Executive Assistant to the Bishop

The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia traces its history to the establishment of the Missionary Jurisdiction of the Oregon and Washington Territories in 1853. We are also known as the Episcopal Church in Western Washington. Admitted by General Convention in 1910, the Diocese of Olympia is made up of more than 26,000 Episcopalians in more than 95 worshiping communities throughout Western Washington. Our geographic area stretches south from Canada to Oregon and west from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Our congregations cover a whole range of sizes and stages of development. Several affiliated institutions and numerous outreach and social justice ministries as well as several multicultural ministries are supported by the whole diocese.

The physical office is in Seattle on Capitol Hill in a beautiful mansion located a few buildings north of Saint Mark’s Cathedral on 10th Avenue East. The staff of approximately 25 full- and part-time employees of the Diocese of Olympia provide services and resources to congregations as well as manage the tangible assets (real estate and investments) for the entire region of Western Washington churches. The Diocese of Olympia is led by a bishop. The bishop serves in the “CEO” capacity of the organization and has a team of managers (called canons) who run the day-to-day operations of the Diocese of Olympia. This position will be physically located at the Seattle office.

Executive Assistant to the Bishop: Position Summary
The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia seeks an Executive Assistant (EA) to the bishop. The EA to the bishop—based in Seattle—supports the bishop’s ministry and the mission of the diocese by relieving the bishop of routine administrative duties/executive support tasks to enable and enhance the bishop’s ministry to the diocese. Furthermore, the EA is charged with the care and trust of the bishop and staff through maintaining high levels of confidentiality and discretion.

The EA is often the point of first contact for clergy, staff, other professionals, visitors, and vendors, with a commitment to providing an increased level of professionalism and respect for the office of the bishop. Attention to shifting priorities and details is crucial, as is the ability to prioritize work and maintain order without direct supervision. The EA must enjoy the administrative challenges of supporting a diocese of diverse people and programs and be committed to good stewardship of resources whenever practical and possible. The ability to interact with local and satellite staff, and remain flexible, proactive, resourceful, calm and efficient is vital.

Essential Duties and Areas of Responsibility

• Manage the bishop’s calendar, including the coordination of complex and sometimes conflicting requests, while maintaining adequate time for the bishop’s reflection, prayer, study, and sermon preparation.
• Maintain files, produce documents and correspondence, and work with Archivist to transfer files to archives based on approved timeline.
• Screen/triage mail, phone and other communications on behalf of the bishop.
• Prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and follow through on issues in a timely manner.
• Serve as staff liaison to provide support and project management expertise to the Commission on Ministry, Standing Committee, Diocesan Council, Board of Directors and other diocesan groups as needed, including production and maintenance of agendas, minutes, and correspondence as needed.
• Serve as the Secretary of Vocations for the Diocese.
• Assist in communications to the Diocese, supporting the work of the Canon Missioner for Communications.
• Manage the bishop’s travel arrangements, proactively plan ahead to assure the bishop has all needed supplies for appointments and meetings (e.g., reports, agendas, directions); process receipts, reimbursement requests and other documentation that results from the bishop’s activities.
• Submit complete and accurate expense reports for the bishop on a timely basis.
• Work collaboratively with the Resource Team to support major diocesan events, both in-person and online, and coordination of meetings, including set up of equipment for onsite meetings.

Qualifications, Education and Experience
Minimum qualifications — the candidate should possess:

• College degree and/or at least five years of executive support.
• Expert level written and verbal communication skills with the ability to draft a variety of official and professional correspondence with minimal supervision or editing.
• Well-developed computer skills, including Microsoft 365: Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Strong decision-making abilities and capability to maintain a professional demeanor in tense situations.
• Personal time-management skills, including being a self-motivated, independent worker as well as the ability to work well on a team.

Work Environment

• The EA will work from a provided office at the Diocesan House in Seattle.
• Work includes occasional weekends and evenings, as well as travel to events such as ordinations, conferences and conventions.
• This position requires daily interaction and cooperation with other members of the diocesan staff.

Compensation
Pay is commensurate with experience. The expected salary range is $75,000-$85,000 annually. Benefits include health insurance, pension contributions, vacation and sick leave.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their qualifications to Canon Dede Moore at dmoore@ecww.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and encourages candidates from all backgrounds to apply.