Executive Assistant

Location: Honolulu, HI (Hybrid)             

Reports to: Vice President of Philanthropy

Classification: Exempt

Kupu’s Story

Kupu, which means “to sprout” or “to grow” in Hawaiian, has a two-fold mission: to preserve the land while empowering youth. The organization provides hands-on training in conservation, sustainability, and environmental education for young adults, with the goal of fostering our next generation of environmental and cultural stewards. Kupu’s work has been likened to the role of the kupukupu fern, which is one of the first plants to recultivate the land after a lava flow. The fern not only serves as a foundational species for rebuilding a healthy, native ecosystem, but it also symbolizes a place where knowledge can grow.

Established in 2007 as a 501(c)3 non-profit, Kupu empowers future generations to create a more sustainable, pono Hawai‘i.  Kupu accomplishes this by partnering with conservation and sustainability focused agencies throughout the state and pacific in providing hands-on service opportunities which educate and mentor young adults and emerging professionals to become stewards of our communities and environment.  Since 2007, Kupu has risen to meet the increasing demands of the green job sector by engaging over 3,000 youth in the areas of conservation, sustainability, and environmental education. Kupu affirms the Hawaiian notion of “ma ka hana ka ʻike” or “in working one learns.”  This approach has led to the creation of hundreds of service-learning opportunities which assists in the development of Hawai’i’s emerging professionals in the green job sector while supporting over 150 conservation and sustainability organizations across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region.

Kupu’s Mission

“To empower youth to serve their communities through character-building, service-learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities that encourage integrity (pono) with Ke Akua, self, and others”

Kupu’s CHOSEN Values

C         Character

H         Humility

O        ‘Ohana

S          Service

E          Excellence

N         Nobility

Position Overview

Kupu, a dynamic organization dedicated to empowering youth through environmental stewardship, is seeking a highly organized and motivated Executive Assistant to provide comprehensive support to both the Vice President of Philanthropy and the Sr. Program Director. This multifaceted role involves contributing to the success of Kupu's mission by facilitating the seamless execution of administrative tasks for the Philanthropy team.

• Conduct oneself with aloha and drive Kupu’s culture.
• Conduct oneself with integrity, credibility, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to Kupu’s mission.
• Serves as a role model for Kupu’s culture, mission, and CHOSEN Values.

Philanthropy Support

• Proactively manage and organize the executive calendars of the Vice President of Philanthropy and Sr. Program Director.
• Vet and review all content required for meetings, ensuring reports, and supporting documentation are comprehensive and in order.
• Field incoming communications, directing them to the appropriate management teams when necessary.
• Prepare and execute various communications, including emails, letters, and phone correspondences.
• Proactively seek content information, audience types, and objectives to prepare and design presentations as needed.

Program Support

• Collaborate with other leaders and team members to ensure meticulous logistic preparations for specified events, such as dinners, luncheons, interviews, and strategic/operational meetings.
• Create necessary agendas, programs, meeting notes, and action plans to facilitate smooth implementation of work priorities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Actively collaborate with other leaders and team members to ensure successful event planning and logistics inclusive of program training, stakeholder meetings, funder gatherings, grantee gatherings, etc.
• Administrative coordination such as handling internal payment and petty cash requests, reimbursements, receipt submissions, depositing funds, and other assigned projects.

Budget Management

• Manage the office budget, ensuring financial resources are allocated effectively to support various activities and projects.
• Provide procurement support, budget reconciliation and tracking, billing, and receipt filing.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 3-5 years’ experience providing complex administrative support.
• Strong commitment to the environment and combatting climate change, prior experience in climate policy a plus, but not required.
• Excellent administrative and project management skills and experience, both independently and with colleagues.
• Experience in budget management using spreadsheets.
• Strong organizational skills, including attention to detail and the ability to multitask.
• Ability to meet tight, sometimes simultaneous, deadlines with a keen ability to prioritize and partner with others to meet common goals.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Advanced experience in MS Office: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Adobe.
• Willingness to learn new software tools and use them for program support.
• Proficiency with problem solving, analysis, and applying appropriate level of judgment.
• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Positive attitude, sense of humor, and a commitment to being part of, and building, a positive work environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience with grants processing and grants database preferred.
• Experience with Salesforce.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Pay range: $45,000 – $55,000 per year based on experience
• Employer paid health benefits (medical, dental, vision)
• PTO
• Eligible for 401(k) plan after one year of service and 1,000 hours of service
• Lifestyle benefits (gym reimbursement, ticket discounts, etc.)

Physical Requirements:

Due to the nature of Kupu’s programs, the physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Due to the nature of Kupu’s programs, the physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 lbs.
• Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly on telephone.
• Must be able to occasionally stand; walk; sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and talk or hear.
• Specific vision requirements of the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

*In accordance with Federal Law, Kupu is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability