Executive Assistant

Who We Are

Ariel Alternatives, LLC is a private asset management firm affiliated with Ariel Investments, LLC. Built on the 38-year-old foundation of its parent company, the firm's first private equity initiative, Project Black, will invest in middle-market companies that may or may not currently be minority owned; transforming these entities into certified minority-owned business enterprises of scale and forging a new class of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs.

Co-Founders Leslie Brun and Mellody Hobson share a desire to make a positive impact by investing in the world they want to see. Every individual on the team - at all levels - plays a role that is critical to our firm's success. We seek subject matter experts who are unapologetically themselves. We encourage our employees to reach their full potential and give them the runway, support, and resources to succeed.

Ariel celebrates diversity and practices inclusion as a way to get work done – it's in our DNA. As an equal opportunity employer, our employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, parental status, mental or physical disability, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. Ariel is committed to recruiting and retaining talented applicants, and to providing all employees with a workplace free from discrimination and/or harassment.

Position Summary

We are looking for an Executive Assistant to provide administrative support for 4+ executives. This person will be responsible for providing a variety of administrative assistance in the form of, but not limited to, managing calendars, scheduling meetings, preparing travel itineraries, compiling and analyzing basic information for inclusion in reports or presentation materials, preparing charts, graphs, or tables as necessary, and monitoring email and incoming correspondence while facilitating communications to the staff (as directed) and gathering information as needed. This person will be expected to liaise with a variety of functions throughout the organization. Position will be located in our NY office and travel to the office will be required once WFH restrictions are lifted.

The individual will also be responsible for:

• Providing administrative assistance, such as writing and editing emails, drafting memos and preparing communications on the executive's behalf.
• Calendar management including scheduling, rearranging, and cancelling meetings.
• Organizing in person meetings, including scheduling, sending reminders and organizing catering when necessary
• Maintaining comprehensive and accurate records, documents and reports.
• Manage the preparation and submission of monthly expense reports
• Answering incoming phone calls in a polite and professional manner and accurately taking messages
• Welcoming visitors and identifying the purpose of their visit before directing them to the appropriate department
• Managing the executive's day-to-day calendar, including making appointments and prioritizing the most sensitive matters
• Coordinating travel arrangements (both domestic and international) and create trip itineraries
• Using various software, including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software to prepare reports and/or special projects.

Experience and Qualifications

• Min 3 years of relevant administrative experience
• Track record of excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Organized & dependable person with keen attention to detail
• Self-starter who needs minimal supervision, exercises good judgement, basic reasoning skills and has ability to multi-task
• Great work ethic, willing to go the extra mile to get the job done
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities with ease
• Prior history of working with private and sensitive information and maintaining full confidentiality
• Experience in private equity or investment/asset management is a very strong plus

Computer Skills Needed to Perform this Job

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel)
  • Knowledge of VLOOKUP's, pivot tables, and basic macro VBAs in Excel is a plus

Competencies

Communicate Effectively

Is able to clearly and succinctly communicate verbally and in writing in a variety of settings and styles; can get messages across that have the desired effect.

Customer Focus

Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets firsthand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Time Management

Uses his/her time effectively and efficiently; values time; concentrates his/her efforts on the more important priorities; gets more done in less time than others; can attend to a broader range of activities.

Priority Setting

Spends his/her time and the time of others on what's important; quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside; can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus.

Dealing with Ambiguity

Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn't upset when things are up in the air; doesn't have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.

Action Oriented

Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy for the things that he/she sees as challenging; not fearful of acting with a minimum of planning; seizes more opportunities than others.