Strategic Executive Coordinator in Des Moines, Iowa at Metro Waste Authority

Position Summary

The Strategic Executive Coordinator serves as a trusted thought partner to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, operating at a highly strategic and confidential level to advance organizational priorities. This role goes beyond traditional administrative support by driving executive effectiveness, coordinating cross-functional initiatives, and acting as a liaison to the Board of Directors and key external stakeholders. The position requires strong business acumen, political insight, and organizational awareness to proactively anticipate needs, manage competing priorities, and support decision-making. The Strategic Executive Coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring alignment, execution, and communication of agency initiatives

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Serve as a strategic partner to the CEO and COO, proactively managing priorities, identifying risks, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Handle highly confidential and sensitive information with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Drive follow-up and accountability from executive and leadership meetings, ensuring timely completion of action items and strategic initiatives.
• Coordinate executive travel, events, and organizational leadership meetings as needed.
• Act as a gatekeeper and facilitator for executive time, ensuring focus on high-value activities.
• Prepare executives for meetings, presentations, and public engagements through briefing materials, research, and talking points.
• Draft, review, and manage high-level communications on behalf of executive leadership.
• Lead all governance-related functions for the Board of Directors, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices.
• Manage all board operations including agenda development, meeting coordination, minutes, resolutions, and board communications.
• Serve as a primary liaison between executive leadership and the Board, maintaining strong, professional relationships.
• Ensure transparency, accuracy, and timeliness in board materials and reporting.
• Lead and continuously improve internal administrative operations to support organizational efficiency and scalability.
• Oversee agency-wide records management, document control systems, contracts, and standard operating procedures.
• Coordinate cross-departmental initiatives and ensure alignment, follow-through, and accountability.
• Monitor progress of key organizational projects and provide status updates to leadership.
• Directly supervise, coach, and develop the Office Coordinator, fostering growth, accountability, and high performance.
• Oversee Central Office operations in partnership with building management, including vendor relationships, contracts, tenant coordination, and capital projects.
• Monitor and manage administrative and operational budgets related to executive operations, facilities, and vendor services.
• Perform other strategic, operational, and administrative duties as assigned in support of executive leadership and organizational priorities.

Environmental Stewardship – Demonstrates an understanding of Metro Waste Authority’s Environmental Management System (EMS). Guided by the EMS processes and procedures, we focus on six main areas aimed at increasing diversion and/or protecting the environment. These include:

• Recycling
• Household Hazardous Waste Collection
• Organics Management
• Water Quality Improvement
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction
• Environmental Education

MWA Values - Demonstrates an understanding of Metro Waste Authority’s values and applies them to the position, and assigned responsibilities, as well as to all interactions with customers and co-workers.

• Leadership – Set the example because everyone is a leader!
• Integrity – Always do what is right!
• Positivity – Bring our best to every task, every day and bring out the best in your colleagues!
• Teamwork – Collaborate because we know that together we will address opportunities and challenges!
• Innovation – Forge a new path and evolve!

Behavioral Competencies

• Acquiring Information - Consults with others on problems and activities; collects information from a range of sources to assist and guide job activities; asks effective questions to obtain information to help him/her perform their job
• Adapting to Others - Changes his/her interpersonal style and approach based on the circumstance; modifies his/her approach based on cues from others; makes an effort to treat people in a way that makes them feel comfortable and respected
• Communicating Effectively - Expresses ideas and information in a clear and concise manner; tailors message to fit the interests and needs of the audience; delivers information in a manner that is interesting and compelling to the listener
• Composing and Writing Text - Writes documents that are easy to read and understand; uses correct spelling, grammar, and sentence structure; able to create effective written documentation in a short amount of time
• Delivering High Quality Work - Critically reviews work processes to ensure quality; addresses problems that could impact quality; makes sure project deliverables and services meet all requirements and expectations; does not make the same mistakes twice
• Demonstrating Initiative - Acts on his/her own without being prompted; handles problems independently; able to resolve issues without relying on extensive help from others; does more than is expected or asked
• Interacting with People at Different Levels - Comfortable interacting with people at all levels of the organization; adjusts style of conversation based on the audience; uses words and messages appropriate given the background and interests of the people he/she is talking to
• Prioritizing and Organizing Work - Allocates time and attention based on what is the most important to achieve key goals and objectives; approaches work in an organized and systematic manner; effectively manages tasks, information, and requests.
• Thinking Broadly - Considers long-term consequences and implications associated with actions or events; sees relationships between diverse systems, organizations, or environments; considers problems from a range of viewpoints
• Working with Ambiguity - Achieves forward progress in the face of poorly defined situations and/or unclear goals; able to work effectively with limited or partial information.

Travel

This position requires frequent travel in and around the Des Moines metro area to support all Metro Waste Authority facilities.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, communications, or related field.
• 7–10+ years of experience supporting C-suite executives and/or Board of Directors in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated experience managing board governance processes and executive-level communications.
• Proven ability to operate independently, exercise sound judgment, and handle highly sensitive information.
• Valid driver’s license

Preferred Education & Experience

• Experience in public sector, government, or highly regulated environments.
• Experience leading projects or supervising staff.
• Advanced proficiency with executive reporting, data analysis, and presentation tools.
• Familiarity with policy, legislative processes, or community engagement.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers; handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely involves standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.