Back to jobs

Special Assistant to the President and CEO

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Position Summary:

Are you a proactive and detail-oriented professional with experience supporting organization leaders? If so, Democracy Forward is looking for a Special Assistant to the President and CEO to join our team.

We are seeking a Special Assistant to the President and CEO (Special Assistant), who will serve as a close personal aide to Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman. The Special Assistant will be responsible for managing daily logistics, coordinating movements, and ensuring the principal is prepared and supported in all professional and personal capacities.

This position is based in Washington, DC, and expected to be in the downtown Washington, DC, office at least several days a week and will include domestic travel with the principal. 

Key Responsibilities:

Schedule & Logistics Management:

  • Coordinate closely with Executive Office (EO) team members, ensure the principal stays on schedule and manage transitions between meetings, events, and travel.
  • Provide real-time updates to both the President and CEO and EO team members on any itinerary changes and proactively address delays.
  • Coordinate with security and relevant staff to ensure seamless movements.
  • Carry and manage key materials (briefing documents, speaking notes, devices, extra personal bags,clothing and accessories, etc.).

Travel Coordination:

  • Oversee all aspects of travel logistics, including arrivals, departures, ground transportation, and accommodations.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for travel-related personnel.
  • Handle last-minute travel adjustments and troubleshoot any on-the-go issues.

Communications & Briefing Support:

  • Maintain direct communication with the principal and senior staff to provide real-time updates.
  • Ensure the principal has all necessary materials, including schedules, talking points, and background notes.
  • Manage on-the-go communications, including handling calls, emails, and in-person briefings.

Event & Meeting Support:

  • As directed and as needed by EO team members, either travel with, or arrive prior to, the principal at events and meetings held outside the DF offices to ensure seamless arrival and on-site support. This may involve travel outside of the DC region.
  • Serve as the principal’s liaison with event organizers, VIPs, and staff.
  • Ensure event materials are prepared ahead of time and ready for the principal to distribute, including DF informational materials, DF logo merchandise, and the proper presentation and packaging of the materials. Working with the operations team, ensure that the suite of potential materials are in stock in the DF office in sufficient quantities and coordinate with the DF ops team to order additional materials as needed.
  • Ensure DF meeting rooms and event spaces, including the principal's office, are properly set up before arrival of principal and guests and that all technology is working properly. This includes quick tidying/working with DF ops team to tidy internal office spaces that guests will be exposed to during a visit - Skye’s office, entry way, kitchen, etc.)
  • Identify and resolve any issues that could impact the principal’s experience at events.
  • Own and execute (at times with support from others in the EO) event follow up including ensuring new contacts are collected and stored, thank you notes and gifts are sent out, etc.
  • Create a checklist for event and trip advance and follow up so that others can support trips when the Special Assistant can not attend and/or when additional staff is needed.

Personal & Professional Assistance:

  • Anticipate and fulfill personal needs such as meals, hydration, and wardrobe adjustments, both in the office and at events
  • Manage essential items such as phones, chargers, medications, and other necessities.
  • Maintain strict discretion in handling confidential or sensitive matters.

Executive Administrative Support:

  • Manage timekeeping and expense reports for the CEO.

Crisis Management & Problem Solving:

  • Identify and mitigate unexpected issues swiftly and effectively.
  • Work closely with security personnel and staff to ensure the principal’s safety.
  • Maintain flexibility and adaptability to adjust to last-minute changes.

Qualifications:

We recognize that strong candidates may not meet 100% of the qualifications listed. If you believe you can contribute meaningfully to our team, we encourage you to apply.

  • 3-5 years years of experience supporting executives and/or principals.
  • Strong organizational and time management skills.
  • Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
  • Commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice in the workplace.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

  • This role may require occasional travel for team retreats, conferences, or organizational meetings.
  • This role may involve sitting for extended periods and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed.

 The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $105,000 commensurate with experience plus excellent benefits. Compensation is commensurate with experience. 

Democracy Forward is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals. We strongly encourage people of color; lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people; women; people with disabilities; and veterans to apply. Please note that all lawyer positions require a law degree and active membership in the bar of a state or the District of Columbia. 

Not sure you meet all of our qualifications? Research shows that men apply for jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Yet women and other people who are systematically marginalized tend to only apply if they meet every requirement.  If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. Whether you are new to mission-based legal and policy work, returning to work after a gap in employment, or simply looking to transition or take the next step in your career path, we welcome the opportunity to have you on our radar.  Please include in your cover letter the nature of your interest in legal and policy work promoting democracy and progress and what you hope to bring to our team and the role for which you are applying. 

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Democracy Forward’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.