Executive Assistant to Executive Director of Communications & External Engagement

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory•Richland, WA

About The Position

This position serves as a strategic partner and operational extension to the Executive Director for Communications and External Engagement (CXE), enabling the directorate to achieve its organizational, strategic, and operational objectives. The ideal candidate is a productivity partner who anticipates needs, understands directorate and Laboratory strategy, and proactively aligns actions to mission priorities. This role requires the ability to move fluidly between strategic partnership and execution, operating with speed, accuracy, and sound judgment in a complex, fast-paced, and often ambiguous environment. The Executive Assistant operates with a high degree of autonomy, judgment, and discretion, acting on behalf of the Executive Director to ensure priorities are advanced, decisions are informed, and commitments are executed. This position serves as a core member of the CXE leadership team, provides support to CXE leadership, and delivers administrative mentorship across the directorate. This position requires deep understanding of the directorate and Laboratory mission, strategy, policies, and stakeholders to independently prioritize, make decisions, and drive execution. The Executive Assistant is expected to operate with exceptional judgment, initiative, and discretion, including the ability to assess communications, situations, and competing priorities, and to take appropriate action, often without direction.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED and 12 years of relevant experience in an administrative environment -OR- AA degree or higher and 10 years of relevant experience in an administrative environment.
Experience in planning meetings and coordinating travel
Experience in a high-paced, constantly changing environment

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting an executive level manager strongly preferred, including acting with delegated authority.
Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage complex, fast-moving priorities.
Demonstrated ability to anticipate needs and operate with high degree of independence.
Systems thinker with track record of improving processes and workflows.
High level of initiative, accountability, and follow-through.
Ability to make decisions and judgment calls with incomplete information and operate effectively in ambiguity.
Ability to build strong relationships and operate effectively across all levels of an organization.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to represent executive voice and intent.
Proven ability to build trust, exercise discretion, and handle sensitive information.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel.
Proficiency in AI tools.
Extensive working knowledge of company policies, procedures, and practices.

Responsibilities

Anticipating needs, and emerging issues while managing competing priorities without requiring explicit direction.
Developing a deep understanding of the Executive Director’s leadership and engagement style, priorities, and decision frameworks to act with aligned judgment.
Managing and shaping how Executive Director’s time, attention, and energy are allocated.
Acting on behalf of the Executive Director in prioritizing requests, managing commitments, and driving follow-through while redirecting or reframing requests as appropriate.
Independently identify, track, prioritize, and ensure completion of action items.
Ensuring quality and timeliness of responses and deliverables across the directorate.
Managing Executive Director’s email and using this and other communications as a primary source of insight into priorities, tone, and expectations; drafting and sending communications on behalf of Executive Director as appropriate.
Managing correspondence flow and commitments, ensuring responsiveness and alignment.
Engaging proactively across the directorate to understand strategy, initiatives, and pressure points.
Owning and evolving systems that improve executive and organizational effectiveness, including action tracking and follow-through; communication and workflow management; and meeting structure and effectiveness.
Acting as a leader within the directorate, modeling accountability, responsiveness, clarity, and operationalizing PNNL’s WE Culture.