Executive Assistant

Ahead•New York, NY

16d•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted, proactive partner to one or more C-level executives at AHEAD. The role protects executive time, anticipates needs, organizes competing priorities, and drives follow-through so executives can focus on high-value work. It requires sound judgment, discretion, organization, communication, and the ability to work independently while representing executive leadership and AHEAD professionally. The position partners with executive leadership and serves as a point of contact for employees, clients, partners, and other stakeholders. It manages complex calendars, meeting preparation and follow-up, executive communications, inboxes, domestic and international travel, expenses, and logistics for meetings, offsites, and events. It also develops systems and operating rhythms, coordinates with other Executive Assistants and cross-functional teams, and supports senior leadership, board, advisory, and client-facing engagements. The role works in the office four to five days per week and requires in-person presence when supported executives are in the office, when backup office-administrator coverage is needed, and for key meetings and events. It is described as a 24/7 executive support position, with availability and prompt responses to time-sensitive needs beyond standard business hours. The role reports to the Manager, Executive Experience and Services, while receiving day-to-day direction from the C-level executive or executives supported.

Requirements

Five or more years of experience supporting one or more C-level executives, senior executives, or equivalent leaders in a complex, fast-moving organization.
Ability to manage a high-volume, constantly changing workload while maintaining accuracy, composure, and attention to detail.
Exceptional organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft polished executive communications.
High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
Professionalism in high-pressure situations and when representing the executive and AHEAD.
A genuine can-do attitude and willingness to contribute to both strategic work and hands-on tasks.
Ability to anticipate needs, identify risks, and independently move work forward.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365, calendar and travel tools, virtual meeting platforms, and presentation and document tools.
A college degree or equivalent professional experience.
Ability to work in the office four to five days per week and remain available beyond standard business hours for time-sensitive executive support.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting an executive in a professional services, technology, consulting, or similarly client-focused environment.
Experience coordinating executive leadership meetings, offsites, board or advisory meetings, and high-visibility company events.
Experience working across multiple time zones and with geographically distributed stakeholders.
Experience managing projects, improving administrative systems, or coordinating work across an Executive Assistant team.

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic thought partner and primary point of contact for executive leadership, internal leaders, employees, clients, partners, and other external stakeholders.
Learn executives’ priorities, working styles, relationships, and decision-making preferences; anticipate needs, identify risks, and recommend solutions.
Triage competing requests, determine what requires executive attention, and identify what can be delegated or deferred.
Track open commitments, decisions, and follow-up items, and drive accountability through completion.
Manage complex calendars for multiple executives, balancing strategic priorities, operating rhythms, client and partner commitments, travel, and focus time.
Resolve calendar conflicts, manage tradeoffs, and ensure meetings have a clear purpose and appropriate participants.
Prepare executives for meetings by gathering background information, briefing materials, agendas, talking points, decisions, and action items.
Capture and distribute action items as appropriate, documenting and advancing decisions and next steps.
Communicate on behalf of executives in a clear, thoughtful, responsive tone aligned with AHEAD’s standards.
Monitor executive inboxes and incoming requests using sound judgment, confidentiality, and organizational context.
Draft, edit, and proofread correspondence, presentations, meeting materials, and other communications in the appropriate executive’s voice when required.
Provide timely updates about emerging issues, organizational developments, upcoming commitments, and decisions requiring attention.
Coordinate domestic and international travel, including air, hotel, ground transportation, itineraries, changes, and travel-related materials.
Manage expense reporting and related approvals accurately and on time.
Own end-to-end logistics for executive meetings, offsites, and events, including room setup, AV or virtual platform readiness, catering, dietary needs, vendor coordination, guest hosting, access or parking, cleanup, and room resets.
Create practical systems, templates, and operating rhythms that improve executive effectiveness and reduce friction.
Partner with other Executive Assistants and cross-functional teams to coordinate coverage, improve processes, and provide a consistent executive experience.
Support senior leadership, board, advisory, and client-facing engagements as assigned.
Handle sensitive information with the highest level of discretion and professionalism.
Work in the office four to five days per week and be present for supported executives, backup office-administrator coverage, and key meetings and events.
Remain available and attentive beyond standard business hours and respond promptly to time-sensitive needs.
During the first 90 days, build trusted relationships, learn executive priorities and preferences, organize calendar, inbox, travel, expense, and follow-up systems, implement at least two practical improvements, and prepare executives for priority meetings.
By six months, independently manage each executive’s operating rhythm, improve calendar quality, maintain reliable commitment tracking, and earn trust through discretion, responsiveness, judgment, and proactive communication.