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Executive Assistant/Development Services Lead
Pacific Whale Foundation incorporated
Administration
Wailuku, HI, USA
USD 65k-70k / year
Posted on Feb 18, 2026
Join Our Team at One of Hawaii's Best Places to Work in 2024!
Pacific Whale Foundation has an immediate opening for an experienced Executive Assistant and Development Services Lead!
Position: Executive Assistant to the ED/CEO & Development Services Lead, Regular Full Time, Exempt
Location: On-site, based at PWF Headquarters in Ma'alaea Harbor, Maui, HI
Pay: $65,000 to $70,000 a year, depending on skillset and experience
About Us: Pacific Whale Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to our mission of protecting the ocean through science and advocacy. Since 1980, we have made a significant impact on marine environments and wildlife across the Pacific region, including Hawaii, Japan and Australia. Our mission is to inspire environmental stewardship and promote ocean conservation.
What We Offer:
- Competitive pay
- Comprehensive benefits including PTO, health insurance and 401K
- Free Ecotours
- A fun, relaxed workplace environment
Role Overview:
The Executive Assistant to the ED/CEO & Development Services Lead is a trusted, cross-functional role providing high-level executive support to the Executive Director / CEO while leading core Development operations and donor services for Pacific Whale Foundation.
Serving as both the sole Executive Assistant to the ED/CEO and the primary administrator for Development operations, this individual safeguards donor trust, ensures financial integrity, and supports informed decision-making across Executive and Development leadership. The role requires exceptional judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and experience in administrative operations, financial reconciliation, or nonprofit development services.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Development Operations, Donor Services & Revenue Oversight (Approx. 55–60%)
- Own day-to-day Development administrative operations supporting fundraising, donor stewardship, and executive donor relationships.
- Process, record, and reconcile all forms of contributed revenue in Neon CRM and coordinate monthly reconciliations with Accounting.
- Serve as the primary liaison between Development and Accounting for contributed income, grants tracking, audits, and financial reviews.
- Maintain high-integrity donor records and resolve discrepancies related to gifts, payments, and donor intent.
- Oversee gift acknowledgment workflows to ensure timely, accurate, and IRS-compliant donor recognition.
- Prepare donor summaries, giving histories, and trend analyses to support executive, Development, and stewardship strategy.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for donor and guest inquiries, ensuring a professional and service-oriented donor experience.
- Coordinate Development-related mailings, acknowledgments, member benefits, and fulfillment activities.
- Identify and recommend improvements to development workflows, operations, reconciliation processes, and the donor experience.
Executive Support to the ED / CEO (Approx. 40–45%)
- Serve as the sole Executive Assistant to the Executive Director / CEO.
- Manage complex executive calendars, travel, priorities, and meeting logistics with an understanding of governance, donor, and organizational commitments.
- Monitor and manage executive correspondence, drafting responses and routing communications as appropriate.
- Coordinate meetings involving board members, committees, major donors, partners, regulators, and senior leadership.
- Serve as the primary scheduling liaison between the ED/CEO and the Board of Directors.
- Prepare agendas, briefing materials, donor profiles, and background notes for executive, donor, and board meetings.
- Track executive and board-related commitments, follow-ups, and action items to ensure accountability.
- Prepare executive expense reports and reimbursements accurately and on schedule.
- Act as a gatekeeper and point of triage for executive requests, exercising sound judgment and discretion.
- Partner with the ED/CEO on special projects and cross-functional initiatives tied to executive and Development priorities.
- Other duties as assigned.
Volunteer Support (As Needed)
- Coordinate task-level support for Development administrative volunteers during peak periods in collaboration with Development Operations and Volunteer staff.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience in executive support, administrative operations, accounting/bookkeeping, or development services.
- Demonstrated ability to handle confidential financial and donor information with accuracy and discretion.
- Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365, including strong Excel skills.
Preferred
- Experience in nonprofit Development operations.
- CRM experience (Neon CRM preferred; Salesforce acceptable).
- Experience supporting executive leadership, boards, audits, or compliance workflows.
Why Join us?
The work you do with Pacific Whale Foundation directly supports our mission to protect the ocean and promote environmental stewardship. This is more than just a job-it's an opportunity to contribute to meaningful change while enjoying a rewarding and supportive work environment.
Pacific Whale Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
Pacific Whale Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to the principles of equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, arrest and court record, domestic or sexual violence victim status, reproductive health decision-making, credit history, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law.
We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and equitable workplace.
If you require reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact us at HRDepartment@pacificwhale.org.
All job offers are contingent upon completion of a background check.