JOB SUMMARY: This position acts as strategic partner to President/CEO proactively finding ways to maximize CEO's time while minimizing obstacles and supporting efforts to complete strategic initiatives and organizational goals. Act as a trusted leader using high integrity, discernment, and confidentiality. Provides general administrative support to CEO and Executive Leadership Team (ELT).

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• 10+ years of experience in: (1) supporting a CEO or top-level executives; or (2) progressively increasing work responsibility in business, or in not-for-profit organizations, and/or (3) experience in HR, administration, communications, or related fields a plus.
• Bachelors in communication, business, or equivalent required.
• Ability to manage up, set boundaries, and hold people accountable.

JOB DUTIES:

• Manage the CEO's work calendar, personal schedule, and travel logistics.
• 1. Manage technology and setup of video and conference meetings.
• 2. Act as the central point of contact in support of the CEO.
• 3. Research, create and/or edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations for the CEO.
• 4. Plan meetings and logistics for external board meetings, executive meetings, including preparing agendas, sourcing hotels, securing air travel, managing contracts, coordinating arrangements, communicating with attendees, arranging hotel and ground transportation, catering, tech equipment set up, expense reporting, editing and finalizing all meeting pre-read materials; sending out materials and pre-reads.
• 5. Serve as initial contact for CEO, providing interruption management, screening calls, visitors, etc.
• 6. Keep CEO visible and connected with employees and customers by scheduling meetings including skip-level meetings, Coffee with CEO, location visits, customer feedback meetings, producer presentations, etc.
• 7. Handle meeting prep for the CEO including gathering information, preparing agendas and presentations for the CEO.
• 8. Manage merger activity spreadsheet and prepare bi-annual presentation with CEO for board of directors.
• 9. Track CEO goals and review monthly with CEO to ensure progress towards goal completion.
• 10. Attend Senior Leadership Team (SLT) meetings as directed by CEO, keeping minutes, tracking action items, and sharing with attendees.
• 11. Track CEOs participation on industry boards and committees.
• 12. Keep pertinent documentation, correspondence, and files for CEO
• 13. Provide event planning for executive meetings, board meetings, strategic planning retreats, C-Team regional meetings and monthly manager's meetings including venue and hotel logistics, catering, agenda, and presentation creation.
• 14. Act as a liaison for the board of directors providing communication, calendaring, booking travel and managing industry event registrations.
• 15. Manage BoardEffect library, updating and archiving, as needed. Prepare monthly board report and upload to board portal.
• 16. Partner with Marketing division to plan/coordinate MKC meetings including Annual Meeting, Ag Symposium, and others as needed. Assist with proofreading of brochures and newsletters.
• 17. Handle bulk registrations, hotel, and travel arrangements for meetings that multiple employees attend including industry events and conferences. Book same for individual employees without company credit cards.
• 18. Book venues and catering for miscellaneous meetings as needed by other departments.
• 19. Research, recommend and manage annual Christmas gift for employees working with HR and Marketing on timeline, messaging, holiday card and logistical details.
• 20. Manage internal company library, making book purchases and tracking book check-out.
• 21. Manage donations and sponsorships requests for MKC and MWF including researching and completing grant applications for matching donation requests through Land O'Lakes, CoBank, CHS, and Growmark.
• 22. Handle meeting prep for the CEO including gathering information, preparing notes for the CEO to review, preparing executive-level briefings, and distribution to relevant attendees.
• 23. Handle incoming mail addressed to the CEO to ensure it is properly received, reviewed and routed, and responded to in a timely fashion.
• 24. Establish and maintain appropriate files, logs, and records including confidential information.
• 25. Implement administrative support process improvements, as needed.
• 26. Demonstrate presence and effectively engage across diverse groups of people including employees, suppliers, community members, executives, guests, friends, family, and other constituents.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT:

Appropriate personal protective equipment in restrictive areas.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Anticipates needs and challenges, proactively develops and implements solutions.
• The ability to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive information. Utmost discretion in all aspects of the job; both business and personal.
• The ability to work independently and efficiently with ambiguity.
• Experience collaborating across diverse company departments.
• Organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with impeccable multi-tasking abilities.
• Makes decisions that positively impact the current and future state of the business.
• Develops meaningful relationships and collaborates across MKC and other boards, organizations and communities.
• Continuously changes the status quo and seeks ways to improve and develop.
• Dynamic and proactive and comfortable in an uncertain, fast-paced environment.
• Polished, professional demeanor and strong interpersonal skills.
• Available to work some off-hours at times.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Job involves work inside a climate-controlled office atmosphere.

This job description does not list all the duties of the job. You may be asked to perform other duties. Management has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not a contract for employment, and either you or the employer may terminate employment at any time, for any reason.

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