Description
OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE & EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Autism Tree Project Foundation | San Diego, CA
Starting Pay: $24–$26/hour, depending on experience and qualifications
Initial Schedule: Approximately 30 hours/week for the first 2–3 months
Full-Time: 40 hours/week following a successful introductory period
Schedule: Tuesday–Saturday preferred; occasional evenings and Sundays required
JOB DESCRIPTION
ABOUT AUTISM TREE
Autism Tree Project Foundation is a small, mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping the autism community live our best lives.
For more than 20 years, we've built a community centered around acceptance, connection, empowerment, creativity, and meaningful relationships. We provide free programs, services, events, resources, and opportunities for families, individuals, volunteers, and community partners.
We are a small team—and that's part of what makes Autism Tree special.
Everyone contributes. Everyone wears multiple hats. Everyone helps.
And most importantly:
Everyone Belongs Here.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Autism Tree is looking for an Operations Associate & Executive Assistant to join our A-Team.
The primary focus of this position is day-to-day operations—helping keep our office, systems, programs, volunteers, interns, staff, and organizational details moving forward.
The position will also provide secondary Executive Assistant support to our Executive Director, including scheduling, meetings, communications, Board support, and special organizational priorities.
There is also an opportunity to become involved in fundraising and donor development, particularly for someone who enjoys building genuine relationships and connecting with people from all walks of life.
This is a hands-on nonprofit position. One day you may be organizing databases and office systems. The next, you may be coordinating volunteers, preparing for an event, welcoming families, helping a donor, or solving an unexpected problem.
We're looking for someone who gets things done—and cares about doing them well.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Operations & Administration
- Support day-to-day nonprofit operations.
- Maintain organizational systems, files, databases, forms, and records.
- Help develop checklists, procedures, workflows, and systems.
- Support office needs, vendors, supplies, equipment, invoices, and administrative tracking.
- Assist with staff, intern, and volunteer onboarding.
- Identify opportunities to improve organization, communication, and efficiency.
Volunteers & Interns
Work closely with our Volunteer Coordinator to help ensure volunteers and interns feel like part of the Autism Tree team—not just people who fill a spot.
Responsibilities include communication, onboarding, scheduling, records, event preparation, engagement, and hands-on support at programs and events.
Family Programs & Events
Work alongside our Family Care Coordinator and team to help make programs and events organized, welcoming, and successful.
Responsibilities may include:
- Program materials and supplies
- Schedules and registrations
- Volunteer and staff coordination
- Vendors and community partners
- Event logistics and setup
- Family and participant communications
- Check-in and day-of-event needs
- Troubleshooting when plans change
Fundraising & Donor Relationships
Fundraising helps keep Autism Tree's programs and services free for families.
Fundraising experience is not required. This position may assist with donor communications, acknowledgments, events, follow-up, stewardship, research, and special fundraising initiatives.
As experience develops, there may be opportunities to take on greater responsibility for donor engagement and fundraising initiatives.
Executive Assistant Support
Provide secondary support to our Executive Director with:
- Calendar and meeting coordination
- Donor, Board, speaker, and community partner scheduling
- Meeting materials, agendas, notes, and follow-up
- Communications and correspondence
- Tracking commitments and deadlines
- Board meeting logistics
- Special projects and organizational priorities
- Confidential information and executive files
As trust and experience develop, there may be opportunities to work more directly with the Executive Director on operations, special initiatives, fundraising, and leadership priorities.
HOW THIS ROLE FITS INTO THE TEAM
This position is an important connector across Autism Tree.
- Executive Director: Organizational leadership, Board, donors, major initiatives, and overall mission.
- Director of Operations: Organizational operations, systems, program development, community partnerships, administrative functions, and day-to-day infrastructure.
- Family Care Coordinator: Families, programs, resources, communications, and family-centered support.
- Volunteer Coordinator: Volunteers and interns, including communication, scheduling, onboarding, engagement, and event preparation.
- Operations Associate & Executive Assistant: Helps connect the dots between these areas—keeping information moving, following up, supporting the team, and making sure people have what they need.
CAREER GROWTH & ADVANCEMENT
This position is designed to be a long-term growth opportunity within Autism Tree.
Our anticipated operations career path is:
Operations Associate & Executive Assistant
↓
Senior Operations Associate
↓
Operations Manager
↓
Director of Operations
As you grow, you may take ownership of larger operational areas, lead projects and events, develop systems, take on greater volunteer and fundraising responsibilities, train others, and grow into organizational leadership.
Advancement is based on demonstrated performance, increased responsibility, leadership, organizational needs, and readiness—not simply time in a position.
Employees will receive regular performance reviews, particularly during the first year. Performance-based compensation increases may be considered as the employee demonstrates growth and takes on additional responsibilities, based on organizational needs and available budget.
Requirements
What We're Looking For
We are looking for a hard-working, highly organized, dependable, proactive, and people-oriented A-Team player.
You may be a great fit if you:
- Take ownership and follow through.
- Are highly organized and detail-oriented.
- Can manage multiple priorities and changing responsibilities.
- Think ahead and notice what others may miss.
- Communicate clearly, respectfully, and professionally.
- Work well with different personalities.
- Are comfortable asking questions, learning, and figuring things out.
- Roll up your sleeves and help wherever needed.
- Don't think any task is "beneath you" when it helps the team or the families we serve.
- Enjoy working with volunteers, interns, families, donors, and community partners.
- Stay calm and resourceful when plans change.
- Take pride in creating organized, welcoming, and positive experiences for others.
- Have leadership potential and want to grow.
- Genuinely care about the mission of Autism Tree.
We are not looking for someone who simply wants a job. We're looking for someone who wants to be part of an A-Team.
Required Qualifications
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and changing priorities.
- Strong follow-through and accountability.
- Ability to work independently while also being a collaborative team member.
- Comfortable working with volunteers, interns, families, donors, community partners, and staff.
- Comfortable learning new technology, databases, and organizational systems.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgment.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends.
- Genuine interest in Autism Tree's mission and the community we serve.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience working in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
- Experience coordinating volunteers or interns.
- Experience with programs, events, or community engagement.
- Experience with administrative or operations responsibilities.
- Experience with nonprofit databases or CRM systems.
- Experience supporting an Executive Director, CEO, or organizational leader.
- Experience with fundraising, donor relations, or community development.
- Interest in developing into a nonprofit operations leadership role.
Equivalent professional experience will be considered in place of a degree.
Fundraising & Relationship-Building
Fundraising experience is not required.
We are especially interested in someone who is:
- Comfortable talking with people from all walks of life.
- Warm, authentic, and curious.
- A good listener.
- Respectful of people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.
- Naturally interested in building genuine relationships.
- Comfortable representing Autism Tree to donors, community members, businesses, and partners.
Warmth, authenticity, curiosity, and relationship-building ability are more important than previous fundraising experience.
Schedule & Availability
- Approximately 30 hours/week for the first 2–3 months.
- Opportunity to move to 40 hours/week following a successful introductory period.
- Tuesday–Saturday preferred.
- Occasional evenings and Sundays required for programs, conferences, fundraisers, and community events.
Team & Culture
Autism Tree is a close-knit team where everyone contributes.
Some days are organized. Some days are unpredictable. Sometimes the plan changes five times before lunch.
That's nonprofit life.
We help each other. We figure things out. We celebrate each other's wins. And we care deeply about the individuals, families, and community we serve.
Our values are:
EMBRACE — We embrace every family with love and acceptance.
CONNECT — We connect every family with a community of resources.
EMPOWER — We empower you to build a better world by investing in your vision.
CREATE — We create organic relationships, meaningful opportunities, and lasting friendships.
COMPENSATION
Starting Pay: $24–$26/hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
Performance-based compensation increases may be considered through regular performance reviews based on demonstrated performance, increased responsibility, organizational needs, and available budget.
HOW TO APPLY
Please send:
Resume + brief cover letter + three professional references
to:
Rebecca Barron
Director of Operations
Autism Tree Project Foundation
rebecca@autismtree.org
Subject: Operations Associate & Executive Assistant Application
If you're someone who loves organization, people, purpose, and getting things done, we'd love to hear from you.
Come be part of the Autism Tree A-Team.
