Administrative Associate

We are looking to hire an Administrative Associate to provide essential administrative support.

Apply Now

Photo Credit: cetteup via Unsplash

Job Summary

Arts Midwest’s Operations Team is growing! We are looking to hire an Administrative Associate to provide essential administrative support. This work includes managing the front desk, maintaining office resources, and supporting operational projects and events.

This position would take place at our in-person office, located on the northwest shore of Lake Bde Maka Ska. The newly renovated office serves as a drop-in workspace for our 22 staff members.

Because we work in-person and virtually, this role relies on embracing remote work systems and technology, interacting with visitors and guests, and building relationships with our staff and vendors both online and in-person. 

This position would involve moments of fast-paced problem solving and managing a high-traffic front desk balanced with quiet days maintaining the space and watering the numerous plants (which are thriving in the sunny corner windows).

This work seeks to advance the vision, goals, and impact of the organization and is rooted in Arts Midwest’s commitment to equity, integrity, and learning.

About Arts Midwest

Arts Midwest amplifies the power of our region’s creativity. We support, inform, and celebrate arts organizations and creative communities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Native Nations that share this geography, and beyond. As one of six nonprofit United States Regional Arts Organizations, we work to strengthen local arts and culture efforts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, state agencies, private funders, and many others. Since our founding, we have awarded more than 6,000 grants totaling nearly $60 million. Each year, we serve more than 700,000 individuals across more than 300 communities in the Midwest and beyond. We nourish the creative roots of the Midwest, confident that our region will continue to sow the seeds that inspire the world. 

About You

We’re looking for people who thrive on organizing information, are responsive and efficient communicators, and enjoy learning about new processes and systems. We are especially excited about applicants who are thoughtful problem solvers, enjoy collaborating on tasks together, and are eager to help and uplift others.

This job is a great fit for someone wanting to learn more about office management and nonprofit operations. At least one year of work experience in customer service, event or project management, or administrative support will help the candidate succeed.

If you live in the Minneapolis area, have some work experience that you could apply in this role, and you meet most of the technical requirements, please apply! 

Responsibilities + Accountabilities

Planning and Setting Vision

• Assist team in identifying and achieving departmental goals and strategies that align with the organization’s strategic direction. 
• Share regular reports on task progress and challenges with supervisor.

Office Administration

• Assess and assist with employee office needs both in-office and through remote workstations. 
• Maintain in-office employee workstations and update office layout plan as needed.
• Maintains physical office space and work areas such as the conference rooms, supply closets, and the office dining area.
• Opens and closes the office each day and manages the office security system.
• Schedules regular and as-needed property maintenance.
• Manages storage and archives.
• Assists with onboarding, offboarding, and hiring processes as needed.
• Assists with planning staff events (retreats, social hours, etc.) and meetings.
• Assists with supplies, catering, and other hospitality services.
• Builds and maintains relationships with vendors, including property managers, realtors, and suppliers.
• Provides general administrative support to the organization, including ordering and organizing office supplies, record-keeping, and mailing/shipping.
• Routes incoming mail, packages, and deliveries.
• Coordinates staff recognition effort for birthdays and employment milestones.
• Greet visitors and guests. 
• Answers primary office phone, routing calls as needed.
• Maintains phone system and updates general phone voicemail message. 
• Interacts with applicants, grantees, program participants, donors and prospective donors, the public, vendors, others in the community, and others in the organization and department, in person or via telephone or email.
• Assists with special projects as needed.

Organization Integration

• Embraces and uses organization’s technology tools and systems to further goals of information transparency and operational efficiency.
• Collaborates with IT and other function areas to identify systems and training needs.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access

• Maintain and grow personal intercultural competence. Continue to develop intercultural competency and seek opportunities for all staff to continue to make change together.

Organizational Culture

• Work collaboratively across the organization–communicating courteously and professionally and maintaining working relationships with others.
• Lead staff meeting at least once annually.
• Represent the organization nationally, regionally, and locally, in the community, with funders and stakeholders, as applicable.

Core Competencies and Commitments

• Adaptability: willingness to embrace change, test innovative ideas, and learn new ways of working. 
• Collaboration: eagerness to share resources and work with others toward organizational goals. 
• Fluency with technology: understanding that much of our work occurs in digital systems, which require ongoing learning. 
• Our values and mission: understand and embrace our values and missions, particularly how they reflect our commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. 
• Sharing power/takes on leadership and followership roles. 

Technical Competencies

• Ability to effectively organize time, anticipate, plan, and manage multiple priorities with deadlines.
• Problem-solving skills and ability to work within creative constraints.
• Project management skills.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with staff, vendors, property managers, etc. 
• Ability to work both independently and collaborate as a part of a team.
• Ability to conduct research, organize information, analyze results, and make recommendations.
• Ability to maintain the highest confidentiality when dealing with sensitive or confidential information.
• Ability to pay attention to detail and to big picture.
• Knowledge of and ability to operate standard office hardware and software.

Physical and Mental Requirements

Physical effort is light, with lifting or carrying limited to 25 pounds intermittently. Work includes making presentations in front of groups. There is pressure associated with project or activity deadlines. Work will require extended use of a computer keyboard and monitor. Work is performed in a fast-paced environment, where interruptions are frequent. All requirements are subject to modification to accommodate individuals with disabilities. 

Working Conditions

Work is primarily in a group office environment.

Ready to apply?

Please submit your letter of interest, resume, and professional references via our online application by March 10, 2024. 

Apply Now Download Position Listing (PDF)