Executive Office and Board Relations Manager (Full-time w/ benefits)
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Full-time
On-site
San Francisco, California, United States
Compensation and Benefits
Executive Office and Board Relations Manager
Organization Description:
Since 1981, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy) has served as the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service (NPS), collaborating with the Presidio Trust (Trust), partners, donors, and the community to support the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The GGNRA stretches across three Bay Area counties north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge and includes iconic places such as Muir Woods National Monument, Fort Point National Historic Site, Alcatraz Island, Crissy Field, Mori Point, Lands End, and the Presidio of San Francisco.
The Parks Conservancy engages at the intersection of national park sites, local communities, social justice, and climate resilience. Collaborating with partners, our staff are dedicated to enhancing public awareness and providing volunteer and educational opportunities in the parks. We are park builders, caretakers, ambassadors and educators, all working to connect people to parks in support of our vision Parks for All Forever.
Branch Overview:
The Executive Office is the immediate office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) who work together to manage, coach and lead a team of executives (Executive Management Team) that lead various branches, which include 300 employees across different work sites - office, home-based, park lands and operations, communities, warehouse, retail - throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The Executive Office includes the Innovation and Impact Hub, as well as the Executive Office Administrative Team.
As a California nonprofit, the Parks Conservancy is overseen by a board of up to 35 volunteer community leaders. The Parks Conservancy works in close collaboration with our park partners - primarily at the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust.
Position Overview:
The Executive Office and Board Relations Manager plays a critical role in supporting the daily operations of the President & CEO, and the broader Executive Office. This position ensures that the Executive Office runs smoothly and efficiently, providing high-level administrative coordination, executive calendar management, and logistical support for board engagement and cross-agency collaboration.
The Executive Office and Board Relations Manager acts as a point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring timely follow-up, accurate documentation, and a welcoming experience on behalf of the Executive Office.
Executive Office Management: The position performs a variety of complex and often confidential administrative activities and logistics to support executives, including management of the Executive Office. The Executive Office and Board Relations Manager is responsible for directly supporting all administrative functions for the President & CEO, as well as managing the Executive Office Budget.
This position supervises the Executive Office Administrative Assistant and the Executive Coordinator, providing clear direction, support, and team alignment with Executive Office priorities. This position ensures that Executive Office coordination with federal partners results in collaborative relationships.
Board Relations: This position is the lead staff support of the Board of Trustees (Board). The Executive Office and Board Relations Manager focuses on Board Trustee engagement and development – ensuring that Board meetings are appropriately planned and effectively executed.
The Manager ensures that these key areas of responsibility are executed with approaches that align with the Parks Conservancy’s mission, vision, values, and strategic goals. This role requires building relationships at multiple levels and with many organizations, acting as a Parks Conservancy ambassador developing trusted, authentic relationships to foster a strong sense of belonging and a genuine connection with the Parks Conservancy.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities:
Executive Office Coordination & Communication Support
- Provide day-to-day administrative support to the CEO, including calendar management, meeting preparation, and communications support. Serve as partner to the CEO, addressing priorities, anticipating needs, and supporting high-level organizational decisions. Responsible for the overall administration of the Executive Office and supervision of subordinate staff.
- Anticipate and prioritize tasks to ensure the CEO’s time, attention, and energy are focused on the most important matters. Partner with Deputy CEO to ensure optimal organization of key activities in the Executive Office, including critical projects, ensuring milestones and follow-through, and cross-branch coordination to drive the strategic plan and special initiatives.
- Develop and execute an annual master calendar of Executive Office commitments, board and committee meetings, special events, partner meetings and engagement, celebrations, and project milestones.
- Responsible for managing the Executive Office Budget in coordination with Deputy CEO.
- Coordinate logistics for internal leadership meetings and cross-branch communications.
- Track action items and ensure timely follow-up from meetings, briefings, and events.
- Support the execution of Executive Office projects and initiatives as directed.
- Work closely with the Internal Communications Director on All Staff meetings, communications, and organization-wide events.
- Draft and edit executive correspondence, meeting notes, and presentation materials.
- Maintain filing systems, contact databases, and reference documents.
- Serve as a point of coordination for Executive Office communications with internal and external audiences.
Board of Trustees Support
- Manage board relations, including meeting coordination, documentation, and governance compliance.
- Coordinate scheduling, meeting preparation, and logistics for Board of Trustees meetings, retreats, and committee sessions.
- Assist with development and formatting board materials in collaboration with other departments.
- Manage and maintains Board-related content and materials on file and through the Board portal (BoardEffect) such as trustee contact information, term tracking, and bios.
- Provide hospitality and onsite coordination during board-related events.
Supervise Executive Office Administrative Team
- Supervise the Executive Office Administrative Assistant and Executive Coordinator: provide day-to-day guidance, assign tasks, conduct regular check-ins, and support workload management.
- Executive Office administrative team is responsible for Executive Management Team (EMT) Operations. They help to create meeting agendas, strategic follow-ups, and cross-departmental collaboration.
- Ensure alignment with Executive Office priorities and models proactive communication and professionalism.
- Support team development, ensure alignment with Executive Office priorities, and model professionalism and proactive communication.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Schedule and coordinate meetings with agency partners including the National Park Service and the Presidio Trust.
- Maintain professional and courteous relationships with partner executive offices.
- Assist with logistics for VIP visits and external engagements hosted by the Executive Office.
- Plan and support travel arrangements for the CEO and Deputy CEO, including itineraries, accommodations, and briefings.
- Organize logistics for Executive Office events, both internal and public facing.
- Take on assigned special projects related to improved functioning of Executive Office.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Working for executives and in support of board trustees: Consistently adjust and adapt to a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment. Integrate a deep understanding of executive scheduling, problem-solving, managing competing demands, and anticipation of executive and trustee needs. Independent initiative to solve problems, streamline and optimize administrative processes to enhance efficiency. Protect the confidentiality of information shared in the course of work, often related to strategies, finances, and personnel matters.
- Advanced office management skills: Exceptional organizational, time management, and multitasking skills. Strong communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to develop, implement and maintain office policies and procedures. Skill in conflict resolution and performance coaching.
- Effective supervision: Successful work across cultural lines on a dispersed team and can operate in complex situations. Ability to easily gain trust from team members and known for supporting them to ensure they are set up for success.
- Relationship building: Self-aware and perceptive; nurture relationships and can work and communicate well with all kinds of people. Optimistic, empathetic, flexible, curious, and well-respected by all who work with you, irrespective of title.
- Passion for Parks: A genuine interest in and enthusiasm for the mission of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. This includes an appreciation for the natural environment, cultural heritage, and recreational opportunities offered by the national parks. Deeply motivated by public service, equity, and the Parks Conservancy’s vision of Parks for All Forever, bringing emotional intelligence, adaptability, and a commitment to building meaningful relationships. Commitment to the organizational values of community care, creating belonging, learning and growth, and working with purpose.
Education and/or Experience:
- Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible administrative, operational, or project management experience, including 3+ years supporting executive leadership.
- Experience in board governance and high-level stakeholder engagement, including experience coordinating meetings and events.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work independently, take initiative, and solve problems.
- Experience supervising or mentoring administrative staff.
- A track record of keeping confidentiality and providing outstanding customer service to support a highly functioning team of people.
- Demonstrated ability to work in collaboration with executive office managers in outside organizations to coordinate executive-level scheduling, shared project implementation, integration of communication, and to manage urgent, unanticipated priorities that may arise.
- Strong strategic thinking and organizational skills; the ability to shift seamlessly between managing complex logistics and deadlines to operational, nuts-and-bolts systems building, and supervision.
- A high capacity to manage one's own emotions and to identify the emotions of others in order to provide them with support; ensuring respect and a sense of belonging for staff who may only rarely engage executives of the organization; ability to facilitate challenging and high-stakes outcomes in an executive office setting. A track record of fostering a positive and productive work environment, developing team members, and achieving results with and through others.
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; experience with budgeting, on-line board support, and CRM or contact management systems.
Physical Requirements and Work Environments:
This position is located at the Parks Conservancy’s headquarters in Fort Mason, San Francisco. Work is performed in an office setting, including a mix of telework and on-site. This position is full-time and requires at least 2 days per week onsite (ideally 3), either in-office (Fort Mason), or managing events and meetings at our incredible park sites.
- Work is primarily performed sitting and standing: Regularly sits or stands at a desk 6-8 hours per day; includes some walking when visiting employees at park sites
- Includes occasional lifting and carrying of items up to 30 pounds to set up and break-down meetings and events
- Requires drivers license and good driving record; able to travel to work sites across San Francisco Bay Area, including Alcatraz, Muir Woods, Golden Gate Bridge, Crissy Field, Presidio, and other outdoor worksites.
Health and Safety:
It is the goal of the Parks Conservancy to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace. We work to mitigate hazards and risks that may cause harm to employees, consistent with state and federal laws. Employees play an active role in creating a safe and healthy workplace and are expected to comply with all applicable health and safety rules.
Compensation:
The Parks Conservancy provides its employees with a competitive salary that is benchmarked with other nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area. Benefits include a competitive suite of medical, dental, and vision plans, up to 3 weeks' paid vacation plus one week of personal days, plus paid holidays (11) and sick days (12).
The starting compensation for this position is $95,000 - $100,000 (Grade 17). In keeping with our equitable pay practices, Parks Conservancy will not negotiate beyond this starting salary range.
The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, placement, and promotions are conducted without regard to an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical handicap, veteran status or sexual orientation, or any other classification protected by Federal, State, and local laws & ordinances. We will consider qualified candidates with criminal history in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.