Executive Assistant

Manatt Phelps & Phillips • San Diego, CA

3d

About The Position

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm, is seeking a highly experienced, organized, and proactive Executive Assistant to support its CEO/Managing Partner. This high-visibility role requires a trusted partner who can ensure the seamless management of priorities, communications, scheduling, travel, and key firm initiatives, thereby maximizing the CEO/Managing Partner's focus on strategic objectives. The Executive Assistant will work closely with the CEO/Managing Partner, exercising exceptional judgment, discretion, and professionalism in all interactions. The ideal candidate is a resourceful problem solver who anticipates needs, drives efficiency, and creates leverage for executive leadership, possessing executive presence, sound judgment, and the ability to build credibility and trusted relationships while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality. They should be highly organized, calm under pressure, detail-oriented, collaborative, and flexible, comfortable supporting a senior executive whose schedule and priorities may shift as needed.

Requirements

• 10+ years of executive support experience
• At least 5 years directly supporting a C-suite executive, Managing Partner, CEO, President, or other senior business leader.
• Demonstrated success managing complex executive calendars and travel arrangements in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional experience coordinating across multiple stakeholders, priorities, and time zones.
• Experience supporting board-level, partner-level, or executive leadership activities.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Excel.
• Experience with expense management, document management, and collaboration tools.
• Comfort learning and leveraging new technologies, including AI-powered productivity tools.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Willingness and ability to travel to all Firm office locations as needed.

Responsibilities

• Manage and protect a highly complex executive calendar, ensuring alignment with firm priorities and maximizing the CEO/Managing Partner's effectiveness.
• Anticipate competing demands, evaluate requests, proactively resolve scheduling conflicts, and ensure adequate preparation time for meetings, client engagements, and strategic initiatives.
• Serve as a gatekeeper for the CEO/Managing Partner's time, exercising sound judgment in prioritizing requests and commitments.
• Coordinate meetings across multiple stakeholders, offices, and time zones while balancing priorities effectively and independently.
• Prepare daily and weekly agenda materials, meeting briefs, and relevant background information.
• Proactively review upcoming calendar items to confirm meeting details, attendees, materials, locations, Zoom/video links, travel time, and other logistical needs.
• Ensure calendar changes are communicated clearly and timely to all appropriate parties.
• Arrange and manage complex travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and logistics.
• Prepare detailed travel itineraries and ensure smooth execution of all travel-related plans.
• Manage travel disruptions and last-minute changes with professionalism, responsiveness, and sound judgment.
• Coordinate with local office leadership and administrative teams regarding office visits, meals, meetings, and other logistics.
• Anticipate travel-related issues and adjust plans as needed with minimal disruption.
• Assist in coordinating all internal meetings, including board and leadership team meetings, partner meetings, committee meetings, firm retreats and strategic planning sessions.
• Coordinate executive participation in external meetings (including recruiting meetings), conferences, speaking engagements, and firm events.
• Confirm meeting logistics, including conference rooms, video links, catering, technology needs, attendee lists, and room readiness.
• Assist in preparing, collecting and circulating agendas, executive briefing materials, meeting summaries, and presentation decks.
• Track action items, deadlines, and commitments arising from meetings.
• Process expense reports and assist with budget tracking and administrative documentation.
• Maintain highly confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Organize and maintain executive files, reports, and records to ensure accessibility and efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and enhance executive productivity.
• Act as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the CEO/Managing Partner.
• Coordinate with business professional departments and other teams to ensure alignment and appropriate follow-through.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with clients, recruits, attorney, consulting, business and administrative professionals, including firm leadership, board members, and C-Suite.
• Draft, edit, and proofread executive correspondence, presentations, talking points, speeches, reports, and other communications.
• Communicate in the CEO/Managing Partner's voice while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, accuracy, and confidentiality.
• Ensure timely follow-up on communications, commitments, and action items.
• Exercise good judgment in determining what requires escalation, what can be handled independently, and what should be coordinated with others.
• Serve as an ambassador for the CEO/Managing Partner, representing the firm with professionalism and exceptional client service.

Benefits

• A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive