Senior Executive Assistant

Portland State University (PSU) Foundation fuels the mission and priorities of Oregon’s most diverse, innovative, and affordable research university by raising and stewarding philanthropic gifts that transform lives and communities. At PSU, more than half of incoming first-year students identify as BIPOC, nearly a quarter are parents, and half are the first in their families to attend college. When PSU graduates thrive, families transform, communities prosper, and innovation expands. The PSU Foundation plays a vital role in advancing this impact by inspiring donors, engaging alumni and community partners, and stewarding resources with integrity and purpose. Recognized as one of Oregon’s best non-profits to work for five years in a row, PSU Foundation is a community of purpose-driven professionals who lead with heart, act with trust, and keep our mission forward in everything we do. Guided by creativity and collaboration, we foster a strong sense of belonging—empowering every team member to bring bold ideas and their authentic selves to work.

About the Role

In this role, you will work alongside a visionary leader whose work is driven by emerging ideas, strategic opportunities, community partnerships, and organizational growth. Success requires the ability to embrace change, stay organized amid complexity, navigate competing priorities, and help move ideas from concept to execution. The Senior Executive Assistant serves as a strategic partner to the Foundation President, providing proactive executive support that enables institutional leadership, donor engagement, and organizational alignment. This role manages the President's priorities, schedule, and information flow to ensure time, attention, and energy are focused on the Foundation's most critical relationships, decisions, and outcomes. Operating with significant autonomy and discretion, the Senior Executive Assistant acts as an extension of the President, exercising sound judgment, anticipating needs, and coordinating complex activities across internal and external stakeholders. Success in this role requires exceptional organizational awareness, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage sensitive matters with professionalism and confidence. This position works closely with the Executive Leadership Team, PSU leadership, donors, community partners, and other key stakeholders while collaborating with the Administration team to advance the Foundation's mission and strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

• Executive Strategy & Engagement
  • Provide strategic oversight and direction of the President’s schedule, priorities, travel, and engagements, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, fundraising strategy, and institutional relationships.
  • Exercise independent judgment and decision-making authority to prioritize requests, resolve conflicts, and protect the President’s time, balancing internal leadership responsibilities with external engagement.
  • Anticipate and proactively navigate emerging issues, risks, or opportunities and prepare the President with relevant context, options, and recommendations.
  • Prepare and equip the President for high-level engagements by overseeing agendas, briefing materials, remarks, daily packets, and meeting documentation to maximize impact and effectiveness.
  • Direct and oversee the President’s day-to-day operations including donor meetings, VIP visits, institutional events, and executive travel, ensuring seamless execution and follow up.
  • Manage interactions with high-level visitors, ensuring a professional, thoughtful, and values-aligned experience.
• Executive Operations & Systems
  • Bring structure, clarity, and momentum to the President's priorities by documenting emerging ideas, organizing next steps, tracking commitments and actions.
  • Design, implement and continuously optimize systems to manage the President’s portfolio of organizational priorities, initiatives, projects, and commitments, ensuring accountability, execution, and visibility.
  • Oversee administrative and operational logistics including expenses, contracts, invoices, travel arrangements, and records management, to support efficient and effective office operations.
  • Maintain organized digital filing and recordkeeping systems to ensure information is accessible, accurate, and current.
  • Lead and collaborate with the executive administrative team to continuously improve processes, systems, and workflows that optimize executive effectiveness and organizational coordination.
• Stakeholder & Fundraising Coordination
  • Serve as the primary liaison with the University President’s Office and other senior institutional partners to ensure strong coordination, alignment, and communication.
  • Coordinate closely with Development & Engagement, Board leadership, and senior staff to support principal gift strategy, donor stewardship, and executive-level fundraising activities.
  • Support the President’s donor and prospect engagement by ensuring continuity, accurate documentation, and follow through across meetings, communications, and next steps, maintaining timely and accurate entry of executive contact reports, donor correspondence, and meeting notes in the CRM.
• Executive Communication & Strategic Support
  • Act as a trusted communications proxy for the President by drafting, editing, and managing confidential correspondence with donors, university leaders, and external stakeholders.
  • Draft, edit, and proofread correspondence, briefings, reports, and other materials with a high level of professionalism and attention to detail.
  • Review and edit internal and external communications to ensure clarity, alignment with strategy, and consistency of voice.
  • Facilitate meetings on behalf of the President, including the creation of minutes and action items.
  • Lead or contribute to special projects and strategic initiatives at the direction of the President, including research, analysis, and cross-functional coordination.

Requirements

• At least 6 years of progressively responsible executive administrative experience, including at least 4 years providing direct support to a President or equivalent senior executive in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a trusted partner and extension of an executive office, exercising independent judgment, discretion, and authority in managing sensitive priorities, relationships, and information.
• Experience acting as a communications proxy for an executive, including drafting, editing, and managing confidential correspondence with donors, board members, senior leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex calendars, competing priorities, and high-stakes meetings, exercising sound judgment to align executive time with strategic goals.
• Proven experience supporting external facing work, such as donor, partner, client, or stakeholder engagement, with a high degree of professionalism and discretion.
• Demonstrated success in anticipating needs, taking initiative, and operating independently, requiring minimal direction while maintaining strong alignment with executive priorities.
• Experience tracking action items, deadlines, and follow-through across multiple projects or initiatives to ensure commitments translate into results.
• Strong organizational awareness and ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, balancing diplomacy, responsiveness, and confidentiality.
• Demonstrated ability to design, manage, and continuously improve systems that support executive effectiveness, project tracking, and follow-through.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to edit and refine executive-level materials, including remarks, briefings, correspondence, and reports.
• High level of professional integrity and discretion, with demonstrated experience handling confidential, sensitive, or politically nuanced matters.
• Proficiency with commonly used workplace technologies, including Microsoft Office, SharePoint, CRM platforms, and other cloud-based collaboration and document management tools; demonstrated ability to leverage emerging technologies to enhance productivity, accuracy, and overall work quality.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in an inclusive, equitable, and respectful environment, collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences.
• Commitment to fostering a positive and collaborative workplace culture through active engagement with colleagues, open communication, and alignment with organizational values and culture initiatives.

Benefits

Our compensation philosophy reflects our commitment to pay equity, transparency, and valuing the contributions of every team member.

• 4-Day Workweek: As part of our commitment to wellness and workplace culture, we’ve transitioned to a 4-day workweek—an innovative shift that reflects our values and promotes balance across our team. Business operations are closed on Fridays, supporting work-life balance and recognizing the value of your time.
• Top-Tier Benefits: We offer one of Oregon’s leading nonprofit benefits packages, designed to support the well-being of employees and their families. Full-time employee benefits include:
  • 100% employer-paid medical coverage on our base plan
  • 95% employer-paid dental and vision coverage
  • Up to 27 days of PTO plus 10 paid holidays, including 1 floating holiday
  • Up to 12% employer contribution to eligible 401(k) plans after applicable waiting periods
  • Employer-paid Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance
  • PSU affiliated employee benefits, including tuition discount

Pay

Hiring Range: $90,000-$110,000. Offers are determined based on a candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications, while ensuring internal pay equity.

Don’t meet every requirement? We’d still like to hear from you! If you enjoy being part of a collaborative results-driven team and making a difference in our community, we encourage you to apply, even if you believe you don’t meet all of the requirements listed.