Executive Assistant Job Description

Key skills

Responsibilities

• • Own and optimize the executive's calendar, resolving conflicts and protecting focus time
• • Coordinate complex travel, logistics, and itineraries efficiently
• • Manage correspondence, draft communications, and triage incoming requests
• • Prepare for meetings with agendas, materials, and timely follow-up on action items
• • Exercise sound judgment in prioritizing and gatekeeping competing demands
• • Handle sensitive and confidential information with complete discretion
• • Track commitments and deadlines so nothing falls through the cracks
• • Serve as a professional, reliable point of contact on the executive's behalf

Requirements

• • 3+ years supporting senior executives in a fast-paced environment
• • Exceptional organization, time management, and attention to detail
• • Strong written and verbal communication, including drafting on behalf of others
• • Demonstrated discretion and reliability handling confidential information
• • Sound judgment for prioritization and gatekeeping under pressure
• • Proactive, anticipatory mindset and resourceful problem-solving

Nice to have

• • Experience supporting C-level executives or a founder
• • Project-coordination or chief-of-staff-adjacent experience
• • Familiarity with the executive's industry or domain
• • Event-planning or board-meeting coordination experience

What to look for in a great Executive Assistant

The defining trait of a great EA is anticipation — they solve problems the executive has not yet noticed. In interviews, probe for examples where they pre-empted an issue rather than just executing instructions. Discretion and trustworthiness are non-negotiable given the sensitive information involved, so weight references heavily. Judgment matters as much as organization: a great EA knows when to protect the executive's time and when to let something through. Look for resourcefulness and calm under pressure, and for a service orientation paired with the confidence to push back when priorities conflict. Communication polish is essential since they often represent the executive.

Interview questions to ask an Executive Assistant

Ask the candidate to describe how they manage a calendar with constant conflicting demands and how they decide what takes priority. Probe their judgment with a scenario: two important meetings collide and both stakeholders insist theirs comes first — how do they handle it? Ask about a time they anticipated a need before being asked. Test discretion with a question about handling sensitive information. Ask how they keep an executive's commitments and follow-ups from slipping. Finally, ask about a high-pressure situation, such as a travel disruption before an important meeting, and how they resolved it.

Where to source Executive Assistants

Specialized EA recruiters and communities such as the Executive Assistant Network and various professional associations surface experienced candidates. LinkedIn is effective when filtered by years supporting senior leaders. Referrals from executives and other EAs are especially valuable since trust and judgment are central and best verified by people who have worked closely with the candidate. For founder or C-level support, prioritize candidates with comparable executive-level experience, as the demands differ significantly from general administrative roles. A practical exercise, like drafting a tricky email, can reveal communication judgment quickly.