Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Position description

Since 1988, Rainforest Trust has been safeguarding imperiled tropical habitats and saving endangered species by creating and expanding protected and conserved areas. That very much includes supporting rights-based conservation measures such as affirming and securing rights to Indigenous or Traditional Territories, recognizing Conserved Areas (OECMs), and establishing traditional Protected Areas, including those with co-management of Indigenous or local communities. Working in partnership with local organizations and communities, we have protected more than 58.8 million acres of vital habitat across Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Rainforest Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies upon the generous support of the public to successfully implement our important conservation action.

HOW YOU’LL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR MISSION:

As Rainforest Trust’s Executive Assistant to the CEO, you will:

• Maximize the effectiveness of the CEO’s time in driving RT’s impact by managing a complex calendar, coordinating meetings, preparing agendas and materials, and ensuring follow-up actions are clear and completed.
• Ensure key RT stakeholders are informed and aligned by and with the CEO by drafting, editing, and routing executive communications to consistently, accurately, and in a timely manner represent the CEO’s voice, priorities, and expectations.
• Help mobilize substantial resources for RT conservation efforts by supporting the CEO in donor-facing work, specifically helping manage CEO engagements with donors and handling 1:1 correspondence, as well as coordinating CEO travel to donor meetings.
• Optimize the effectiveness of the CEO’s time, effort and carbon footprint by coordinating travel and itineraries for donor engagements, board meetings, and other high-profile events while providing on-the-ground support and managing end-to-end logistics so the CEO is fully prepared, supported, and able to focus on strategic objectives.
• Anticipate needs, surface issues early, coordinate cross-team inputs (including direct and proactive interaction with other leaders in the organization), and manage competing priorities so the CEO can stay focused on the highest-impact work. This includes managing the CEO’s Asana dashboard. It also will include “managing up” to teach the CEO how to better structure his work and effectively leverage and work with an Executive Assistant.
• Provide targeted administrative, scheduling, and logistical support to the Heads of the Philanthropy, Conservation, and Shared Services Departments as needed so they can operate efficiently and stay focused on high-priority work as a group. This includes organizing and attending the weekly Senior Leadership Group meeting.

TO SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE, WE’RE HOPING YOU’LL HAVE:

• Successful experience working as an executive assistant or providing full-time administrative support to someone in a relatively high-level role.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing complex calendars and coordinating internal and external meetings with clear direction, calm, self-awareness, and comfort with human imperfection.
• Ability to manage sensitive information and complex scheduling with discretion, diplomacy, and sound judgment—proactively resolving conflicts and prioritizing time based on organizational needs while maintaining positive relationships.
• Ability to coordinate and prepare agendas, briefing materials, and clear, concise follow-up notes for executive and leadership meetings—ensuring key information, decisions, and action items are captured while enabling leaders to quickly grasp the most important points.
• Demonstrated experience exercising judgment around urgency and communicating accordingly.
• Proven ability to help others adapt and adjust in real-time to changing conditions, anticipating risks and opportunities to optimize in the moment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to support high-stakes or high-profile engagements with accuracy and composure.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the ability to draft professional communications that reflect someone else’s tone and intent.
• Experience coordinating complex travel arrangements, including multi-stop itineraries, international travel, and real-time problem-solving.
• Strong project management skills including experience using project management software.
• Demonstrated success learning and quickly using project management software.
• Interest in and aptitude for applying all of these qualifications in a fundraising/donor context.
• Commitment and enthusiasm for Rainforest Trust’s mission and respect for our core values: Nature & People; Efficiency; Transparency; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Partnerships & Collaboration; Science & Innovation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Rainforest Trust values the diversity of our planet and environment and wants our team to reflect the richness of the global population we serve. We believe that striving to maintain a demographically diverse workforce where employees are treated equitably and feel a strong sense of inclusion is not only an ethical imperative but also a key driver of innovation and excellence, enhancing our ability to fulfill our mission of conserving and protecting our natural environment.

We put this belief into action by striving to apply this lens to every aspect of employment, from how we hire and recruit, to how we determine compensation and benefits, to the training and development we offer, and the working conditions we create.

If you think you have what it takes, but don’t necessarily meet every single qualification, please still get in touch. We’d love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit!

We are an equal-opportunity employer and give all qualified applicants consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.

WORKING CONDITIONS AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Rainforest Trust is a remote first organization and the incumbent will be expected to work primarily from home with an excellent internet connection, though part-time office space may be available in Washington DC. Occasional national and/or international travel may be required for organizational meetings and other events.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to remain in a stationary position at a computer terminal for an extended period. The person in this position frequently communicates with colleagues both verbally and in writing and must be able to exchange accurate, neat and thorough information.

ANTICIPATED SALARY

The salary range for this position is $80,000 – $90,000 commensurate with experience. This base compensation range represents the anticipated low and high range of wages for this position. Salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as the candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role. Information on other benefits may be found on our Careers Page.

Application instructions

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