The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

About the College Excellence Program

The Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to achieve this higher standard and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. Learn more at https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/

The College Excellence Program staff is a diverse team of driven and energetic professionals who share a commitment to increasing access to and success in higher education. We are motivated by the power of education to change lives, and we work hard to have measurable impact while also pushing ourselves to learn constantly, collaborate and innovate, and take joy from our work. The Aspen Institute's D.C. headquarters provides a vibrant setting in which to pursue these goals, and we benefit from a rich array of expert panels, discussion groups, and lectures that occur throughout the year.

Position Overview:

The College Excellence Program has an immediate opening for an administrative professional to provide integral support across our community college leadership and curriculum teams. The executive assistant will serve as a critical teammate and provide organizational, communications, and logistical support to team members leading various projects across our community college leadership development portfolio, including our fellowship programs and state-based leadership development work.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinate with stakeholders, and manage regular communications to different constituencies via email, mailings, Zoom, and other means

• Schedule calls, meetings, and convenings (virtual and in-person), including working with directors to manage internal calendars

• Support internal knowledge management processes, including organizing shared files and creating resources

• Prepare high-quality printed and digital materials using templates, in collaboration with team leaders and members

• Manage various contact databases and trackers

• Prepare meeting agendas, support meeting preparation (ie. room reservations), record notes, synthesize follow-up steps, and distribute to internal and external partners

• Plan logistics for staff and consultant travel

• Manage payment processes and operations, including credit card reconciliation, internal payment, and contract approval processes, invoice payments, event reimbursements, and honoraria

• Support high-quality execution of online and in-person convenings, presentations, and other events, including managing printing, shipping, and supply ordering processes for events

• Maintain and replenish supplies specific to leadership and curriculum team needs

• Support the Director of Community College Leadership and the Director of Curriculum with other duties as assigned

Knowledge, education, and experience

• High school diploma and 3-5 years of relevant experience required

• CEP has a preference for candidates who have worked in an education or nonprofit setting

• Candidates must be enthusiastic about accomplishing administrative tasks that support program priorities and embody a customer-service orientation

• Candidates must be expert users of Microsoft Office Suite, including basic PowerPoint skills

To learn more about how we hire at CEP the generous health, retirement, and other benefits offered by the Aspen Institute, please visit our website.

To apply:

All interested applicants must submit the following:

1. A one-page cover letter. CEP prefers cover letters that describe what motivates you and how you understand and relate to our mission, rather than a narrative version of your resume. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

2. Resume/CV.

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.