Special Assistant, Information Technology

Ford Foundation • New York, NY

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Information Technology team is seeking a Special Assistant (SA), to support the Project Management Office (PMO), Office of the Chief Information and Technology, and Chief Information and Technology Officer (CITO). In this role, the SA will facilitate the daily planning, operational processes, scheduling and procurement activities to keep key technology work moving forward effectively. They will serve as a strategic liaison and guide across the Foundation, interacting closely with the CITO, senior Information Technology (IT) and Knowledge and Information Management (KIM) leadership, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional partners. The SA reports to the Director, Project Management Office and AV Services.

This opportunity offers the chance to actively prioritize and drive departmental priorities within a global organization, making it ideal for a highly organized, self-managing, and experienced project manager who excels at multi-tasking, complex calendar management, and cross-team planning in a hybrid environment.

Requirements

• 4+ years of work experience supporting high-level executives within a complex environment.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field or relevant and equivalent experience.
• Proficient knowledge and demonstrated experience with Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and document management systems like Google Drive.
• Demonstrated experience navigating financial and procurement management systems (e.g., Workday Financials, Monday.com).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proven ability to self-manage, prioritize multiple deadlines across teams, problem-solve issues proactively and confidently represents the unit in any given environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build effective, collaborative working relationships across a hybrid global organizational setting.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working within non-profit organizations (NGOs) and/or philanthropy.
• Experience supporting a technology-focused and innovative team.
• Background or experience in change management and organizational transition.
• International work experience.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Project Management Office (PMO) to optimize the team’s project management portfolio in Monday.com, proactively tracking project milestones and ensuring key updates are visible to leadership.
• Maintain and enhance workflow processes across IT/KIM teams and identify opportunities to improve efficiency within contract and procurement processes.
• Serve as a liaison on behalf of the CITO and IT/KIM leadership with internal stakeholders, cross-functional partners, and external contacts, independently coordinating activities and resolving routine matters as appropriate.
• Provide additional operational capacity across IT/KIM by managing high-volume administrative and operational activities that support departmental priorities.
• Manage the daily operations and administrative support for the Chief Information and Technology Officer (CITO) and the Office of the CITO, including complex calendar management, meeting preparation, and prioritizing daily scheduling.
• Coordinate all domestic and international travel logistics, including itinerary planning, visa arrangements, and processing expense reports.
• Plan and execute logistics for IT team meetings, retreats, and working sessions, including agenda curation, pre-work distribution, meeting support, and decision-point follow-up.
• Manage financial and procurement processes by processing contracts, invoices, and requisitions through electronic systems (Workday Financials), tracking approvals, and ensuring policy compliance.
• Monitor departmental cost centers by pre-populating monthly variance reports, tracking budget over/under, and escalating financial items to appropriate managers.
• Maintain and streamline office workflow processes, manage correspondence records, and oversee procurement of unit supplies and equipment.
• Prepare data presentations, spreadsheets, charts, and materials needed for strategic departmental planning and executive decision-making.

Benefits

• medical, dental, and vision benefits effective on your first day
• Generous time off, including personal, vacation, sick, extended holiday time off, and wellness days
• Generous parental leave policy, including birth, surrogacy, adoptive, foster parents, and resources for backup child and elder care that support our colleagues’ ability to attend to family responsibilities
• Comprehensive retirement benefits options (with employee and employer contributions of up to 13%)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level