Special Assistant, Board and Legal Operations

Ford Foundation · New York City · $103,000 (stated in the posting)

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Special Assistant, Board and Legal Operations

Please submit both a resume and cover letter to be considered. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; we encourage you to apply early if interested.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Ford Foundation seeks an Special Assistant to serve as the primary point of contact for scheduling, travel, and logistical support for the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, while also providing calendar and administrative support to the Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary (CLO).  

Reporting to the Director, Board & Legal Operations, this role sits at the intersection of board operations and executive support. The Special Assistant will also work closely with staff on the Legal Services and Grants Compliance teams.

The Special Assistant will handle trustee-facing logistics — heavy meeting scheduling, travel coordination, and expense processing, as well as managing the CLO's calendar, travel, and daily planning.

This is a high-visibility, board-facing role. The ideal candidate brings strong administrative and organizational skills, along with the judgement, discretion and executive presence needed to represent the Office of the CLO and the Foundation in direct interactions with Trustees and senior leadership.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

Board & Trustee Support

• Owns heavy scheduling for Board of Trustees, Committee, and other Trustee-related meetings, liaising with Trustees’ assistants and other Ford EAs to ensure maximum participation.
• Coordinates Trustee travel to New York and off-site Board meetings, working with Ford’s designated travel support.
• Serves as a day-to-day point of contact for Trustees and their assistants on scheduling and travel logistics.
• Performs other administrative duties related to trustee meetings, including collecting materials and posting them to the board portal and coordinating with Ford’s AV and events teams to ensure all logistics are managed for meetings.
• Reviews Trustee expense reports and related vendor invoices for accuracy and policy compliance.
• Handles confidential, sensitive material related to the Board of Trustees, exercising a high degree of discretion.

Support of the Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

• Provides core support to the CLO, facilitating the daily planning and processes for the office. Takes on special projects and other tasks as needed.
• Proactively manages and accurately maintains Google calendars and scheduling commitments for internal, external, and virtual meetings. 
• Plans and coordinates logistics for on-site and off-site meetings, provides support during meetings as necessary, and provides appropriate meeting follow-up.
• Prepares and manages domestic and international travel itineraries; manages related logistics and coordinates all appropriate follow-up. 
• Initiates, submits, and tracks expense documentation for the CLO.
• Prepares materials for internal and external meetings and conferences as needed.
• Manages and responds to inquiries on behalf of the CLO, maintaining appropriate records with particular attention to accuracy and time-sensitive matters.
• Liaises with facilities, IT/AV, catering, mail room, and other departments to facilitate related inquiries and requests.

Team and Operations

• Develops and maintains a deep understanding of the Foundation's operations to function as a senior member of the administrative team.
• Maintains appropriate operational records in print and digital formats, with particular attention to key and confidential documents and record retention policies.
• Coordinates within the administrative/EA cohort to share knowledge and strengthen workflow across the VP team; supports onboarding for newly hired administrative staff.
• May help monitor or coordinate absence coverage and workflow across the division's administrative team.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• 4+ years of experience supporting senior executives, ideally including exposure to board or governance operations.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• A high level of attention to detail, particularly with board materials, legal documents, and trustee-facing communications, where accuracy is essential.
• Exceptional judgment and comfort and confidence interacting directly with Trustees and senior leadership on the Foundation's behalf.
• Demonstrated discretion in handling highly confidential legal and governance material.
• Ability to manage complex, competing calendars and priorities across multiple principals (the CLO and the Board) with accuracy.
• Experience managing administrative and logistical processes in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Extensive experience developing and managing domestic and international travel itineraries.
• Experience with expense processing, vendor invoice review, and budget tracking.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate with clarity, tact, and diplomacy across diverse and senior audiences.
• Comfort operating in an environment where processes are still being built, with the judgment to help design and refine them.
• Experience with GSuite, Microsoft Office, and workflow/collaboration tools; experience leveraging AI to improve productivity is a plus.
• Proficiency in using information management systems and online databases for comprehensive information retrieval and data management.
• Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection, and a sense of humor.
• Ways of working that align with the Foundation's mission, core values, and commitment to a culture of excellence.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

This position is primarily a sedentary role. However, the person in this position may need to occasionally move about inside the office to liaise with internal staff, access files, office machinery and a copy machine/printer.

The Ford Foundation is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its programs, and operations. As part of this commitment, the Foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact talentacquisitionhr@fordfoundation.org.

SALARY: The Ford Foundation is committed to practicing salary transparency. The starting salary for this position is $103,000. We review global compensation on a regular basis to ensure market competitiveness and equity. The hiring range for this position has been carefully crafted in alignment with the market.

LOCATION: This position is based in the foundation’s New York office. We operate in a hybrid model and require staff to be in the office three days per week.

WORK AUTHORIZATION: This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future. All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States. 

EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Permanent

WORKING AT FORD

• Commitment to creating a culture where everyone feels respected

• A hybrid working model and flexible work arrangement policies offer colleagues the opportunity to engage in meaningful ways and the space to maintain a healthy work-life balance 

• Professional development and ample opportunities to build your expertise and expand your network

• Comprehensive benefits package designed for your well-being and work-life needs, including medical, dental, and vision benefits effective on your first day

• Generous time off, including personal, vacation, sick, extended holiday time off, and wellness days

• Generous parental leave policy, including birth, surrogacy, adoptive, foster parents, and resources for backup child and elder care that support our colleagues’ ability to attend to family responsibilities 

• Comprehensive retirement benefits options (with employee and employer contributions of up to 13%), allowing you to invest in your financial future with confidence

Learn more about what it’s like to work at the Ford Foundation.  

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at The Ford Foundation, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law. The Ford Foundation does not discriminate against formerly incarcerated individuals.

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