Administrative Assistant - GiGi's Playhouse, Inc.

Founded in 2003, GiGi’s Playhouse Inc.’s mission is to change the way the world views Down syndrome through national campaigns, educational programs, and by empowering individuals with Down syndrome, their families, and the community. All programs are free and are therapeutic in nature. Each one of our programs is designed to work on specific skill development, including speech and language, literacy, socialization, and fine and gross motor skills. GiGi’s Playhouse currently has over 50 locations across North America and is growing by several locations annually.

Job Description:

As representatives of GiGi’s Playhouse, it is essential all employees display a pleasant and professional personal presence, most importantly an exceptional disposition to interact directly with individuals with Down syndrome and their families. The Administrative Assistant is a goal-oriented, conscientious individual who uses sound judgment and effective analytical skills to manage all administrative and operational aspects of the local playhouse including: Overall office management, donation processing and data management execution of marketing communications, and supporting a smoothly running facility. All staff members are the face of GiGi’s Playhouse and play an essential role representing GiGi’s to families, volunteers, donors, and community members. To be successful, the Administrative Assistant will gain guidance from, and collaborate with the host of subject matter experts from the GiGi’s National Office in the areas of Operations & Volunteer Management and Events.

Reports to:                                                                                                                                       

President/Vice President of the Board or Executive Director of local GiGi’s Playhouse location

Essential Job Functions:

Administrative/Office Management

• Maintain the physical appearance of the Playhouse; ensure a welcoming clean, and safe environment for families and donors.
• Manage basic office organization, including ordering inventory, office and program supplies
• Maintain computer, copier, security and all electronic equipment, scheduling repairs as necessary
• Answer phones, respond promptly and professionally to all phone, e-mail and web inquiries
• Greet and connect with all visitors to the Playhouse
• Schedule appointments with visitors to the Playhouse.
• Collect and sort mail.
• Assist Program Leaders and Volunteers with administrative needs as requested.
• Ability to work collaboratively and professionally with national office staff, board members, committee members, volunteers, families, and donors.

Donation Processing and Database Management

• Track all incoming monies (receipts, secure collection deposits,etc.) per required processes, in collaboration with centralized bookkeeper and Treasurer

• Enter and manage all family, program and volunteer data into Salesforce, including timely reporting, editing, data cleanup and maintenance.
• Set up program enrollment, tutor/student matching and ensure all program outcomes are properly documented, in collaboration with program leads.
• Become an expert at Salesforce to document and track volunteer activity, program participation, donations, family data, etc., including reporting on trends.
• Manage program RSVPs

Volunteer Management & Support

• Assist with recruitment of new volunteers to ensure the Playhouse is continually supported for all events and other Playhouse needs.

Marketing and Communications Execution

• Create promotional flyers and graphics for local Playhouse events using Canva
• Executive e-newsletters by collecting content and direction from other staff and volunteers and inserting and formatting into the newsletter tool, send to the appropriate lists
• Continually update local website pages to ensure they reflect current happenings
• Support social media execution and engagement. Social Media posting (make sure they use correct spelling and adhere to all policies
• Blog Writing
• Actively work to grow program participation, volunteer hours, and family and community connections through marketing efforts.

Stewardship

• Assist with all local and regional fundraisers as needed
• Create and maintain a Playhouse wish list
• Leverage database to process event-related donations, registrations, etc.
• Ensure all donor acknowledgements processed are on a timely basis
• Assist with all local and regional fundraisers as needed.

• Consistently promote happenings and impact stories within the Playhouse to drive both families and community members into the playhouse and to events.

Relationship with National Office and Local Board of Managers

• Assist with preparation of monthly Playhouse Impact Report and share with National Office and local Board
• Follow all national guidelines and policies as outlined in the Operations, Volunteer and Human Resources manuals
• Communicate effectively with the local Board of Managers so they are apprised of Playhouse activities, needs and concerns.             

Competencies

• Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed; Recognizes accomplishments of other team members.
• Written and oral communication: Ability to express ideas and thoughts verbally; expresses ideas and thoughts in written form; exhibits good listening and comprehension; keeps others adequately informed; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
• Problem Solving: identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; ability to be creative, open minded and flexible; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics
• Professionalism: Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
• Quality Management: Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Planning/Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
• Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Initiative and Work Ethic: Volunteers readily; Seeks increased responsibilities; Takes independent actions and calculated risks; possesses a strong willingness to work hard and sometimes long hours to get the job done. Has a track record of working hard.
• Technical Skills: Assess own strengths and weaknesses; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills related to technical tools.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Education and/or Experience: At least two to four years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Language Skills: Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to families, donors, volunteers, and board members of the organization.
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, two-digit numbers ant to multiply and divide with 10’s and 100’s. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume and distance.
• Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) Proficiency in social media platforms: Instagram, Twitter, Linked In and Facebook. Ability to work proficiently in a database program (Salesforce) to manage interactions and transactions with all individuals who interface with this location, including donations, volunteer hours, program participation, etc.
• Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: Not Applicable
• 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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus.
• Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

GiGi’s Playhouse Core Values: GiGi’s challenges all staff and volunteers to embody the following core values:

• Enthusiasm: Bringing positive, high energy to our work
• Best of All: Always looking to improve in all that we do. Challenge yourself every day.
• Get It Done: Making things happen and blasting through barriers when needed; figure it out together.
• Believe: Believe in ourselves, believe in our mission, believe we can achieve all that we set out to achieve
• Locally Concerned, Enterprise Minded: To best serve our local communities, we share best practices
• and have the humility to leverage the collective learnings from across the GiGi’s network.