BENTON HARBOR AREA SCHOOLS
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
SUPERVISOR: Superintendent
LOCATION: Central Administration
The Executive Assistant to the Superintendent is a high-trust, high-capacity executive support professional who serves as a strategic partner to the Superintendent of Benton Harbor Area Schools. This position manages the daily operations of the Superintendent’s Office, coordinates Board of Education logistics, serves as the district’s FOIA point person, and supports highly sensitive communication, governance, and community-facing work. The person in this role must demonstrate exceptional professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to confidentiality while advancing the success of the Superintendent, the district, and the students served.
This role requires someone who not only manages tasks efficiently, but who also understands people, context, and community dynamics. The Executive Assistant must be able to leverage knowledge of the Benton Harbor community, relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and insight into local history and concerns to help ensure that the Superintendent’s work is responsive, strategic, and aligned to student success, including college, career, and life readiness.
JOB SUMMARY: The Executive Assistant to the Superintendent provides direct executive-level support to the Superintendent in a fast-paced, highly visible, and politically sensitive district environment. The role requires management of confidential information, coordination of district-level priorities, direct support for Board governance functions, and the ability to navigate complex situations with maturity, discernment, diplomacy, and a deep understanding of the Benton Harbor community.
The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, and calm under pressure. This person must possess strong critical thinking skills, excellent discernment, and the ability to anticipate issues before they escalate. The Executive Assistant must know when to act
independently, when to elevate matters to the Superintendent, and how to protect the integrity of the Superintendent’s Office through extreme confidentiality and professional judgment.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible administrative support experience, with substantial experience supporting senior-level leadership.
- Demonstrated experience managing confidential information with a very high degree of discretion.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including proofreading, editing, and professional correspondence.
- Excellent organizational, project management, and time-management skills.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong technology skills, including proficiency with Google Workspace, email and calendar systems, document management, and database or information systems.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, think critically, and exercise sound judgment.
- Ability to build productive relationships with diverse stakeholders and navigate sensitive issues with tact and professionalism.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, public administration, education, or a related field.
- Prior experience in a superintendent’s office, central office, school district, public agency, or similarly complex environment.
- Familiarity with FOIA procedures, Board processes, public-sector records management, and legal or compliance-sensitive administrative work.
- Knowledge of school district operations and governance.
- Familiarity with the Benton Harbor community or demonstrated ability to build authentic and effective community relationships.
JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Executive Support and Office Management
- Manages the Superintendent’s calendar, including scheduling, prioritizing, confirming, and adjusting meetings, school visits, events, travel, and confidential appointments.
- Screens and triages incoming communications, including phone calls, emails, letters, and in-person inquiries, and determines appropriate routing, response, or escalation.
- Prepares, edits, proofreads, and formats correspondence, reports, presentations, talking points, memos, and other documents on behalf of the Superintendent.
- Maintains accurate and secure records, files, and documentation for the Superintendent’s Office.
- Anticipates the Superintendent’s needs by ensuring materials, briefings, follow-up items, and background information are prepared in advance.
- Supports daily office operations and creates systems that improve efficiency, responsiveness, and follow-through.
Board of Education and Governance Support
- Coordinates all logistics related to Board of Education meetings, workshops, retreats, hearings, and special sessions as assigned.
- Assists in the preparation, organization, compilation, and distribution of Board agendas, packets, notices, minutes, and supporting materials.
- Tracks Superintendent follow-up items resulting from Board meetings, directives, and leadership discussions.
- Maintains professionalism, neutrality, and confidentiality in all matters related to Board governance and Superintendent-Board communication.
- Supports the Superintendent in ensuring timely, accurate, and well-organized governance documentation and communication.
FOIA and Records Management
- Serves as the district’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) coordinator and point person.
- Receives, logs, tracks, coordinates, and processes FOIA requests in accordance with applicable law, district procedures, and required timelines.
- Works collaboratively with legal counsel and district departments to gather responsive records, review documents, monitor deadlines, and prepare responses.
- Maintains organized FOIA records and documentation to ensure consistency, compliance, and accountability.
- Exercises strong discretion and legal sensitivity when handling public records requests involving personnel matters, student matters, investigations, or other sensitive information.
Communication, Community Relations, and Stakeholder Support
- Serves as a front-facing representative of the Superintendent’s Office with professionalism, warmth, tact, and responsiveness.
- Builds and maintains positive working relationships with staff, families, students, community members, partner organizations, and external agencies.
- Uses knowledge of the Benton Harbor community, its history, its strengths, and its concerns to help the Superintendent navigate issues effectively and thoughtfully.
- Leverages trusted relationships and community insight to support the Superintendent in responding to concerns, planning engagement opportunities, and strengthening district-community trust.
- Helps ensure that communications and interactions from the Superintendent’s Office reflect respect for the community and a commitment to outcomes that support students for college, career, and life readiness.
- Assists in preparing community-facing communication, public remarks, meeting materials, and stakeholder correspondence as directed.
Strategic Coordination and Problem Solving
- Tracks key district priorities, deadlines, and Superintendent commitments, ensuring that important matters move forward in a timely way.
- Supports cross-department coordination by following up with cabinet members, principals, and district leaders on behalf of the Superintendent.
- Organizes agendas, notes, action items, and follow-up documentation for Cabinet and Superintendent-led meetings.
- Identifies emerging issues, operational gaps, or communication concerns and brings them forward with sound judgment and possible options for response.
- Demonstrates high critical thinking and discernment by evaluating situations carefully, recognizing risk, understanding political and organizational dynamics, and responding appropriately.
- Uses strong judgment to manage complex, sensitive, or emotionally charged situations with composure and professionalism.
Confidential and Sensitive Matters
- Handles highly confidential information related to personnel, students, legal matters, investigations, labor relations, safety, and Board matters with extreme care.
- Demonstrates discretion at all times and understands that the credibility and effectiveness of the Superintendent’s Office depend on trust.
- Maintains strict confidentiality in both formal records and informal conversations.
- Protects sensitive information from inappropriate disclosure and models the highest ethical standards in all interactions.
- Understands how to navigate situations where access to information requires restraint, discernment, and absolute professionalism.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Exceptional discretion and the ability to maintain extreme confidentiality.
- High critical thinking skills and excellent discernment.
- Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal judgment.
- Ability to read situations accurately and respond with diplomacy, professionalism, and sound judgment.
- Strong writing, editing, and communication skills.
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to anticipate needs, solve problems, and manage sensitive matters proactively.
- Ability to balance urgency, confidentiality, and competing priorities without losing composure.
- Commitment to supporting the Superintendent’s effectiveness and protecting the integrity of the office.
- Understanding of and respect for the Benton Harbor community, including the importance of relationships, trust, and community-connected leadership in supporting student outcomes.
Working Conditions
- Office environment with frequent interruptions and high-volume communication.
- Regular interaction with staff, families, community members, Board members, and external partners.
- Extended computer use and frequent document preparation.
- Evening work may be required for Board meetings, community meetings, and district events.
- Occasional travel within the district may be required.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
This is a year-round (260 day) position.
Salary $48,000K - $55,000
Salary based on education and experience pursuant to the Benton Harbor Area School Board policies and collective bargaining agreement for any position that falls under collective bargaining.
EVALUATION:
The performance of this job will be evaluated by the Superintendent.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individual currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned. Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts
Benton Harbor Area Schools provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Closing Statement
The Executive Assistant to the Superintendent is more than an administrative support role. This position is a trusted extension of the Superintendent’s Office and requires someone who can protect confidentiality, think strategically, read context carefully, and use strong relationships and community insight to advance the district’s work. The right candidate will help create the conditions for the Superintendent to lead effectively and will contribute to a district culture and operational environment that supports every student in Benton Harbor Area Schools to graduate ready for college, career, and life.
