MPTA Board Executive Assistant

Job Description

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department

Salary: $73,675.00 - $105,906.94 Commensurate with Experience

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we're committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year's sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It's an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We're excited about what's ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.
SUMMARY
The Executive Assistant works with MPTA/CATS staff to provide high-level administrative and operational support to the MPTA Board and serves as a trusted partner to the Board Administrator in managing Board operations, workflow, communications, scheduling, priorities, and governance activities. The role requires substantial independence, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to manage sensitive and high‑visibility administrative matters with professionalism and accuracy.
The position works with MPTA/CATS staff to support the Board Administrator and Board of Trustees by coordinating calendars, meetings, Board agendas and materials, communications, records, reports, travel, special projects, and follow‑up actions while serving as the central coordination point for Board Office operations. Responsibilities include preparing correspondence and meeting materials, maintaining official Board records, managing governance documentation, handling confidential information, and ensuring administrative tasks are completed accurately and in compliance with laws, policies, and public records requirements.
The Executive Assistant is expected to work with MPTA/CATS staff to anticipate administrative needs, identify issues requiring attention, prioritize competing demands, and independently manage a broad range of Board Office responsibilities. With strong initiative and judgment, the position helps ensure efficient Board governance, effective communication among Trustees, executive leadership, staff, elected officials, and the public, and smooth operation of Board and committee activities.

Leadership Support
Provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Board Administrator and Board of Trustees.
Manage complex calendars, appointments, Board and committee scheduling, and coordination with Trustees, legal counsel, consultants, and external partners.
Prepare, proofread, format, and distribute Board agendas, packets, resolutions, correspondence, reports, and briefing materials.
Support daily Board Office operations and assist with Trustee onboarding and orientation.
Board Meetings, Travel, and Event Coordination
Coordinate logistics for Board and committee meetings, workshops, retreats, hearings, and special events.
Schedule meetings, confirm attendance, secure facilities, arrange technology needs, and prepare meeting materials.
Record or coordinate minutes, maintain attendance records, and track Board actions and follow-up items.
Coordinate travel arrangements, itineraries, reimbursements, and related administrative processes
support ceremonial events, community meetings, and Board recognition activities.

Executive Workflow and Board Communications
Manage incoming communications, requests, inquiries, and scheduling for the Board Office.
Prioritize matters requiring attention and ensure timely routing and follow-up.
Draft routine notices, correspondence, memoranda, and public communications.
Serve as the primary administrative contact for Trustees, executives, employees, elected officials, vendors, and the public.
Facilitate communication and information flow between Trustees, executive leadership, departments, and external stakeholders.
Board Office Coordination and Administrative Operations
Coordinate recurring governance activities, annual calendars, reporting cycles, and policy review schedules.
Maintain Board calendars, committee schedules, action logs, tracking tools, and administrative reference materials.
Support governance initiatives, policy updates, special projects, and cross-functional administrative tasks.
Monitor deadlines to ensure timely completion and distribution of Board materials and documentation.
Records Management and Governance Administration
Maintain official Board records, resolutions, policies, minutes, and governance archives.
Organize and maintain electronic and physical filing systems consistent with records retention requirements.
Assist with managing Board portals, document repositories, and governance databases.
Support compliance with public records laws, retention schedules, Board policies, and governance procedures.
Prepare, publish, and distribute agendas, minutes, and required public documents.
Financial and Administrative Support
Process invoices, purchase requests, reimbursements, contracts, and other administrative transactions.
Assist with monitoring Board Office expenditures, budgets, and administrative records.
Coordinate vendor and consultant documentation and purchasing activities in accordance with Authority policies.
Maintain tracking systems for contracts, projects, recurring Board activities, and operational deadlines.
Sensitive Information and Confidential Administrative Support
Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
Maintain confidential records involving personnel, legal, financial, procurement, governance, and strategic matters.
Exercise judgment when managing access to sensitive information and prioritizing requests.
Identify issues requiring escalation to the Board Administrator or executive leadership.
Ensure confidentiality, integrity, and security of Board records and communications.
Technology and Office Systems
Maintain electronic calendars, Board portals, document management systems, and collaboration platforms.
Support virtual meetings, electronic voting systems, and digital materials.
Use Microsoft Office Suite and enterprise software to prepare reports, presentations, spreadsheets, and documentation.
Recommend and implement improvements to enhance Board Office administrative efficiency.
Other Duties
Anticipate and proactively address recurring administrative needs.
Organize, prioritize, and manage multiple assignments while meeting critical deadlines.
Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned in support of the Board Office and executive leadership.
Core Competencies:
Strategic Prioritization
Ability to distinguish urgent from important matters, align support with Board priorities, and manage competing demands effectively.
Recognizes priority differences across Board requests, deadlines, and governance activities.
Organizes workflow to ensure timely execution of Board responsibilities.
Adjusts priorities as organizational or Board needs change.
Advanced Problem Solving
Ability to identify issues, evaluate impacts, determine practical solutions, and resolve complex administrative matters.
Independently resolves routine and complex administrative issues.
Identifies scheduling conflicts, process gaps, and operational barriers and implements solutions.
Uses judgment to escalate matters requiring Board Administrator, executive, or legal review.
Project and Meeting Coordination
Ability to organize timelines, logistics, communications, and follow-up activities for Board and committee operations.
Coordinates multiple activities involving Trustees, executives, consultants, and other stakeholders.
Tracks Board actions, deadlines, and deliverables to ensure timely completion.
Maintains continuity of Board Office operations through effective planning and follow-up.
Stakeholder and Relationship Management
Ability to establish and maintain productive relationships with Trustees and executive leadership while demonstrating professionalism and diplomacy.
Communicates effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Maintains credibility, discretion, and professionalism in all interactions.
Facilitates collaboration and information sharing across organizational boundaries.
Proactive Decision-Making
Ability to anticipate needs, identify emerging issues, and act within assigned authority to support efficient Board operations.
Anticipates recurring administrative needs.
Takes initiative to resolve issues and maintain workflow with minimal direction.
Determines when independent action is appropriate and when to elevate matters.
Governance and Administrative Excellence
Ability to provide accurate, professional administrative support within a public governance environment.
Coordinates governance activities with strong attention to detail.
Produces high-quality agendas, correspondence, reports, and documentation.
Maintains organized a