Operations Specialist/Executive Assistant

Department:

We are Walker & Dunlop.  We are one of the largest providers of capital to the commercial real estate industry, enabling real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities — where people live, work, shop, and play — to life. We are committed to creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities. We believe seeking diverse talent and promoting the inclusion of all perspectives are more than moral imperatives – they are critical to our success and ability to innovate and grow.

Department Overview

Walker & Dunlop’s Affordable Housing Group is recognized as a leader in the industry.  With multiple business lines including Debt, LIHTC Equity, Affordable Investment Sales, Preservation, Affordable Development and Capital Advisory services, this team of over 200 professionals has a wide array of expertise across the entire capital stack in affordable housing.  Our team is on a mission to improve our nation’s affordable housing stock and ensure people have access to stable, quality, and safe housing. We do that by providing services and capital for the development and preservation of all types of affordable housing across the United States. Our unique platform drives strong financial returns for clients and supports the development of thriving communities where people can afford to live where they work, shop, and play.

The Impact You Will Have

Reporting to the Head of Strategy and Operations, your primary responsibility will be providing executive management support to the EVP of Affordable Housing. In this role, you will focus on proactively managing calendars, coordinating meetings, and overseeing various reports, data tracking, and analysis to ensure seamless support for the EVP and the leadership team. Additionally, you will assist with marketing initiatives, events, and fostering relationships with internal and external stakeholders. 

This position offers a valuable opportunity to gain insight into the Affordable Housing businesses and operational management while supporting the leadership team’s success in achieving their stated goals and objectives. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Calendar Management: Proactively oversee and manage complex calendars for the EVP and leadership team, ensuring efficient scheduling of meetings, appointments, and travel. Coordinate and book travel arrangements, including flights, accommodations, and ground transportation, while anticipating and addressing potential scheduling conflicts. Continuously adjust and prioritize calendar activities to accommodate changing priorities and deadlines.
• Expense Management: Accurately process and manage expense reports, including reconciling receipts, tracking spending, and ensuring compliance with company policies. Monitor and resolve discrepancies, prepare detailed summaries for leadership review, and ensure timely submission to meet all reporting deadlines.
• Executive Meeting Coordination: Organize and coordinate meetings by scheduling, preparing materials, communicating with participants, taking notes, and providing follow-up actions. Lead meetings when necessary to ensure smooth execution.
• Event and Marketing Coordination: Plan and execute group meetings and events for the team while collaborating with the marketing team to prepare and review materials, ensuring accuracy in content and layout.
• Technology Support: Manage technology needs and troubleshoot issues in collaboration with the WDTech team to ensure seamless functionality.
• Data Management and Reporting: Partner with the Director of Strategy and Operations and the Business Operations Manager to track, analyze, and report on business data that aligns with strategic goals. Regularly verify the accuracy of department data in systems such as Salesforce, Box, and other platforms.
• Intranet Management: Oversee and maintain the Affordable team WDConnect site to ensure it serves as an effective communication and information resource.
• Additional Responsibilities: Perform other duties as assigned to support the team’s objectives.

Organizational Management

• Critical Thinking and Resourcefulness: Demonstrates proactive thinking, sound judgment, and a thorough understanding of the Executives’ goals to make informed decisions and complete tasks effectively.
• Follow-Through: Takes ownership of tasks and ensures completion by tracking progress and providing timely reminders to staff about deadlines when needed.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Manages scheduling challenges and conflicts associated with Executives’ daily calendars with effective communication and problem-solving, collaborating with teammates, clients, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Efficiency: Plans and conducts meetings with clear, efficient agendas; proactively facilitates team communications; and ensures agendas and meeting materials are prepared and distributed in advance.
• Organization: Maintains meticulous organization of highly confidential business documents, personal paperwork, and personnel records.
• Team Player: Builds strong relationships with colleagues to execute day-to-day assignments and cross-company initiatives effectively, staying aligned with company and team dynamics, and fostering a collaborative culture.
• Self-Directed and Organized: Effectively manages multiple projects in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision while maintaining attention to detail and organization.
• Prioritization: Prioritizes tasks and identifies solutions to administrative challenges. Regularly negotiates and resolves time-sensitive issues independently.
• Analytical and Process-Oriented: Demonstrates strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a natural drive to improve processes and workflows.

Technology Skills

• Proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Box.  Utilizes advanced functions in these programs to create memos, charts, graphs, tables, presentations, reports and data analysis, as needed by the team.
• Ability to utilize Zoom for meeting planning, including advanced Zoom features to help run team meetings.
• Proficiency in Salesforce, PowerBI, and other technology and social media tools is a plus.
• General ability and interest in learning new technology and leveraging technology to improve processes, drive efficiency and support the Executive and leadership team with their needs.

Communication Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with clients, internal teams, and industry partners at all levels.
• High level of situational awareness and ability to adapt communication style accordingly.
• Courtesy, respect, and thoughtfulness in teaming with colleagues and other stakeholders.
• Represents the Executive and leadership team with integrity in communications and interactions with guests, clients, vendors, and other corporate stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building abilities and interpersonal skills.
• Takes, interprets, and follows instructions well.

General Skills and Abilities

• Ability to adopt to varying schedules and provide support during evenings, weekend, or holidays when needed.
• Excellent attention to detail, judgment, and dependability, including the ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to show ownership of work, take on challenges and acknowledge growth opportunities, and demonstrate patience when learning new processes.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Financial services or professional services experience a plus.
• 7-10 years of experience supporting executives in a corporate environment.

This position has an estimated base salary of $70,000 - $90,000 plus discretionary bonus. An employment offer is based on the applicant’s relevant work experience, applicable knowledge, skills, abilities, internal equity, and alignment with market data. 

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What We Offer  

• The opportunity to join one of Fortune Magazine’s Great Places to Work winners from 2015-2023 

• Comprehensive benefit options* that have earned Walker & Dunlop the silver level of the 2022 Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation™, some of which include:
    - Up to 83% subsidized medical payroll deductions
    - Competitive dental and vision benefits
    - 401(k) + match
    - Pre-tax transit and commuting benefits
    - A robust health and wellness program – earn cash rewards and gain access to resources that
      promote health, engagement, and balance
    - Paid maternity and parental leave, as well as other family paid leave programs
    - Company-paid life, short and long-term disability insurance
    - Health Savings Account and Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending 

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with employee resource groups organizing activities and providing a space for open communication 

• Career development opportunities 

• Empowerment and encouragement to give back – volunteer hours and donation matching 

 
*Eligibility may vary based on average number of hours worked 

EEO Statement

We are committed to equity in all steps of the recruitment and employment experience. We believe in equal access to opportunities in our workplace.  We do not tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on any characteristic protected by applicable law, such as race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, sex, age, disability, veteran or military status, and genetic information.  We strive to be a safe place to ask questions, build professional relationships, and develop careers.

SPAM
Please be wary of recruitment scams. An indication of a scam might be a request for sensitive or bank information at the time of application or emails coming from a non walkerdunlop.com email address. Please call us at 301.215.5500, if you have any concerns about information requested during or after the application process.

Fair Chance Hiring

Background checks, including any questions related to infractions, arrests, or conviction records, will not be conducted until after a conditional offer of employment has been accepted. We will consider for employment qualified applicants regardless of arrest and conviction records, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.