Ella Rose Benoit
Chicago,IL
Summary
Administrative Operations Specialist with over 5 years of experience in supporting senior leaders and optimizing workflows in nonprofit, government, and private sectors. Proficient in calendar management, cross-team coordination, and process improvement for remote and hybrid teams. Recognized for strong writing skills, meticulous attention to detail, and effective management of multiple priorities with sound judgment.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Administrative Operations Specialist
Diaz Group LLC
Calumet City, USA
06.2025 - Current
- Supported senior leadership by assessing operational and administrative gaps, and translating findings into actionable recommendations to improve workflows and decision-making.
- Coordinated multiple cross-functional projects by managing timelines, delegating assignments, and tracking deliverables using Asana and Monday.com.
- Researched and analyzed data to prepare monthly and quarterly PowerPoint presentations for senior leadership.
- Created and maintained 4–6 dashboards to track financial management, project outcomes, staff development progress, and staff feedback for continuous improvement.
- Drafted, organized, and maintained 15+ core internal documents, including SOPs, training materials, and policy updates.
- Led the revision of the employee handbook, implementing bilingual policies and audio tools to improve accessibility for staff with varied literacy levels.
Placement & Assessment Specialist
Peace Corps
Remote
12.2024 - 05.2025
- Coordinated high-volume administrative workflows supporting the screening, interviewing, and placement of 500+ candidates across multiple programs.
- Maintained applicant tracking systems and produced daily and weekly reports to monitor progress, compliance, and timelines.
- Scheduled interviews and coordinated communication among domestic teams, overseas staff, and medical/legal departments.
- Entered and maintained technical assistance and placement data to support accurate reporting and decision-making.
- Served as Monthly Duty Officer, handling confidential communications and coordinating crisis response with discretion and professionalism.
- Contributed to internal SOPs, standardized communications, and technical writing to improve clarity and consistency across teams.
Development Manager
Haymarket Center
Chicago, USA
08.2024 - 11.2024
- Led comprehensive fundraising initiatives, including 3 direct mail appeals, bi-monthly newsletters, in-kind giving programs, and major events like the annual Gala; serving as lead writer, content creator, and event strategist.
- Oversaw talent acquisition and onboarding efforts for the Young Associate's Board, supporting recruitment processes, conducting interviews, and facilitating smooth integration of new members to the board.
- Managed donor relations and giving programs, cultivating new donors, overseeing recurring, tribute, and matching gifts, and implementing stewardship strategies such as personalized acknowledgments and coordinated follow-up communications.
- Oversaw CRM and data operations, including database administration, report generation, online form development, and financial reconciliation; also led volunteer recruitment, training, and engagement efforts.
Education Volunteer
Peace Corps
Sierra Leone
06.2022 - 08.2024
- Led instruction for class levels 1-9, teaching English Language Arts, Phonics, Composition, and Creative Writing to over 50 students per class; created and managed remedial exam classes for 54 students and delivered health education programs to 200+ students across grades 4-8.
- Designed and facilitated professional development for local educators, leading monthly capacity-building sessions for 30 teachers and training 20 staff on grant writing and management, while promoting gender equality through targeted initiatives.
- Managed school and infrastructure revitalization projects, restoring a water pump, 10 classrooms, a library, and 10 blackboards; positively impacting 1,000+ students and staff; developed and maintained the local school's website to enhance visibility and communication.
- Collaborated with Peace Corps Volunteers, local NGOs, and community stakeholders to implement 30+ educational and engagement activities, coordinate public events (e.g., spelling bees, debates), and lead 5+ training sessions for volunteers and staff; monitored outcomes through the VRG database.
Development Associate
Casa Central
Chicago, USA
08.2021 - 06.2022
- Managed Raiser's Edge NXT database and gift processing, overseeing $600K+ in annual donations, reconciling gifts with Accounting, generating weekly to quarterly fundraising reports, and tracking department revenue.
- Managed talent acquisition and onboarding efforts of the Executive Donors Board, supporting recruitment processes, conducting interviews, and facilitating smooth integration of new members.
- Led agency-wide in-kind donation and volunteer programs, coordinating the receipt of 5,000+ annual donations and onboarding over 500 individual and group volunteers, while maintaining accurate records and policies.
- Directed the agency's annual Holiday Magic Program, securing gift sponsors, managing wish list fulfillment, and coordinating the distribution of 1,000+ gifts across 9 departmental programs.
- Supported fundraising and development efforts, preparing grant proposals and program reports, researching new funding opportunities, and assisting with event planning, registration, financial reporting, and donor communications.
Co-Founder
Southside Kids In the Neighborhood
Chicago, USA
04.2020 - 06.2022
- Led daily operations and budgeting across three organizational locations, managing purchasing needs, overseeing site logistics, and coordinating workflows to ensure smooth and efficient functioning.
- Directed volunteer and donor engagement, overseeing recruitment, training, and management of 40+ volunteers, maintaining strong donor relationships, and collaborating with local charities and businesses across Chicagoland to expand community support.
- Managed all media, marketing, and public relations, producing photo/video content for 15+ events, running daily social media pages, coordinating press communications, and ensuring brand consistency through visual and written releases.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL01.2021
Associate of Arts - Communications
Moraine Valley Community College
Palos Hills, IL01.2019
Skills
- Project and task management (Asana and Mondaycom)
- Senior administrative support
- Operational workflow coordination
- Grassroots operations
- Process documentation and SOP development
- Data entry and reporting (Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, QuickBooks, etc)
- Document management systems (Google Cloud and Microsoft SharePoint)
- Confidential work practices
- Special projects
Languages
- Krio, Fluent
- Mende, Intermediate
- French, Elementary
- ASL, Elementary
- Spanish, Elementary
Certifications Courses
- Project Management Foundations, 07/01/25
- Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT Certification Course, 08/01/21
Timeline
Administrative Operations Specialist
Diaz Group LLC
06.2025 - Current
Placement & Assessment Specialist
Peace Corps
12.2024 - 05.2025
Development Manager
Haymarket Center
08.2024 - 11.2024
Education Volunteer
Peace Corps
06.2022 - 08.2024
Development Associate
Casa Central
08.2021 - 06.2022
Co-Founder
Southside Kids In the Neighborhood
04.2020 - 06.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
University of Illinois at Chicago
Associate of Arts - Communications
Moraine Valley Community College