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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Executive Assistant to the President

💰 $80,000 - $140,000

AdministrationExecutive SupportOperations

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced Executive Assistant to the President to provide high-touch, proactive executive support and program-level coordination for the President's office. The Executive Assistant will manage complex calendars, prepare strategic briefings and board materials, coordinate multi-stakeholder meetings and travel, and act as a trusted gatekeeper and liaison across internal leaders, external partners, board members, and donors. This role requires exceptional written and verbal communication, strong project and event management skills, and impeccable discretion when handling confidential information. The ideal candidate will streamline executive workflows, drive follow-through on strategic initiatives, and represent the President with professionalism and strategic presence.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Administrative Assistant supporting C-suite or SVP-level leaders
  • Chief of Staff (entry-level or deputy roles in smaller organizations)
  • Office Manager with executive support responsibilities

Advancement To:

  • Chief of Staff to the President / Executive Office
  • Senior Director of Executive Operations
  • VP of Administrative Operations or Corporate Affairs

Lateral Moves:

  • Director of Operations
  • Executive Assistant to CEO/COO
  • Senior Program Manager (external relations, philanthropy, or strategy)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the President’s day-to-day calendar across multiple time zones, proactively prioritizing meetings, blocking strategic focus time, resolving conflicts, and aligning executive availability with organizational priorities.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the President, triaging urgent issues, escalating appropriately, and ensuring timely resolution of action items.
  • Draft, edit, and finalize high-impact written communications including confidential correspondence, executive-level email responses, talking points, speeches, briefing memos, and board communication, ensuring accuracy, tone, and alignment with strategic messaging.
  • Prepare comprehensive briefing materials and meeting packets for the President that synthesize background, goals, attendee profiles, decision points, and recommended next steps for high-level meetings and public appearances.
  • Coordinate all domestic and international travel logistics for the President, including complex itineraries, visas, ground transportation, security arrangements, per diems, and detailed pre-travel briefings to maximize productivity on the road.
  • Plan, coordinate, and execute executive-level meetings, off-sites, retreats, and special events (board meetings, funder briefings, press events), handling venue selection, catering, agenda development, logistics, and post-event follow-up to ensure flawless delivery.
  • Act as the liaison to the Board of Directors and senior leadership by preparing board materials, tracking submission deadlines, coordinating materials distribution, capturing minutes, and following up on board-directed actions.
  • Monitor, analyze, and maintain key leadership deliverables and follow-up trackers, ensuring deadlines are met, owners are accountable, and stakeholders receive regular status updates.
  • Oversee confidential records, sensitive personnel matters, and privileged information with the highest level of discretion, applying strong judgment on what to escalate to the President.
  • Facilitate cross-functional coordination for strategic initiatives by convening stakeholders, organizing project timelines, documenting decisions, and tracking milestones to ensure initiative momentum and alignment.
  • Create and maintain detailed operational processes and systems for the President’s office, including filing systems, contact databases (CRM), meeting templates, and workflow automation to increase efficiency and transparency.
  • Manage expense reporting, corporate card reconciliation, and budget tracking for the President’s office using expense systems (e.g., Concur), ensuring accurate, timely submission and policy compliance.
  • Produce polished executive presentations and data visualizations (PowerPoint, Google Slides) that distill complex information into concise, persuasive slides for internal and external stakeholders.
  • Build and maintain strong external relationships with donors, government officials, vendors, and partner organizations, scheduling outreach, tracking engagement, and preparing background materials to advance strategic objectives.
  • Lead special projects on behalf of the President, such as strategic reviews, program launches, campaign coordination, or communications rollouts, including scoping, stakeholder mapping, timeline management, and status reporting.
  • Serve as the on-the-ground coordinator for media interviews and public remarks by preparing media briefings, speakers’ notes, Q&A, and logistical support to ensure consistent public messaging and readiness.
  • Supervise, mentor, or coordinate other administrative staff supporting the President’s office (assistant pool, event coordinators), setting priorities, delegating tasks, and ensuring consistent service levels across the team.
  • Maintain and update key contact lists, organizational charts, and stakeholder maps in the CRM to support outreach and relationship management strategies for the President.
  • Implement and manage privacy and records retention protocols for executive communications, legal documents, and board materials to ensure compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.
  • Act as a trusted advisor on matters of protocol, executive presence, and relationship management, preparing the President for high-stakes interactions with internal leaders, donors, and public officials.
  • Anticipate the President’s needs by proactively preparing materials, researching background information, and summarizing complex issues into clear recommendations and next steps.
  • Coordinate recruitment activities and onboarding logistics for senior hires and temporary contractors who interface directly with the President’s office, ensuring smooth integration and continuity.
  • Monitor and respond to high-priority correspondence and constituent inquiries directed to the President, ensuring timely, respectful, and mission-aligned responses.
  • Oversee vendor relationships and procurement for executive office services (office supplies, technology, AV for events), negotiating contracts and ensuring vendor performance meets executive standards.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc strategic analyses and prepare aggregated status reports or dashboards for executive review, leveraging data from internal systems and stakeholder inputs.
  • Assist in the development and monitoring of KPIs for executive initiatives and provide periodic summaries to the President and senior leadership.
  • Facilitate coordination between legal, finance, HR, and communications teams to ensure executive decisions are operationalized efficiently and compliantly.
  • Manage office-level technology and tool rollouts for the President’s workspace (secure communications tools, calendaring integrations, collaborative platforms).
  • Coordinate scheduling and logistics for internal town halls, all-hands meetings, and executive briefings with senior leaders and external partners.
  • Support continuity planning for the executive office, including delegation protocols, interim coverage, and knowledge transfer documentation for absences or travel.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced calendar and time management proficiency, including cross-time-zone scheduling and complex meeting coordination.
  • Executive-level travel planning and logistics (itineraries, visas, corporate security coordination, Concur or other travel/expense platforms).
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Slides) with ability to create executive presentations and reports.
  • Experience with CRM systems (Salesforce, HubSpot, or equivalent) to manage contacts, track outreach, and prepare stakeholder reports.
  • Strong document production skills: drafting executive memos, speaking notes, board packages, and confidential correspondence with high accuracy.
  • Familiarity with virtual meeting platforms and AV logistics (Zoom, Teams, Webex) and managing hybrid meeting setups for high-profile gatherings.
  • Budgeting and expense reconciliation experience, including corporate card and reimbursement processing.
  • Minute-taking and meeting documentation skills with the ability to capture action items, decisions, and next steps clearly and distribute timely summaries.
  • Event and meeting planning expertise for executive-level or donor-facing events, including vendor management and contract negotiation.
  • Basic data synthesis and dashboard creation skills to compile status updates and KPI reports for the President.

Soft Skills

  • Absolute discretion and the ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential information with integrity.
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication tailored for executive audiences, board members, and external stakeholders.
  • Exceptional prioritization, problem solving, and independent judgment in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
  • High emotional intelligence and relationship-building skills to interact effectively with senior leaders, board members, and external partners.
  • Proactive mindset with strong attention to detail and a bias for action to anticipate needs and follow-through on commitments.
  • Calm under pressure, able to manage competing priorities and urgent last-minute changes with professionalism.
  • Service-oriented attitude and a collaborative leadership style when coordinating across teams.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain multiple systems, trackers, and calendars in parallel.
  • Diplomacy and tact when screening requests and representing the President externally.
  • Adaptability and continuous improvement focus to refine processes, tools, and workflows for increased efficiency.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience supporting C-suite executives.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, Public Policy, or related field; advanced certification (e.g., Certified Administrative Professional) or project management credential (PMP, Agile) is a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Communications
  • Public Policy
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10+ years of progressively responsible executive support experience, including 3+ years supporting C-level executives or a President/CEO.

Preferred:

  • Experience supporting a President, CEO, or comparable executive in a large nonprofit, higher education institution, government agency, or complex corporation.
  • Past involvement preparing board materials and coordinating governance activities.
  • Track record managing high-visibility events, donor engagements, or public-facing initiatives.
  • Demonstrated ability to implement systems that improved executive office efficiency and cross-team coordination.
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