Position Overview

The Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer is a highly trusted partner who plays a critical role in maximizing the CEO’s effectiveness and advancing the priorities of the organization.

Operating at the center of the organization, the Executive Assistant develops a deep understanding of the CEO’s priorities and the company’s objectives, anticipates needs, connects priorities, and ensures the CEO’s time and attention are focused where they can have the greatest impact. This individual does not simply manage the CEO’s schedule. They understand the purpose and priorities behind it.

Serving as an extension of the CEO, this individual brings exceptional judgment, discretion, executive presence, and a strong sense of ownership. They proactively anticipate needs, build trusted relationships, and help create the structure and capacity necessary for the CEO and broader organization to operate effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Executive Support

• Serve as a trusted partner to the CEO, developing a strong understanding of business priorities, key initiatives, stakeholders, and organizational dynamics.
• Anticipate the CEO’s needs and proactively identify issues, decisions, information, and follow up required to keep priorities moving forward.
• Manage the CEO’s time strategically, ensuring the calendar reflects business priorities and enables appropriate focus on the highest impact activities.
• Provide relevant context, background information, and preparation for meetings, engagements, and key decisions.
• Track commitments, decisions, and follow up actions to ensure timely completion and appropriate follow through.

Calendar, Meetings & Communications

• Own and strategically manage a complex and dynamic executive calendar, balancing competing priorities and exercising sound judgment regarding the CEO’s time.
• Coordinate and prepare for executive leadership, Board, investor, partner, and other high level meetings and engagements, ensuring the CEO has appropriate agendas, briefing materials, background information, and relevant context.
• Draft, review, and coordinate executive correspondence and communications as appropriate.
• Manage meeting logistics and ensure timely follow through on key actions and commitments.

Business Partnership & Organizational Effectiveness

• Act as a connector between the CEO, executive leadership team, employees, Board members, and external stakeholders.
• Build trusted relationships across the organization and facilitate the effective flow of information to and from the CEO while maintaining the highest level of professionalism, confidentiality, and discretion.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, communication, coordination, and overall executive effectiveness.
• Bring structure and organization to complex or rapidly evolving priorities, identify potential obstacles, and proactively recommend solutions.

Travel & Executive Administration

• Coordinate complex domestic and international travel, including detailed itineraries and contingency planning.
• Manage expenses, documentation, and other executive administrative requirements accurately and efficiently.
• Support special projects and other priorities at the direction of the CEO.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible executive support experience, including significant experience directly supporting a CEO or other C suite executive.
• Experience supporting Board of Directors activities and interacting with senior executives and external stakeholders preferred.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, life sciences, or another highly regulated industry preferred.
• Public company experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a proactive business partner while maintaining excellence in day-to-day executive support.
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple competing demands.
• Strong business acumen and intellectual curiosity, with an interest in understanding the business and the context behind executive priorities.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, professionalism, and ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters.
• Strong executive presence and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build credibility and trusted relationships at all levels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to anticipate needs, identify potential issues, solve problems independently, and exercise sound judgment with limited direction.
• Highly adaptable, resourceful, detail oriented, and comfortable operating in a dynamic environment.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Outlook, Teams, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work with flexibility outside standard business hours when needed to support time sensitive executive priorities, travel, or schedule changes.