Executive Personal Assistant at International African American Museum – Charleston, South Carolina

Position Summary

The Executive Personal Assistant (EPA) provides high-level relational, administrative, and operational support to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to advance the leadership and mission of one of the nation’s most important cultural institutions.

This role requires exceptional judgment, detail-orientation, discretion, and cultural sensitivity. The EPA ensures the CEO’s time, relationships, and communications are optimized for maximum institutional and philanthropic impact. The position demands grace under pressure, strong organizational skills, and the ability to anticipate needs in a dynamic environment that bridges history, culture, education, and global engagement. This role requires flexibility to support a highly visible CEO with a public-facing schedule that includes evenings and weekends.

The ideal candidate demonstrates composure, adaptability, and strategic foresight—reflecting IAAM’s values and representing the CEO and institution with professionalism and poise at all times.

Key Responsibilities

Executive and Administrative Support

• Provide executive-level administrative support, preparation, and materials review for meetings and events, media and presentations, CEO correspondence, and travel.
• In collaboration with Executive Administrator, provide administrative support for scheduling meetings, media, and public appearances and preparing relevant briefing materials and background.
• Anticipate CEO needs, previewing materials, briefings, logistics, and talking points in advance of meetings, engagements, and appearances.
• Serve as the interface for external communications, prioritizing and filtering information to ensure the CEO’s time is used efficiently.
• Co-manage and coordinate the CEO’s public schedule, appearances, and speaking engagements with Executive Office Administrator, in collaboration with communications, advancement, and programming teams.
• Provide discreet oversight of personal and professional tasks that ensure the CEO is well-positioned for success (e.g., wardrobe coordination for public events, gift sourcing for dignitaries, event seating plans, CEO hosting and support at events).
• Manage sensitive information with absolute confidentiality and professionalism.

Liaison & Correspondence

• Maintain an organized and current system for managing contacts, invitations, and follow-ups across philanthropic, governmental, and cultural networks.
• Track action items, commitments, and deadlines resulting from meetings and correspondence, and ensure accountability for completion.
• Monitor CEO movement in real time to ensure schedule fluidity, timely arrival, and seamless transitions across meetings, events, and travel. Coordinate transportation, as needed.
• Draft and deliver personalized correspondence, acknowledgments, and follow-up communications that authentically reflect the CEO’s tone and IAAM’s brand.

Stakeholder Relationship Management & Brand Stewardship

• Coordinate with Executive Office Administrator and IAAM department/program leads to ensure the CEO’s participation in institutional initiatives is accommodated in CEO schedule and supported with timely information.
• Cultivate and support relationships of CEO portfolio supporting continuity and stewardship, inclusive of key and high-level donors, dignitaries, board members, community leaders, and elected officials.
• Coordinate hospitality and logistics for VIP and philanthropic visits to IAAM, ensuring an experience that reflects the museum’s excellence and mission.
• Anticipate opportunities—such as anniversaries, honors, or milestones—to strengthen the CEO’s relationships and deepen institutional goodwill.
• Monitor CEO and IAAM media and social mentions, flagging opportunities, risks, or reputational moments that may require executive acknowledgment or response.
• Support the CEO in serving as IAAM’s principal ambassador, ensuring consistent alignment between executive engagements, institutional priorities, and museum messaging. As CEO key support staff, appear as and embody extension of brand.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience required; additional certification in business administration, communications, hospitality, or arts management appreciated.
• Work Experience: Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience supporting a senior executive or public figure; experience within a cultural, nonprofit, or philanthropic organization appreciated.
• Relationship Management: Demonstrated success managing high-profile relationships with discretion, cultural intelligence, and tact.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to draft correspondence in executive tone that reflects institutional values.
• Work Ethic: Highly organized, self-directed, and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, relationships, and tasks under pressure. Quick and nimble learner excited by new opportunities and dynamic environments.
• Professionalism: Professional presence, demeanor and appearance, impeccable judgment, and emotional intelligence.
• Technical Proficiency: Highly experienced with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and most prevalent virtual meeting tools (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet). Working knowledge of AI-assisted tools, database systems, and calendar management platforms required.
• Availability & Flexibility: Ability to work evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays as required to support CEO engagements, public programs, donor events, and travel.

Attributes of Ideal Candidate

• Remains calm, solutions-oriented, and proactive in complex and high-profile settings.
• Ability to establish clear systems and workflows while refining and adapting them in response to changing priorities and a dynamic, high-profile environment.
• Handles confidential and sensitive matters with complete professionalism.
• Deep appreciation for African American history, art, and heritage, and the ability to represent IAAM’s mission authentically. Anticipates social dynamics, reads the room, and navigates complex personalities with diplomacy and care.
• Connections to and/or understanding of philanthropic and civically active social organizations such as Jack and Jill, The Links, Inc., members of the Divine Nine, Junior League, and Rotary.
• Embodies IAAM’s cultural values of history, healing, and connection through every aspect of the work.

Other duties:

• This description outlines the primary responsibilities of the role and is not intended to be all-inclusive. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice as organizational needs evolve.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times.
• Must be able to access and navigate each department at the organization’s facilities.

Other Requirements

• Reliable access to a personal vehicle or transportation required for local, work-related travel.