Executive Assistant to COO

Who We Are 

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,200 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable. 

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve.   

The Need 

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking an Executive Assistant to support the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and the Global Business Operations (GBO) division by providing day to day coordination and administrative support, ensuring leaders focus their time and efforts on GBO’s strategic priorities. This position is responsible for handling information requests and performing administrative functions such as calendar management, meeting support, travel arrangements, arranging conference calls, and expense reporting to ensure GBO leaders spend their work time and resources on non-administrative tasks. This position will represent the priorities and strategy of the division with internal and external stakeholders and serve as a strong partner to the COO through daily interaction and collaboration to establish shared goals, determine priorities, manage tasks, and generate clear and consistent communication. 

This position is based in the Washington, DC area and is available to be hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays). It reports to the Chief Operating Officer and requires current authorization to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future. 

Responsibilities: 

Networking & Partnership 

• Build trusted relationships across functions, regions, and levels in a multinational, matrixed organization; serve as a key partner to senior leaders and the executive leadership administrative team.

• Lead coordination of executive support across the Operations Council, aligning administrative partners on calendars, meeting preparation, information flows, protocols, and follow-through.
• Represent the COO’s office with discretion, credibility, and executive presence in interactions with Board members, senior leaders, external partners, and other stakeholders.

Communication 

• Own and maintain executive communication channels, information repositories, and governance materials for the COO and GBO.
• Develop executive-ready correspondence, Board materials, briefing notes, presentations, talking points, and reports that are concise, accurate, audience-aware, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for the COO’s office, exercising judgment in triaging requests, escalating issues, and communicating decisions to internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate communications and deadlines across the Operations Council and GBO, ensuring consistent messaging, clear ownership, and timely follow-through.
• Apply executive-level polish, discretion, and cultural awareness to all written and verbal communications across global and cross-functional audiences.

Events and Logistics 

• Plan and execute GBO social rhythms, including monthly and quarterly events and activities; 

Clerical and Administration 

• Manage the COO’s complex calendar and workflow based on strategic priorities, proactively resolving conflicts and sequencing decisions, preparation, and follow-up.
• Lead end-to-end preparation and follow-through for Board, Operations Council, GBO, and other executive meetings, including agendas, pre-reads, briefings, minutes, decisions, and action tracking.
• Coordinate with executive assistants and administrative partners across Operations Council functions to ensure seamless support, consistent standards, and integrated executive schedules.
• Monitor executive correspondence and requests, draft responses on behalf of the COO, surface time-sensitive or high-risk matters, and maintain reliable tracking through resolution.
• Provide decision support through concise research, synthesis, briefing materials, and recommendations tailored to the COO and other senior audiences.
• Manage sensitive and confidential matters with sound judgment, diplomacy, and strict discretion.
• Oversee national and international travel, expenses, payment requests, and other executive-office processes, delegating routine transactions where appropriate and ensuring accurate, timely completion.
• Manage selected divisional and cross-functional initiatives, establishing plans, milestones, decision points, dependencies, and reporting mechanisms.
• Support planning and oversight of the GBO budget and executive-office resources.
• Provide direction, coaching, and quality oversight to interns or administrative staff assigned to the COO’s office.

Strategy & Knowledge Development & Implementation 

• Develop and utilize technology skills to enhance the Division’s contribution to IJM strategic initiatives through:
  • Staying current on project management, human centered design, and user experience best practices (to include pursuing training and certifications as needed). 
  • Building fluency in AI tools to increase efficiency.
  • Learning and providing support in app, online web course (LMS),and web page design (to include pursuing training and experience as needed). 
  • Learning and providing support in basic graphic design (e.g., rapidly create diagrams and infographics on an as needed basis, help with project visual aids, etc.). 
  • Providing expertise on SmartSheet and other relevant project management software
  • Capitalize on the unique breadth of exposure to divisional activities to inform strategy by identifying, documenting, and sharing with the COO any needs, redundancies, and collaboration opportunities for divisional teams and projects.
• Advise COO on priorities based on engagement across teams and understanding of the Operations Pathway needs.
• Model excellence and professionalism for the organization in language, attitude, attire and demeanor as a representative of the COO.
• Participation in IJM’s community of spiritual formation.   

 Qualifications:  

• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience supporting C-suite or comparable senior executives in a fast-paced, professional environment, including experience leading complex executive-office operations.

• Demonstrated experience working effectively in a multinational, multicultural, and matrixed organization.
• Experience supporting Board or senior governance processes and coordinating across multiple executive offices or leadership teams.Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or equivalent; 

• Superior administrative capacity to manage many projects and tasks simultaneously and to complete them with minimal oversight; 

• Exceptional experience in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint; 

• Customer service experience; 

• Excellent planning and implementation skills; and 

• Ability to keep highly confidential information and issues private. 

Critical Qualities: 

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building; 

• Self-starter with strong initiative;  

• Disciplined with priorities; 

• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness; 

• Exceptional verbal and written communication; 

• Flexible, collaborative and eager to support others; 

• Effective team player who fosters collaborative environment; and 

• Adept at creative problem solving. 

Application Process:  

Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document. 

*What is a statement of faith? 
A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship. 

What does IJM have to offer? 

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits 

• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area 

• Retirement benefit options  

• Paid leave starting at 23 days 

• 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior) 

• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation 

• Robust staff care resources 

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidate’s value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes. 

At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed. 

IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.