EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

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EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

Chicago, IL

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EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST

About Cara Collective

Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our three entities - Cara, Cleanslate, and Cara Plus - we engage job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment.

At present, we produce 1,000 jobs each year; however, our results don't just end with employment. Today, we take the insights gained over the past 30+ years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy. Learn more at www.caracollective.org.

About the Cara Collective External Affairs Department

The External Affairs Department aims to advance Cara Collective's mission by amplifying our brand, building strategic partnerships, attracting resources and investments, and driving public awareness and practice change. Through coordinated efforts across communications, development, and external engagement, the team ensures our message resonates with stakeholders and strengthens our impact. With a commitment to storytelling, relationship-building, and thought leadership, External Affairs connects Cara Collective to the broader community, fueling growth and deepening our influence in the workforce development field.

About the Role

The External Affairs Administrative Specialist provides day-to-day administrative support to the Chief External Affairs Officer (CEAO), including managing complex calendars, preparing materials, scheduling meetings, and arranging travel and accommodations for the CEAO and other assigned staff as needed. This role also involves handling various administrative duties such as communication, project management, and financial allocations, ensuring smooth operations and efficient resource management.

The successful candidate will be organized, detail oriented, self-motivated, adaptable, ambitious, and driven, able to handle confidential information, and is comfortable navigating in a fast-paced environment, with a demonstrated ability to respond to changing workloads and priorities.

Reports To

Chief External Affairs Officer (CEAO)

Responsibilities for the External Affairs Administrative Specialist

The External Affairs Administrative Specialist will be responsible for achieving the following outcomes within the organization:

Executive Support (50%)

• Prioritize inquiries and requests while resolving conflicts with minimal guidance; make judgments and recommendations to ensure smooth day-to-day operations
• Ensure the CEAO is well-prepared and on time for all meetings, project deadlines, and deliverables.
• Ensure smooth communication flow between the CEAO team and other stakeholders.
• Serve as the main point of contact for external and internal requests, including greeting visitors as necessary.
• Handle confidential and personnel information with trust and discretion, effectively interfacing with internal and external clients, and senior executives.
• Create meeting agendas and coordinate staff meetings, internal and external events as needed; support team cadences/meetings (e.g., notes, prompts for agenda items, proactive updates for recurring events).
• Support the management of a donor portfolio by maintaining accurate records in Salesforce, ensuring donor interactions are documented and stewardship efforts are tracked.
• Creates slide decks, onboarding documents, and other administrative documents for the Board of Directors, Board Committees, and other planning initiatives.
• Attend meetings, take notes of discussions, prepare initial draft minutes, summaries, organize follow-up materials, communicate follow-up items, and schedule necessary follow-ups.
• Maintain records, documents, and agendas for the CEAO's meetings, steering committees, commissions, and other priority initiatives.
• Performs ad hoc administrative work and projects as needed.

Project Coordination (25%):

• Track and manage special projects and initiatives, ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables are completed.
• Allocate resources and time efficiently across projects in alignment with departmental priorities.
• Monitor project progress and report updates to the CEAO.
• Organize and coordinate team events, meetings, and conferences for the CEAO team, managing logistics, vendor relations, and budget oversight.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with members of the Cara Collective and other departments to foster a collaborative work environment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution of projects.
• Assist in preparing project timelines, goals, and milestones to ensure alignment with overall strategic objectives.

Logistical Support (20%)

• Manage calendars and scheduling for personal and work engagements with discretion.
• Coordinate meetings, events, and stewardship activities for the External Affairs Department.
• Provide administrative support, including booking travel and arranging catering.tc.

Budget Management & Allocations (5%)

• Coordinate with the finance department to process invoices, monitor expenses, and maintain accurate financial records on behalf of the CEAO.
• Manage invoice and vendor processes for the CEAO department as assigned.
• Handle travel and expense reporting for the CEAO department as assigned.

Qualifications

• 2 - 3 years of comparable experience in customer service and/or administrative work
• Aptitude Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
• Preferred Aptitude with Salesforce (or comparable CRM)
• Meticulous record-keeping skills and detail-oriented approach
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high personal standards for the quality of output
• Strong critical-thinking skills, with the ability to understand high-level strategic objectives, as well as the tactical details critical for their success
• Ability to solve problems independently and collaboratively, exercising good judgment while balancing competing priorities
• Ability to simultaneously manage short-term and long-term plan and goals
• Ability to show discretion with privileged information
• Highly professional demeanor with the ability to work successfully with a wide array of constituents, including donors, board members, volunteers, program staff and other stakeholders
• Availability for some evening and weekend work
• Commitment to excellence and passion for the mission of Cara Collective

Starting Pay Range

We take budget and starting salary very seriously. We market our roles and are using a salary analysis tool called Payscale

and offer competitive, market-based compensation to all employees. This position's expected starting pay range is $50,000-55,000.

Benefits

Cara Collective is proud to offer a comprehensive, competitive benefit package, with options designed to help you make the best decision for yourself, your family, and your lifestyle. Available benefits are based on eligibility. Our Total Rewards

package includes a variety of medical and dental plans, vision coverage, disability and life insurance, 401(k):

Cara Paid Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision Plans
• Basic Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• Personal Technology Reimbursement
• Starting with 17 Vacation Days, 8 Sick Days, 14 Paid Holidays

Employee Paid Benefits

• Pre-Tax Medical Flexible Spending Account
• Pre-Tax Dependent Care Account
• Pre-Tax Transit & Parking Options
• Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (employer match up to 4% upon hire & immediately vested)

As of this posting, we annually review our benefit offerings to meet our employees' needs and be competitive in the market. All listed benefits offerings at the discretion of the employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Cara Collective is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. This commitment applies to all employment practices, including those supported by technology or artificial intelligence tools used in the hiring process.

We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete this application or participate in the interview process, please email us at kboelkens@carachicago.org.

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