Description
THE FOUNDATION
MRBF’s mission is to help people and places move out of poverty and achieve greater social and economic justice. The board and staff have committed to centering racial equity across all their work and partnering with communities to build power for people who have been denied access to instruments of power throughout American history.
MRBF works in 11 Southern states, supporting organizations and networks making progress along three interconnected pathways of change: economic opportunity, supportive policies and institutions, and democracy and civic engagement. It is exploring new ways to amplify a broad range of voices and strengthen leaders who reflect the full diversity of the South's demographics while continuing some core approaches: centering communities in solutions, helping organizations build their capacity to do more, cultivating innovative partnerships, and advancing systems change with long-term resources.
MRBF seeks to use all available tools, including grantmaking, investing, influencing, leveraging, communications, and learning, to advance its mission. The blueprint for our work can be found here.
OPERATING STRUCTURE
MRBF is led by Flozell Daniels Jr., Chief Executive Officer, with a 13-member Board of Directors that provides oversight and strategic guidance to the CEO and organization. It has 14 staff members and nearly $200 million in assets. It operates entirely remotely, enabling team members to work from anywhere in its 11-state footprint, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
THE POSITION
The Executive Assistant to the CEO serves as a trusted partner to the Chief Executive Officer in a dual-function role that provides high-level executive support and serves as the primary administrative liaison to the Board of Directors. This role manages complex scheduling, facilitates board governance, coordinates executive communications, and ensures that the CEO and Board are well-prepared and positioned to lead effectively. Working collaboratively with leadership and department administrators, the Executive Assistant helps ensure effective coordination and alignment across the organization.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Support the Chief Executive Officer
Manage the CEO’s calendar with a high degree of accuracy, professionalism, and judgment, including scheduling internal and external meetings, prioritizing requests for the CEO’s time, and proactively resolving scheduling conflicts.
Serve as a liaison between the CEO and internal staff, board members, external partners, and other stakeholders, facilitating communication and maintaining a responsive and professional presence on behalf of the CEO.
Coordinate CEO travel arrangements and process monthly expense reports and reimbursements accurately and on time.
Track CEO action items and outstanding deliverables, proactively supporting follow-up and helping ensure timely completion of priority items.
Develop correspondence, annotated agendas, briefing packages, presentations, and other written materials for the CEO, exercising judgment around accuracy, clarity, and confidentiality in all communications and handling sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
Coordinate leadership team meetings and other executive meetings, including complex calendar coordination across multiple executives, partnership with other support staff to align leadership availability, preparation of meeting materials, and management of follow-up documentation and action items.
Support consultant coordination, tracking of project deliverables, and other special assignments or projects as directed by the CEO or other C-suite.
Board of Directors Administration and Support
Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for the Board of Directors, independently developing and managing all aspects of board meeting coordination, including drafting annotated agendas, preparing board briefing materials and correspondence, overseeing compilation and distribution of meeting packages, and maintaining the board intranet with current and accurate materials.
Schedule and coordinate all board and committee meetings, working across time zones, schedules, and stakeholder availability to support seamless logistics and preparation.
Coordinate logistics for in-person board meetings, including hotel accommodations, meeting venues, meals, transportation, and audiovisual or technology needs.
Arrange board member travel, manage related expense reporting and reimbursements, and process fees for non-family board members accurately and in a timely manner.
Capture and distribute accurate minutes for board and committee meetings; maintain official governance records, board member contact information, and distribution lists; track action items and support timely follow-up.
Support board member recruitment and onboarding logistics, including preparation of onboarding materials and coordination of orientation-related activities.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Requirements
Five or more years of experience providing increasingly senior-level administrative support, with direct experience supporting both executive or senior leadership and a Board of Directors or governing body.
Demonstrated experience in complex, fluid organizational environments, including sophisticated calendar management, travel coordination, and handling sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
Demonstrated familiarity with board governance structures and practices, including experience developing annotated agendas and briefing packages, capturing and distributing minutes, and maintaining official governance records and documentation.
Experience coordinating events and logistics for in-person and virtual meetings, including multi-stakeholder convenings.
Proficiency with a range of technology platforms and tools, including calendar and scheduling systems, virtual meeting platforms, document and project management systems, and board or collaboration portals.
Experience working collaboratively across teams, functions, and external stakeholders in remote or hybrid settings, in support of senior leadership and organizational priorities.
Experience supporting senior leadership in environments with evolving priorities, interconnected workstreams, and time-sensitive coordination needs.
Experience working in nonprofit, philanthropic, mission-driven, or values-aligned organizations.
COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
Exceptional organizational and administrative skills, with the ability to manage complex, competing priorities with accuracy and follow-through.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to independently draft and finalize polished correspondence, meeting minutes, annotated agendas, briefing packages, and other materials for senior leadership and board audiences.
Ability to approach relationships, communication, and organizational support with cultural humility, curiosity, and relational awareness.
Sound judgment, professionalism, and strict discretion when handling sensitive, confidential, or high-stakes information.
Ability to build trust-based relationships and provide proactive, service-oriented support to the CEO, board members, leadership team, staff, and external partners.
Ability to work independently, exercise good judgment, anticipate needs, and adapt to evolving priorities with professionalism and flexibility.
Commitment to equity-centered practices, inclusive engagement, and contributing to a collaborative and values-aligned organizational culture.
Ability to work effectively and collaboratively across differences in race, culture, identity, geography, socioeconomic background, and lived experience.
COMPENSATION AND CULTURE
The target salary range for this position is $78,200 - $95,600, commensurate with training and experience. The Foundation offers generous benefits, including retirement contributions, health and dental coverage, and a flexible remote work environment.
The Foundation works to foster an equitable, inclusive, and supportive environment where all staff can thrive. The team pays careful attention to organizational culture, devoting time to reflection and relationship building, and closes for three weeks annually to enable team members to recharge without using vacation days.
We welcome candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences to apply for this opportunity.
HOW TO APPLY
The Foundation is partnering with search firm LaCire to manage applications for this position.
To apply for this position, please use the application form. Only applications submitted through the application form will be accepted. Applicants will be required to submit one document containing their resume and a brief cover letter addressing their relevant experience, and interest in the role and the organization.
If you encounter any challenges accessing or using the online form, please reach out to Jamie Albaum, lead recruiter, at jamie@lacire.co and we will ensure proper accommodations are provided.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until July 24, 2026. Please note that only candidates who are selected to move forward will be contacted. Candidates who are selected to move forward will be contacted by the end of July 2026. The hiring process will take place in three rounds during August and September 2026.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION
If you require reasonable accommodation for completing an application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the candidate selection process, please direct your inquiries to our lead recruiter, Jamie Albaum, at jamie@lacire.co or (504) 941-1086.
