Helen Keller International
Job Announcement
Executive Associate
(New York, NY)
Established in 1915 with Helen Keller as a founding trustee, Helen Keller International (HKI) is dedicated
to saving and improving the sight and lives of the world’s vulnerable by combatting the causes and
consequences of blindness, poor health and malnutrition. Headquartered in New York City, HKI currently
works in 21 countries in Africa and Asia, as well as in the United States.
The New York office of HKI is seeking an Executive Associate to support and coordinate the activities of
the President/CEO, the Board of Trustees, the Executive Management Team (EMT) and the Senior
Management Team (SMT) of HKI. The Associate serves as a primary point of contact both within HKI
and externally for the President and Board, facilitating information flow among all the above parties and
global staff in support of HKI’s commitment to transparent management processes.
The Executive Associate streamlines the workload of the President and Board Chair by managing all
administrative aspects of the Executive department including budgeting and expense monitoring, meeting
logistics, maintaining all official corporation records, and managing day-to-day operations.
Key Responsibilities:
Board of Trustees Support/Governance
 Coordinate the planning of annual Board events (schedule of meetings, field visits, etc.) and
assist with establishing priorities for Board activities.
 Support the President and Board Chair in the preparation of coherent and relevant agendas for
general Board and Executive Committee meetings. Collect and/or prepare and distribute
background materials for these meetings.
 Schedule and manage the logistics (site selection, catering, hotel, transportation) for in-person full
Board meetings, Executive Committee meetings, and other Committee meetings as requested,
plus teleconferences, as well as the Board dinner, retreats, events and trips to the field.
 Attend all Board and Executive, Nominating, and Governance Committee meetings. Take
minutes, as needed, finalize and distribute approved versions and report on proceedings to
absent members, as requested.
 Act as primary point of contact and liaison for all HKI Board members to ensure thorough and
timely communication among Board and its interlocutors.
 Maintain a secure Board website to facilitate information flow and maintain historical records.
 Maintain tickler files to support President’s management of Board activities and decision-making
processes, and to support effective communication and transparent implementation of Board
decisions.
 In collaboration with the President and key Board members, develop and administer policies and
orientation materials for the Board (e.g. expense and travel policies).
 Arrange travel and itineraries for semi-annual Board field visits, which may include major donors.
 Serve as custodian of all HKI official and legal documents and records.
Management of President’s Office and Management Teams
 Schedule and manage the logistics for SMT meetings and EMT meetings and retreats. Prepare
agenda and compile meeting background materials. Take minutes and maintain EMT and SMT
minutes books.
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Assist President and SMT Co-Chair to manage the follow-up to decisions taken by the
management teams.
Maintain secure EMT and SMT websites to facilitate information flow and maintain historical
records. Publish meeting schedules, agendas and minutes, in consultation with the President.
Draft annual budget projections for both the Executive office, Board, and Government Relations
activities in consultation with the President, and the CFO, and administer budget throughout the
year, including monthly review and analysis of results.
Maintain President’s schedule, preparing and archiving relevant background materials for
meetings, as necessary.
Draft and edit PowerPoint presentations.
Represent the Executive department and serve as a primary point of contact for President when
s/he is unavailable; keep President duly informed of developments in the office or on the Board.
Administration
 Receive and process all incoming and outgoing mail; answer and screen President's telephone
calls.
 Organize and maintain hard and virtual file system
 Compose routine correspondence.
 Process office expenditures, including but not limited to the President’s corporate credit card
accounts, memberships and business expense reports.
 Arrange travel and itineraries for President.
 Provide administrative support to EMT on an ad hoc basis for special needs.
Qualifications:
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Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree plus at least five years administrative experience supporting a
senior executive, preferably with experience in an international organization, and in a non-profit
setting, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Strong interpersonal skills including ability to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds
and to handle confidential matters with discretion and judgment.
Experience liaising with Board members, coordinating related meetings, and taking minutes.
Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to:
o Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers,
partner organizations, donors, and the general public; and
o Synthesize complex and sensitive material and record information accurately and
appropriately.
Outstanding time management and organizational skills including keen attention to detail with
ability to track multiple projects at one time.
Excellent computer literacy including hands-on knowledge of database, spreadsheet,
presentation and word processing software, and ability to navigate and use the Internet
effectively.
Ability to maintain in-house websites to facilitate information sharing that incorporate searchable
document repositories and calendars.
Experience with international travel planning a strong plus.
To Apply
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] noting the job
title in the subject line. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.