Executive Assistant, Office of the Founding Director

Broad Institute•Cambridge, MA

34d•$83,000 - $116,333•Onsite

About The Position

The Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard is seeking a talented, dependable, and enthusiastic Executive Assistant to directly support Dr. Eric Lander, Core Member and Founding Director of the Institute. This role involves interaction with all levels of the organization, board members, high-profile donors, and academic and industry professionals. The ideal candidate is passionate about the Broad's mission, possesses excellent communication and organizational skills, and can thrive in a demanding, fast-paced environment. This position requires sound judgment to handle complex situations, effectively prioritize tasks, and balance long-term projects with immediate office needs. The role is based in Cambridge, MA, and requires an in-office presence five days a week.

Requirements

Associate's degree with 8+ years of experience or Bachelor’s degree in a related professional discipline with 5+ years of relevant experience.
Ability to multi-task and prioritize work by considering its risk, importance, urgency, and potential implications.
Proven experience supporting senior executives or C-suite leaders.
Highly organized with strong attention to detail and accuracy, including careful proofreading/copyediting of materials.
Comfortable experimenting and working with AI tools (e.g. Claude and Gemini) to automate administrative workflows.
High sense of urgency, drive, and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done.
Demonstrate high standards and commitment to the Broad mission.
Willingness to take ownership of and tackle interesting challenges.
Ability to demonstrate discretion in handling confidential information and dealing with high-level executives.
A sense of humor and ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
Ability to work both independently and highly collaboratively as part of a team.
Excellent oral and written communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills, including the demonstrated ability to influence others and to build working relationships.
Exceptional proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google business apps (Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive).
A flexible schedule.

Responsibilities

Work as part of a team to ensure coordination and visibility, and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
Strategically and effectively manage a hectic calendar and handle complex scheduling requests, including arranging internal and external meetings, lab meetings, teaching responsibilities, press interviews, speaking engagements, etc.
Stay up-to-the-minute on multiple sources of information, including several email inboxes, Slack, text messages, and phone calls, collating requests and tracking correspondence.
Plan and coordinate extensive/complex domestic and international travel for Dr. Lander, often on tight timelines.
Handle expense reimbursement, track spending vs. budget, and ensure consistency with policy.
Represent the Institute in a professional manner, exercising judgment and discretion with regard to confidential issues and materials when responding.
Prepare and organize daily briefing and homework materials for Dr. Lander; track and manage follow-up items.
Draft and proofread correspondence and other written material on behalf of Dr. Lander.
Work cross-functionally to help plan and execute events, including identifying and coordinating catering, creating agendas and itineraries, identifying and booking appropriate off-site space when necessary, etc.
Manage office records, files, and/or other documents, including careful handling of sensitive material.
Support the activities of Dr. Lander’s lab, including scheduling lab meetings, ordering catering, and planning socials.
Coordinate closely with the staff of Dr. Lander’s policy organization, Science for America, to ensure that calendars and travel plans are fully integrated.
Independently track and manage all potential conflicts of interest and outside activities and ensure accurate reporting and compliance with all relevant Broad, MIT, and Harvard policies; ensure that all disclosures are accurate.
Ensure that Dr. Lander is on time for, and has all relevant materials for, all meetings, appointments, and events.
Work closely with the Broad Human Resources Team to coordinate interviews of professional and laboratory staff.