I'm Hiring an Executive Assistant -- Come Work With Team OTI!

Job Announcement

October 2011

Executive Assistant: Open Technology Initiative

The New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative (OTI) formulates policy and regulatory reforms to support open architectures and open source innovations and facilitates the development and implementation of open technologies and communications networks. OTI promotes affordable, universal, and ubiquitous communications networks through partnerships with communities, researchers, industry, and public interest groups and is committed to maximizing the potentials of innovative open technologies by studying their social and economic impacts—particularly for poor, rural, and other underserved constituencies. OTI provides in-depth, objective research, analysis, and findings for decision-makers and the general public. For additional information on the program, please visit http://oti.newamerica.net.

OTI Priorities and Goals:

• Gather top technologists and tech-savvy policy analysts to inform current policy debates.
• Build collaborations among community developers, entrepreneurs, academia, and industry.
• Study the social and economic impacts of open technologies and architectures.
• Implement real-world open technology pilot projects and proofs-of-concept prototypes.
• Expand the use of open source software, open APIs, and increased access of Free and Free Open Source Software (FOSS) technologies.

Position Description

The Executive Assistant provides critical support to OTI’s Director in all of his day to day activities, including: correspondence and general administration, proposal writing, editing and proofreading, preparing speeches and presentations, drafting memos, scheduling and travel arrangements, media relations, advisory committee relations, and fundraising. This fast-paced job also involves a considerable amount of inter-office coordination as well as occasional research projects.

Primary Responsibilities

• Handle a diverse array of administrative support duties including managing the Director’s calendar and schedule, arrange meetings, and travel
• Assist in various facets of the Open Technology Initiative’s day-to-day operations.
• Liaise with the Vice President of Finance and Operations and the Grants Manger to coordinate grant submission, reporting, tracking processes for the Open Technology Initiative, and notify the Director and relevant staff of all deadlines and requirements.
• Supervise the preparation of materials for meetings, as appropriate.
• Coordinate steering committee and advisory council meetings and assist in maintaining strong relations with key funders and advisors.
• Assist the Director in maintaining an effective working relationship with the staff and allied organizations.
• Assist the Director in the timely management of all communications.
• Handle the Director’s correspondences, including drafting, proofing, and prioritizing written material.
• Provide research support for the Director’s long and short term projects.

Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree with 1–2 years of administrative work experience.
• Outstanding writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time management skills, as well as attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Open Office suite of applications and web-based research tools.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment.
• Knowledge of, and/or interest in, technology and public policy issues is preferred.
• Talent for taking initiative and working independently when needed.

Application Process

Mail or e-mail resume and cover letter to: Human Resources, New America Foundation, 1899 L Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036. Fax: 202-986-3696. E-mail: jobs@newamerica.net. Please state “Executive Assistant, Open Technology Initiative” in the e-mail subject line. No phone calls, please.

Generous salary package commensurate with experience; excellent benefits. The New America Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.

The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. With an emphasis on big ideas, impartial analysis and pragmatic solutions, New America invests in outstanding individuals whose ability to communicate to wide and influential audiences can change the country’s policy discourse in critical areas, bringing promising new ideas and debates to the fore. Through its fellowships and issue-specific programs, New America sponsors a wide range of research, writing, conferences, and public outreach on the most important global and domestic issues of our time. Based in our nation’s capital, the New America Foundation currently has over 120 staff members and fellows. For more information, please visit www.newamerica.net.