Administrative Assistant Job Description
Mission Statement: The Refugee Dream Center is a post-resettlement refugee agency. It offers services targeting gaps within the refugee community by ensuring continuation of services in their efforts towards self-sufficiency and integration. The Refugee Dream Center does referrals, social level assistance, and skills development such as English language education for adults, health promotion and cultural orientation, youth mentoring, and case management. In addition, the Refugee Dream Center is a strong advocacy agency for the rights of refugees.
The Refugee Dream Center is a common venue for the enhancement of cultural and community development in the refugee community of Rhode Island. Refugees are given the opportunity to learn new skills, receive case management support, job training, and the space to network in a diverse setting. Refugees therefore have the opportunity to integrate into the larger American society by interacting and sharing their unique cultures and skills at the Center.
Position Assignment Objectives & Staff Role
Goal of the Position: The Administrative Assistant position requires agility and the ability to multitask. The position will help the directors, Teddi Jallow and Dr. Omar Bah, in their daily operational needs by ensuring a smooth flow of their schedules and workload, as well as assist in organizational operations. The position entails a number of objectives that must be fulfilled to ensure success, and may also include additional tasks, responsibilities, and projects as they arise and are assigned by the directors.
Objective 1: Emails & Scheduling
- Accessing multiple email addresses, responding to emails, organizing and coordinating meetings, and creating/supporting events.
- Organize calendars from these email addresses to ensure consistency, avoid duplication, and to communicate accordingly with the appropriate parties involved, including staff members and other organizations.
- Assist in fostering smooth daily operations of the organization.
- Maintain a proper, detailed filing system to ensure organization and accessibility of information.
Objective 2: Meeting, Presentation, & Event Support
- Offer support in events/meetings by confirming the meetings beforehand, taking notes, providing important information before and during the event/meeting, and sending follow-up emails to meeting participants as necessary.
- Plan and execute small and large scale events such as trainings, conferences, and seminars.
- Attend on and off-site events with the directors, ensuring that they have everything needed to present and/or participate smoothly.
- Ensure that relevant audiography, videography, registration and assessments are conducted before, during, and after events or meetings.
Objective 3: Interfacing with Staff & Others on Behalf of the Directors
- Disseminate information received from the Directors to the appropriate teams/staff members such as upcoming events, memos, deadlines, projects, etc.
- Collaborate with members of the staff to compile reports, projects, and presentations.
- Work within the team to ensure smooth operations of the organization on a day-to-day basis.
- Collaborate with partners and other organizations to further the mission of the Refugee Dream Center as well as to support the Providence and Rhode Island communities as a whole.
- Any other tasks as assigned by the Directors and/or supervisor.
Objective 4: Travel Coordination
- Book domestic and international travel, including flights, accommodation, and transportation for conferences, trainings, and seminars.
- Create and manage travel itineraries, ensuring smooth travel
Objective 5: Staff and Intern Coordination
- Expand existing inventory of interns
- Build and categorize these interns into areas where they are most likely needed
- Build a robust communication process with these interns
- Organize regular meetings and training sessions for these interns to help them become acquainted with the specific tasks they are needed for
- Maintain regular check-in with interns
- Develop a reporting process of work done by interns, and arrange this information in a manner that could be useful for future training purposes, data analysis, and marketing
- Leading a process of intern engagement in community events, donation drives, and fundraising activities
- Building strong relationships with such interns to ensure their hidden skills and support potentials are tapped
- Ensure every email or call received by someone seeking to volunteer is responded to, and thorough and satisfactory follow-ups are done
- Build an effective process of harnessing interns during events by using sign-up sheets for such purposes, and interpersonal interactions
- Engage interns as ambassadors of the mission of the organization by ensuring that they are both regularly involved in organizational activities, and are contacted with regular updates from the organization
- Coordinating with colleges and college students to complete internship requirement forms, arranging interviews with management, and gathering necessary paperwork
- Maintain a supervisory role for interns, including maintaining intern files and timesheets
- Institute periodic evaluations and check-ins with interns and interns
- Ensure all interns and interns obtain any necessary tools, including resources, and any other material needed for their work
- Offer training and orientations for interns
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date time records for all interns
- Ensure intern files are completely updated, and regularly, on the Salesforce database platform and other related platforms
- Enter service deliveries, case notes, and any other related activities of the interns
Objective 6: Office operations
- Facility management and maintenance
- Office supplies, and replenishment as well as custodianship of such - Coordination of partnership site visits to the RDC - coordinating with RDC leadership, staff, and community members for such activities
- Maintain a calendar of events of the RDC
- Take a lead role in activities that are office-related.
- Coordinate staff activities such as trainings, meetings, celebrations, and milestones - Take custodianship of office equipment, including car keys, computers, TV screens, etc
- Coordinate IT and cybersecurity-related activities to maintain a smooth work process - Facilitate office security cameras, and data from such is in place and well-maintained - Ensure front desk supplies, fliers, etc, are in place and well stocked - Ensure office is properly maintained, cleaned, supplied, and protected - Supervise operations aide staff to ensure proper maintenance, cleaning, and protection of office space and equipment
- Work with management to engage contractors where necessary to address unique work and/or repairs needed at the office, or for office equipment
Objective 7: Events Coordination
- Support the directors in meetings, presentations, and events by confirming schedules in advance, taking notes, providing important information before and during events, and sending follow-up emails to participants as needed.
- Attend on-and off-site events with the directors to ensure they have everything necessary to present and participate smoothly.
- Ensure that relevant audiography, videography, registration, and assessments are conducted before, during, and after events or meetings.
- Work closely with management and staff to lead the planning and successful implementation of events at the center.
- Maintain an accurate calendar of staff and organizational milestones to ensure timely and appropriate celebration and/or commemoration.
- Assist in organizing office training, trips, and collaborative activities.
- Support management in coordinating staff benefits and maintaining proper records of those benefits.
Skills & Qualifications
Applicants should have the following skills and experience:
- A bachelor’s degree in communications or related field, and at least 5 years experience as an administrative or executive assistant
- Possess an understanding of refugee resettlement and the perceptions about refugees in Rhode Island
- Ability to identify learning opportunities for self and others, and take/recommend action
- Ability to communicate and model the Refugee Dream Center’s mission, values, and priorities to staff and stakeholders
- Ability to work independently and with teams, with great interpersonal skills, and to build core leadership structures among team members
- Ability to delegate work among staff and volunteers, holding them accountable for deadlines
- Ability to empower staff and/or volunteers to take initiative and be creative
- Be able to work with groups of people at varying levels and positions
- Possess problem solving skills and the ability to quickly assess issues and develop new strategies
- Be highly skilled with Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook) and Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides), as well as standard office equipment and related software tools
- Be highly proficient in Canva and video editing software
- Able to manage multiple projects with attention to detail and the ability to maintain focus while dealing with interruptions
- Be creative, innovative, and able to take initiative
- Must be able to pass a criminal background check
Working Conditions
Work is typically performed in an office and in office settings. On occasions, work may be conducted outside the office for activities within the community. There may be occasional travel for home visits, meetings, and workshops.
Supervision
The administrative assistant reports directly to the directors, Teddi Jallow & Dr. Omar Bah.
Qualifications
- Administrative experience
- Clerical experience
Application Process:
Refugee Dream Center participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $24.00 - $26.00 per hour
Ability to Commute:
- Providence, RI 02907 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Providence, RI 02907: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
