Job description · Admin and executive support · Full-time
Executive Assistant job description
An executive assistant protects a founder's or leader's time. They run the inbox and calendar, prepare every meeting, and chase follow-ups so decisions turn into finished work. The best ones act as a second brain for the business.
Responsibilities
- Triage the inbox daily, draft replies in the executive's voice, and flag only what needs a decision
- Own the calendar: book, reschedule, and defend focus blocks against low-value meetings
- Write agendas and pre-reads before meetings and send recaps with owners and dates after
- Keep a running list of open loops and chase each one until it closes
- Plan travel end to end, including backup options when plans change
- Turn rough notes and voice memos into polished documents, slides, and emails
- Act as the first point of contact for clients, partners, and the team
Requirements
- Three or more years supporting a founder, executive, or senior leader
- Polished written English and a confident, warm phone manner
- Judgment about what to handle, what to escalate, and what to keep confidential
- Anticipates needs a day or a week ahead instead of waiting for instructions
- Calm, organized, and quick when priorities change mid-day
- Comfortable with many tools and quick to learn new ones
Tools
- Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- Slack or Teams
- Calendly
- Notion, Asana, or ClickUp
What success looks like after 90 days
- The executive's inbox is reviewed daily and nothing urgent waits more than one business day
- Every recurring meeting has an agenda going in and a written recap coming out
- The executive gets back several focused blocks each week that were previously lost to admin
Screening questions
Ask these before you book an interview.
- Who have you supported, and what was their role?
- Which calendar and email tools have you managed for someone else?
- Send a short email you would write to reschedule a meeting with an important client.
- This is a full-time role working set hours each business day. Can you commit to that schedule?
Interview questions
- Walk me through how you would triage 150 unread emails on your first morning.
- Tell me about a time you protected your executive's time from a request that seemed urgent.
- How do you keep track of follow-ups you are waiting on from other people?
- Your executive is double-booked with an investor and a key client. What do you do?
- What do you need from me in the first two weeks to work at full speed?
Hiring tip
Give finalists a paid 30-minute exercise: hand them a messy week of calendar requests and five emails, and ask for a cleaned-up schedule plus draft replies. It shows judgment faster than any interview answer.
Executive Assistant hiring FAQ
What does a Executive Assistant do?
An executive assistant protects a founder's or leader's time. They run the inbox and calendar, prepare every meeting, and chase follow-ups so decisions turn into finished work. The best ones act as a second brain for the business. Day to day, the role covers work such as: triage the inbox daily, draft replies in the executive's voice, and flag only what needs a decision, own the calendar: book, reschedule, and defend focus blocks against low-value meetings, and write agendas and pre-reads before meetings and send recaps with owners and dates after.
How much does it cost to hire a full-time Executive Assistant from the Philippines?
We place a full-time Executive Assistant from the Philippines for $1,800 a month. Every candidate passes our top 2% vetting, starts within 14 days, and comes with a 1-week trial backed by a replacement or refund. The price is a flat monthly rate for a dedicated full-time hire.
What skills should a Executive Assistant have?
Look for: three or more years supporting a founder, executive, or senior leader, polished written English and a confident, warm phone manner, judgment about what to handle, what to escalate, and what to keep confidential, and anticipates needs a day or a week ahead instead of waiting for instructions. Common tools include Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, Slack or Teams, Calendly, and Notion, Asana, or ClickUp.
What should a Executive Assistant achieve in the first 90 days?
The executive's inbox is reviewed daily and nothing urgent waits more than one business day, every recurring meeting has an agenda going in and a written recap coming out, and the executive gets back several focused blocks each week that were previously lost to admin.
Can I copy and edit this Executive Assistant job description?
Yes. Copy it with one click, edit it for your business, and post it anywhere. For a version built from your own task list, open it in our free job description generator, or book a strategy call and we will find the hire for you.
Want us to find your Executive Assistant?
We place a full-time Executive Assistant from the Philippines for $1,800 a month. Every candidate passes our top 2% vetting, starts within 14 days, and comes with a 1-week trial backed by a replacement or refund.