Senior Executive Assistant (Office of the CEO)

About Us:

The Brenda Strafford Foundation (BSF) is a Calgary-based not-for-profit with national and international reach. Rooted in community, we operate, fund, and convene efforts that move the needle in aging, health, and other vital social causes.

The BSF Way:

Putting people first is a way of life at BSF. It's in our values and it's central to the way we do things. We believe in a person-centered approach to our care, services, and environment. By responding to the individual needs of those we serve, we can all play an important role in optimizing well-being and enriching lives... one person at a time.

Through the BSF Way, we uphold our 8 Commitments to:

• Get to know what makes a person unique
• Enable and respect choices
• Champion everyone's abilities, interests and aspirations
• Deliver "wow" service
• Do little things that can make a big difference
• Be the reason someone smiles
• Make people feel at home
• Be present in the moment

The Role:

Reporting to the CEO and supporting the EVP & CFO, the Senior Executive Assistant is a discreet, strategic, and operational partner. The role spans executive planning and support, communications, governance, and office operations. You connect strategy, operations, grants, giving, innovation, and research to enable timely, well-informed decisions through structured agendas, high-quality briefings, coordinated execution, and disciplined follow-through. Success requires excellent judgment, confidentiality, and the ability to synthesize complexity into clear next steps.

You’ll collaborate with cross-functional leaders and external partners in a dynamic, supportive environment that values smart experimentation and continuous improvement. 

What you’ll own

• Executive operations: Manage the CEO’s calendar, travel, and briefings; provide secondary support to the EVP & CFO; maintain a 4 to 6-week lookahead.
• Leadership cadence: Co-ordinate twice-monthly Senior Leadership Team meetings with agendas, pre-reads, decision and action logs, and follow-through to closure.
• Board and committees: Orchestrate Board meeting cycles, packages, minutes, motions, records, policy updates, and logistics.
• Executive communications: Draft and edit emails, memos, speaking notes and decks, and translate complex inputs into clear decisions.
• Strategy tracking: Maintain the organization-wide annual operating plan and tactics tracker; identify risks, dependencies, and KPIs.
• Special projects and cross-functional initiatives: Lead projects sponsored by the CEO or EVP.
• Risk tracking and readiness: Maintain the organization-wide risk register, integrating top risks into SLT and Board packs and post-mortems.
• Contracts coordination: Serve as the point person for corporate contracts, ensuring policy compliance and proper retention and storage.
• Governance and escalation: Maintain decision logs and ensure the right owners make the right calls at the right time.

Why Join Us:

At The Brenda Strafford Foundation, we are more than a workplace—we are a united team. We believe in fostering a culture where you can grow, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact. You'll be part of a team that values empathy, compassion, and innovation.Professional growth is built in through leadership programs, workshops, conferences, and mentorship.

Who We're Looking For:

As a proven right hand to the C-suite in a mission-driven setting, you pair board savviness with crisp executive communication, sound judgment, and flexibility. Your experience and mindset are supported by:

• 5+ years as a senior Executive Assistant, Executive Business Partner, or Chief of Staff-lite role supporting a CEO, CFO, or C-suite.
• Nonprofit, research, or foundation experience is a plus.
• Board governance experience including materials preparation, minutes, committee coordination, and action tracking in a mission-driven setting.
• Executive-level writing that turns complex inputs (program, research, financials) into concise memos and clean, executive-ready decks.
• Sound judgment and discretion with calm urgency, high confidentiality, and the tact to protect priorities through clear processes.
• Range and versatility switching among Chief of Staff lite, Office Manager, and Executive Assistant modes.
• Systems-minded and tech-comfortable: curious, creative, and fluent with tools and light processes that streamline work, such as Microsoft 365 (SharePoint, PowerPoint) and AI tools (Copilot, ChatGPT).
• Proactive, can-do energy that anticipates needs, maximizes meeting productivity, and elevates executive engagements.

Additional Information:

In accordance with Alberta's Protection for Persons in Care Act, a criminal record check is required for successful candidates.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The Brenda Strafford Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating and celebrating an environment of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility for all employees.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re ready to bring your expertise to a place where your work will truly matter, apply today and become a vital part of our compassionate team!