Executive Assistant and Board Liaison - #8465S

Are you a highly organized administrative extraordinaire with a passion for fresh, healthy and delicious food? If so, we may have the perfect role for you!

Located in Folsom, California, The California Walnut Board is a leading organization dedicated to promoting the exceptional quality and versatility of California walnuts. They work tirelessly to increase consumer demand for walnuts, both domestically and internationally. Through their comprehensive marketing programs, they showcase walnuts as the ideal choice for cooking, baking, snacking, and food manufacturing. Their focus on production, post-harvest, health research, and export marketing ensures that their growers' hard work is rewarded with increased sales and market recognition.

The California Walnut Board is hiring an Executive Assistant & Board Liaison to become a key player in supporting their executive leadership team and the Board of Directors. This dynamic role is perfect for someone who enjoys good food, thrives in a fast-paced environment, loves coordinating high-level events, and has a passion for building strong relationships with stakeholders.

In this role, you'll directly impact the operations of the executive team and Board, driving decisions that influence the industry's future. You'll collaborate with passionate professionals and industry leaders who value your insights, fostering an environment where your contributions are recognized. The variety in this position ensures no two days are the same as you balance strategic tasks with hands-on operational details, keeping your work dynamic and rewarding. You'll also have ample opportunities for professional growth, gaining exposure to top-level decision-making and building relationships with key industry players.

As the Executive Assistant and Board Liaison, you will be essential to leadership operations, ensuring every board meeting runs smoothly and every request from the leadership team is handled with precision. You'll manage high-stakes logistics, from scheduling and organizing meetings to ensuring compliance with USDA and CDFA regulations for board elections and referendums. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring the effective functioning of our executive and board operations.

The California Walnut Board offers a dynamic and supportive work environment in their Folsom office. Their team is comprised of passionate professionals dedicated to the success of the walnut industry.

They provide competitive salaries and benefits, as well as opportunities for professional growth and development.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
Provide comprehensive administrative support to the CEO and Executive Team

• Schedule meetings, events, and travel arrangements.
• Manage incoming and outgoing correspondence, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Process expense reports and ensure compliance with company policies.
• Adhere to USDA/CDFA compliance mandates.

Serve as a key liaison between the Board of Directors and the executive team

• Schedule and coordinate Board and Committee meetings.
• Record and distribute accurate meeting minutes.
• Orienting new members, addressing inquiries, and maintaining relevant documents.
• Ensure the accuracy and accessibility of corporate documents.

Manage the elections of Board members/alternatives in compliance with USDA, CDFA, and company policies

• Send timely notifications to the industry.
• Verify the accuracy of nomination packets.
• Maintain accurate grower mailing lists, Develop, print, and distribute ballots.
• Coordinate ballot counting with regulatory agencies and communicate election results to the industry.

Serve as a communication channel between the executive team and external stakeholders

• Handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Respond to inquiries from Board members and industry stakeholders.
• Foster positive relationships with industry, stakeholders, and government officials.
• Facilitate communication with elected and regulatory officials.
• Participate in the crisis communications team as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• At least five years of experience providing executive level support in a fast-paced environment
• Associate or bachelor’s degree highly preferred
• Prior experience in event planning of meetings and events, working with outside vendors, desired
• Experience with government entities, trade associations, corporate Boards of Directors is preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively present information and respond to stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical skills: ability to quickly aggregate and analyze information
• Ability to take initiative, act independently and direct one’s own work.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build effective relationships with staff, key stakeholders, external partners and government officials.
• Able to handle stressful situations with measured calmness and decisiveness.
• An interest in delicious, fresh and healthy food is a must!

ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA WALNUT INDUSTRY:
The California walnut industry, comprised of 4,600+ growers and 70+ processors, represents 99% of the production of walnuts in the United States and close to 50% of world trade. The California Walnut Board (CWB) was established in 1948 to represent the walnut growers and handlers of California and is funded by mandatory assessments of the handlers with primary activities including domestic marketing along with production and post-harvest research. The California Walnut Commission (CWC), established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of the growers with primary activities, including international market development and scientific health research. The CWC also receives funding through grants offered by the US Department of Agriculture for export marketing activities.
 
The California walnut industry is built on core values, which include operating with honesty and integrity. Our mandates, as a federal marketing order and state commission, necessitate an environment of equity, inclusion and respect in compliance with USDA federal and California state policies that prohibit discrimination in all programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital/familial/parental status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, or because all or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance programs.

This Job has a $1,000 Referral Reward!

If you would like to discuss this job opportunity in 100% confidentiality with a Joe Produce Search Consultant, please call Recruiting at 855-563-7763, or email recruiting@joeproduce.com