We have an exciting opportunity at Commissionaires Nova Scotia (CNS) for an Executive Assistant to support both our Board of Governors and our C-Suite of Executives.

The Executive Assistant (EA)’s primary role is to provide administrative support and procedural guidance to the Board of Governors, to assist the CEO in Board-related work, and to provide day-to-day support to the CNS C-Suite.

The Executive Assistant must effectively support the Board in its governance role and the C-Suite in carrying out business operations as well as maintain confidentiality of all business, operations and personnel matters. To do this effectively, they must establish and maintain a strong respectful working relationship with a variety of stakeholders and must develop and maintain an effective communication process that is inclusive and transparent.

This role is Monday to Friday with flexible work schedules based on an 8-hour day. Overtime may be required occasionally based on operational need and when required is a condition of employment. Work is expected to be primarily in-person at the CNS HQ, but flexibility in working arrangements is possible depending on operational need and time of year. Travel is not generally required but may be needed in special circumstances

The ideal candidate will be motivated to succeed, engaging, collaborative, professional, highly adaptable, and be able to work independently with a high level of attention to detail. This position requires an individual with proven Executive Assistant experience, a can-do attitude and a strong track record of supporting business leaders.

Come join the Halifax Chamber of Commerce “ 2024 Not-For-Profit of the Year ” award winner for:

• Competitive salary package ($60,000 to $65,000)
• Health, drug, and dental benefits
• Life and accident insurance
• Annual vacation package
• RRSP/TFSA matching
• Loyalty Award program
• Education assistance funds and family scholarship programs
• Advancement opportunities within a large, national organization

Duties and Responsibilities

RECORDS & CORRESPONDENCE (Board)

• Drafts revisions, tracks proposed amendments, updates, and maintains Board By-Laws and Policies
• Prepares meeting agendas, working documents, and minutes
• Reviews and monitors action items arising from minutes; actions as required
• Maintains Board minutes books and active files
• Creates, maintains, and updates Governors' information - committee lists, individual Governor's files, phone/address list, historic information, business cards, Reference Binders, Board profile, retirement dates, VSC donations, and other relevant information
• Maintains record of committee membership and tenure for the Chair
• Creates, adjusts, and maintains Board filing system including management of the Board SharePoint
• Maintains the Board's photo archives, as well as the Boardroom and lobby photos
• Manages the Board Commendation program
• Contributes to applicable CNS publications / social media relative to Board activities

PLANNING & SCHEDULING (Board)

• Develops annual meeting schedule for Board and Committee meetings
• Maintains and updates committee and Board work plans
• Coordinates meeting presenters
• Develops and maintains a tracking/diary system to ensure due dates are met
• Advises on timeline for nomination process of new Governors
• Coordinates onboarding of new Governors and departure for retiring Governors
• Develops timeline for completion of the annual Board Evaluation and coordinate roll-out
• Makes travel and hotel arrangements for meetings as required
• Organizes the Board's events when required by the Board Chair
• Books space for Board and Committee meetings
• Lead on the coordination and organization of the 2026 Annual Meeting of Divisions (annual conference)

FINANCIAL (Board)

• Prepares the Board's portion of the annual budget
• Tracks Board expenses against the budget
• Manages Veterans' Support Committee donations and coordinate presentations
• Coordinates annual renewals - ICD memberships, Governors' travel insurance
• Prepares individual Governor travel expense claims

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT (C-Suite)

• Provides strong executive administrative support to the C-suite
• Assists in project management by tracking deadlines and facilitating communication
• Updates and maintains office documents
• Supports internal needs of all Departments within CNS HQ when necessary
• Assists in setting up for presentations / meeting preparations and meeting management
• Prepares expenses for C-Suite members
• Monitors calendars for C-Suite members
• Books travel arrangement for C-Suite members
• Creates, implements, and maintains processes for document capture and data management
• Assists with research projects as needed

WHO WE’RE SEEKING

Candidates must:

• Not have a criminal record for which a pardon has not been granted
• Be able to attain a NATO secret security clearance and hold a valid Nova Scotia driver's licence

Education: (Minimum Required): Bachelor’s degree in business administration, or a related field (preferred)

Certifications:  Certified Administration Professional (CAP) credential, or Organizational Management (OM) designation would be an asset

Skills and Abilities:  (Minimum Required)

• Superior client service focus
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Superior relationship-building and interpersonal skills
• Excellent decision making and problem-solving skills
• Excellent administrative skills
• Highly adaptable and able to effectively work with changes in priorities
• Self-starter / independent worker
• Highly collaborative and effective team player
• Highly collaborative in nature with advanced analytical thinking and organizational skills
• Able to effectively interpret and apply policies

Professional / Technical Knowledge: (Minimum Required)

• Project management
• System integration
• Shorthand/minute taking
• Solid understanding in Microsoft products, including Outlook, Word, Excel and Power Point
• A minimum of 8 years’ experience in a progressively responsible executive administrative capacity; including at least 2 years of supporting senior executives or Boards

READY TO JOIN US?

This position is open to external and internal applicants (Commissionaires should include their Corps #) and we encourage veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and RCMP to apply.

Our goal is to create an inclusive, diverse workplace representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. At Commissionaires we support, value, and respect the different views, cultures and experiences of our employees, clients, business partners and community members. We welcome applicants that identify as Indigenous/Aboriginals, or African Nova Scotians and/or Other Racially Visible Persons, or Persons with Disabilities, or Persons who identify in the 2SLGBTQ+ community or others who reflect the diversity of Nova Scotian communities. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your cover letter or during the application process.

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.

Tags: EA, Executive Assistant. PA, Personal Assistant