administration system
- Assist in the preparation of the Education Program’s presentations to the Board of Directors
- Provide back-up support to the Education Program team, including with grants and financial management as well as other tasks and projects as needed
- Establish and maintain an efficient and orderly paper and electronic filing system and recommend files for destruction or archiving annually
- Maintain a close working relationship with fellow Foundation programs, departments, and individuals to leverage expertise and assets for maximum effect
- Serve as a member of the Emergency Evacuation Team. Attend annual training offered by building management
- Maintain CPR/First Aid certification, which will be provided by the Foundation
Qualifications
- Minimum three to five years of experience specifically in administrative, coordination, or logistics roles
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Excellent computer skills and comfort with programs such as the Microsoft Office Suite, including One Drive, BBG, TRAVERSE, and MS Project
- Strong Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and interpersonal skills
- Strong customer service orientation
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Outstanding project management skills and attention to detail
- Must be able to work efficiently in a fast-paced, impact-oriented, collaborative environment
All offers are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check and drug screening
