Administrative Assistant

About The Organization

ReFED is a U.S.-based nonprofit working to catalyze the food system to take evidence-based action to stop wasting food. We do this by cultivating and convening the food community, delivering actionable evidence and insights, and seeding and accelerating food waste solutions. Starting with the 2016 Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste, ReFED has produced first-of-their-kind tools and resources, providing a full-supply-chain picture of U.S. food waste, cost-effective solutions to reduce it, and methods to track progress. In 2021, ReFED launched the Insights Engine, an online data center serving as the next generation of data, insights, and guidance on U.S. food waste reduction. Reducing food waste will have a significant impact on mitigating climate change, optimizing the use of water, land, and other resources, and providing meals for the over 47 million people in the United States who currently face food insecurity. We are continuing to grow our team to further build our capacity to achieve our vision of a sustainable, resilient, and inclusive food system that makes the best use of the food we grow.

We are a team of doers, and we get a lot accomplished. We create outsized impact, and everyone on the team contributes to accomplishing our shared goals. Learning and professional development are heavily embedded in ReFED’s culture. We promote cross-functional work to embrace diverse perspectives, experiences, and skills to ensure we are an inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.   

Learn more at www.refed.org. 

The Administrative Assistant provides essential support to the Leadership Team and organization by handling day-to-day administrative tasks that keep the organization running smoothly. This role involves a combination of administrative duties, and support for special projects, requiring strong organizational skills, flexibility, and attention to detail. As part of a growing nonprofit team, the Administrative Assistant plays a key role in ensuring efficient operations and helping the team focus on advancing the organization’s mission, reporting directly to the Executive Assistant and serving as an active member of the Operations Team of the organization.

• Administrative Support: For the Leadership Team of the organization (Vice Presidents and selected Directors with senior-level accountabilities) schedule meetings, maintain calendars, and coordinate travel arrangements. Assist with preparing agendas, taking meeting notes, and following up on action items emerging from meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
• Communication and Correspondence: Serve as a point of contact for inquiries at ReFED, manage the organization’s general email inbox and incoming voicemail messages, and route communications to the appropriate team members. Draft and proofread emails, letters, and other documents as requested.
• Data Entry and Record Management: Maintain and update organizational databases and contact records, with special focus on assuring the organization’s CRM is up to date with relevant information about meetings and contacts made. Organize and file electronic and physical documents for program leads, ensuring documents are easily accessible and up to date. Assist the Executive Assistant in maintaining all organizational records. 
• Event Support: Assist in the planning and coordination of special events, fundraising activities, and other organizational projects. In coordination with the appropriate team leadership and the ReFED Events team, help with event logistics, participant communication, managing RSVP processes, and material preparation. This may require some travel and evening work hours as needed.
• Office Management: Manage office supplies, track inventory, and place orders as needed to support a fully remote team. Assure operational tools are utilized and that team members fully realize the assets ReFED offers to support their administrative functionality. In some cases, provide one-on-one or one-to-many training to assure team members are skilled in the toolbox of ReFED.
• Technology Support: Assure all team members’ technical assets are in operational condition and monitor technology assets usage. In partnership with professional managed services provider, maintain records of all hardware provided to team members, in association with the Managed Services provider.  Recommend upgrades and changes in hardware and software to technical and operational leadership as needed. 
• Financial and Expense Support: Support basic financial tasks such as expense tracking and preparing receipts for reimbursement or backup to credit card expense reporting. Assure all Leadership Team members are compliant with their financial accounting and reporting requirements. As requested, assist with the preparation of spend-down reports for grants and programmatic functions.
• Desk Research: As requested, conduct desk research projects on a variety of issues including environmental concerns, general food loss and waste information, corporate history and valuation, location and regional information, etc. Prepare summary reports to provide leaders with key information they need for decision making. 
• Special Project Support: Assist with planning and tracking special projects for program teams. Coordinate logistics, ensure deadlines are met, and provide support as needed and requested including but not limited to research, materials preparation and printing, and presentation support.

• Experience: 4+ years of experience in an administrative support role, ideally in a nonprofit or small office environment.
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent required; associate degree or higher preferred.
• Organizational Skills: Strong organizational abilities with keen attention to detail; able to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with donors, partners, and team members. Ability to meet the administrative needs of multiple leaders and flex in responding to others based on their communication styles and preferences.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Workspace, and experience and comfort with database management.
• Confidentiality and Discretion: Ability to handle sensitive information with integrity and confidentiality.
• Service-First Focus: Has a passion for service and brings that attitude to every interaction. The ability and desire to work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Self-Motivation: Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks across a remote, small team environment.
• Mission-Driven: A strong commitment to ending food loss and waste, and a desire to contribute to the mission work of ReFED. 

• The Administrative Assistant will increase the operational efficiency of the leadership team at ReFED, with emphasis on scheduling, travel arrangements, meeting support, documentation, presentation refinement, and financial reporting.
• You will assure that there are accurate records and information on all assets of the organization that are held by leadership team members, and you will support their office supply needs – as well as the needs of their staff members  –  with supply ordering and delivery coordination.
• You will become a partner in efficient and effective special events execution in association with leadership team members and their teams.

• Active and meaningful engagement with all activities of the full ReFED team, and with those of the Operations Team – the administrative team responsible for all internal activities at ReFED and on which this position will serve. 
• Supporting special projects of the Executive Assistant that are in place to improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

• You bring a commitment to service, supported by outstanding organizational and time management skills.
• You are able to manage the administrative support needs of up to eight individuals, effectively managing details and deadlines seamlessly.
• You are an outstanding written and verbal communicator, and consistently demonstrate skills in communicating effectively in a variety of ways to serve the needs of the individual leaders you are supporting in this role.
• You have a knack for identifying and anticipating problems and pain points for executives, and you step in to provide help and support proactively.  
• You want to make a difference in the effectiveness of an organization.

• You are a team player, but also a strong individual contributor.
• You are an assertive problem-solver and are able to manage up to help team leaders and executives use you and your skills at the highest level.
• You have a commitment to excellence and work accurately and efficiently.
• You are committed to seeing our mission – ending food loss and waste – become a reality in our food system and you thrive when your work is mission-driven.

• Specific degrees or credentials.
• Specific location, other than the United States.
• Language skills beyond English.

ReFED values a diverse range of skills and experiences and encourages all interested candidates to apply, even if they don't meet all of the criteria listed. Our organization recognizes that everyone brings unique perspectives and strengths to the team, and we are committed to considering all applicants fairly and thoroughly. If you are passionate about our mission and excited about the role, don't hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself!

Our Recruitment Process

Our recruitment process includes the following steps:

* Initial screening interview over video call.

* 2-3 interviews over video call with different members of the team.

* Skills assessment over video call which may or may not include an assignment to complete beforehand and present during the skills assessment meeting. All necessary information and guidance will be provided in advance.

* References, usually three, will be requested, and reference checks will be conducted.

We strive to maintain clear and frequent communication throughout the recruitment process, however, due to capacity limitations we may not be able to respond to every initial application. Our process always includes input from multiple team members with diverse backgrounds and perspectives from across the organization.

Our Operating Environment

ReFED is a distributed organization, with a team of 30+ working remotely from various locations across the United States. We use a range of digital collaboration and connectivity tools to facilitate our work, including Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, Airtable, Salesforce, Miro, MS Office, Adobe, and Insperity. 

Our remote culture is built through a variety of means, including 3-4 annual in-person gatherings. These events include our annual team retreat, department retreats and the Food Waste Solutions Summit, a national convening of the food waste movement that we host annually. We also foster team connections through informal virtual get-togethers, ask-me-anything sessions with our Board and Advisory Council members, and peer recognition on our shoutouts channel in Slack. We have a “Big Dill” spot bonus program and engage in conversation through our watercooler channel in Slack. Our in-person events are essential for team building, learning, and fun.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commitment

ReFED is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where all individuals have equal opportunities to contribute and grow. We recognize that our success is rooted in the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of our team members, and we strive to foster a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to recruiting, hiring, developing, training, and promoting individuals regardless of their gender identity, sex, race, religion, age, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. We acknowledge that systemic barriers limit opportunities for certain groups, and we are dedicated to actively working to remove those barriers and promote justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in all aspects of our organization. Our commitment to JEDI is an ongoing journey, and we are committed to continuously learning, listening, and improving our practices to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace for all.