Strategic Executive Assistant to
the CEO
Reports to: CEO
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Bergen County, NJ (Hybrid or potential remote)
The Opportunity
We are seeking a highly capable Strategic Executive Assistant to help the
CEO operate effectively across multiple businesses, investments, and
professional responsibilities.
The primary purpose of this role is to protect the CEO’s time, attention,
and decision-making capacity. The Executive Assistant will act as a trusted
filter, organizer, and closer of open loops, ensuring that routine execution,
follow-up, coordination, and verification are handled without unnecessary CEO
involvement.
Scheduling and administrative support are part of the position, but they
are not the center of the role.
This is a proactive, judgment-oriented position for someone who can
anticipate needs, create structure, hold others accountable, and present the
CEO with clear, decision-ready information.
Success in this role will result in:
- Fewer
interruptions and greater focus on high-value priorities
- Faster
resolution of outstanding issues
- Reduced
decision fatigue and administrative burden
- Stronger
accountability from brokers, vendors, partners, and operators
- A calendar and
inbox aligned with strategic priorities
- Problems
presented with context, options, and recommended next steps
This role directly supports the growth of multiple businesses by allowing
the CEO to remain focused on strategy, relationships, leadership, and important
decisions.
What Success Looks Like
The Strategic Executive Assistant will help create an environment in
which:
- The CEO spends
the majority of his time on strategy, relationships, growth, and key
decisions
- Every
meaningful open item has a clear owner, deadline, and next step
- Brokers,
vendors, bookkeepers, and operating partners move forward without
requiring CEO follow-up
- The CEO’s
inbox, calendar, travel, and follow-ups operate smoothly
- Routine issues
are resolved at the appropriate level
- Important
matters reach the CEO with sufficient context and clearly defined options
- Deadlines,
commitments, and action items do not fall through the cracks
Key Responsibilities
1. Executive Gatekeeping and
Information Filtering
This is the highest-priority responsibility of the role.
- Serve as the
first point of review for inbound emails, requests, documents, and other
communications
- Determine which
matters require CEO attention and which should be resolved, delegated,
deferred, or declined
- Route issues to
the appropriate owner, including business operators, directors, brokers,
vendors, bookkeepers, and professional advisors
- Protect the CEO
from unnecessary “FYI” communications and low-value interruptions
- Consolidate
fragmented information into clear, concise summaries
- Escalate
matters involving:
- Material
financial impact
- Significant
people or personnel decisions
- Strategic
direction
- Legal,
regulatory, contractual, or reputational risk
- Time-sensitive
opportunities or commitments
- Present
escalated matters with background, options, deadlines, and a recommended
next step whenever possible
2. Follow-Up and Open-Loop Management
- Maintain a
centralized system for tracking commitments, action items, deadlines, and
outstanding decisions
- Ensure every
important item has an owner and next step
- Follow up
consistently with internal and external stakeholders
- Identify
stalled items before they become urgent
- Close routine
loops independently within delegated authority
- Provide the CEO
with clear visibility into overdue, blocked, or high-risk matters
- Ensure verbal
commitments and meeting decisions are translated into action
3. Broker, Vendor, and Partner
Accountability
- Manage
follow-up with:
- Commercial
real estate brokers
- Investment
property brokers
- Vendors and
service providers
- Business
partners and outside professionals
- Establish and
enforce clear expectations regarding responsiveness, deliverables, and
timelines
- Require concise
updates, specific next steps, and clearly assigned responsibilities
- Ensure brokers
provide curated opportunities aligned with established criteria rather
than unfiltered listings
- Challenge
incomplete or unclear responses professionally
- Identify
underperforming relationships early and escalate them before the CEO is
forced to intervene
- Help the CEO
evaluate whether outside partners should be retained, redirected, or
replaced
4. Calendar, Meeting, and Travel
Management
- Own the CEO’s
calendar, scheduling, meeting coordination, and travel arrangements
- Protect
designated time for:
- Strategic
thinking
- Business
planning
- Financial and
operational reviews
- Board and
advisory preparation
- High-value
relationship development
- Evaluate
meeting requests based on priority, purpose, attendees, and expected
outcome
- Decline,
delegate, shorten, or reroute low-value meetings when appropriate
- Batch meetings
intelligently to reduce fragmentation and unnecessary context switching
- Ensure the CEO
is properly prepared with agendas, background information, objectives, and
decision points
- Confirm
logistics and resolve scheduling conflicts before they reach the CEO
5. Administrative and Document
Management
- Manage physical
mail, including the company PO Box
- Scan, name,
organize, route, and securely file documents
- Maintain
logical and consistent digital filing systems
- Coordinate
invoices, contracts, forms, and other business paperwork
- Ensure
documents requiring review, signature, payment, or follow-up are routed
promptly
- Maintain
accurate records across multiple businesses and entities
- Create systems
that make information easy to retrieve and difficult to lose
- Uphold a
consistently high standard of organization and confidentiality
6. Financial and Operational
Coordination
This position coordinates financial and operational processes but does
not replace the CEO, bookkeeper, accountant, or financial advisor.
- Coordinate with
bookkeepers, payroll providers, CPAs, attorneys, and other professional
advisors
- Ensure
statements, reports, tax documents, payroll information, and requested
materials are delivered on time
- Organize
financial information before CEO review
- Prepare concise
summaries highlighting deadlines, missing information, unusual items, and
decisions required
- Monitor
recurring administrative and financial obligations
- Flag
inconsistencies or potential concerns for review
- Avoid making
financial, legal, or accounting judgments outside the authority of the
role
7. Weekly and Monthly Executive
Cadence
- Prepare a
concise weekly executive summary covering:
- Open loops and
outstanding commitments
- Decisions
required from the CEO
- Upcoming
deadlines and meetings
- Blocked or
overdue items
- Broker,
vendor, and partner updates
- Emerging risks
or recurring problems
- Maintain a
running list of items that require CEO attention
- Prepare
materials for monthly financial, operational, and strategic reviews
- Track prior
decisions and confirm that agreed-upon actions are completed
- Identify
recurring sources of friction and recommend process improvements
Decision-Making Authority
The successful candidate will be given clear authority to operate on the
CEO’s behalf within defined boundaries.
Depending on the situation, this may include the authority to:
- Decline or
redirect inappropriate meeting requests
- Request
additional information before escalating an issue
- Enforce
response deadlines
- Follow up with
brokers, vendors, employees, and professional advisors
- Resolve routine
administrative matters
- Close open
items that fall within established guidelines
- Protect
designated calendar blocks
- Return
incomplete work and request a decision-ready response
The Executive Assistant is expected to use judgment while recognizing
when an issue requires CEO involvement.
What This Role Is Not
This is not:
- A traditional
personal-assistant or errand-running position
- A passive
scheduling role
- A position that
waits for detailed instructions before taking action
- A note-taking
role without ownership of follow-through
- A role for
someone uncomfortable holding others accountable
- A position
requiring constant direction or reassurance
The right person will be comfortable operating independently while
maintaining strong communication and appropriate transparency.
Required Qualities
High Ownership
You take responsibility for outcomes, not just assigned tasks. You follow
through without repeated reminders and remain accountable until an issue is
resolved.
Strong Judgment
You understand the difference between matters that require CEO attention
and those that should be handled elsewhere.
Comfort With Ambiguity
You can move work forward even when instructions are not perfectly
defined. You ask focused questions when necessary but do not rely on constant
direction.
Clear Communication
You communicate in a concise, professional, and decisive manner. You can
convert complicated or disorganized information into a clear summary.
Professional Confidence
You are comfortable following up firmly with brokers, vendors,
executives, and professional advisors while maintaining positive relationships.
Organizational Discipline
You create reliable systems, maintain accurate records, and prevent
commitments from being forgotten.
Pattern Recognition
You identify recurring problems, bottlenecks, and underperformance before
they become significant issues.
Discretion
You can be trusted with confidential financial, personnel, business,
investment, and personal information.
Calm Execution
You remain composed and effective when priorities shift, information is
incomplete, or others are not responding as expected.
Experience and Qualifications
- Demonstrated
experience managing complex priorities with limited supervision
- Strong written
and verbal communication skills
- Advanced
organizational, calendar-management, and follow-up capabilities
- Experience
supporting multiple businesses, entities, or workstreams
- Strong
proficiency with modern productivity, communication, document-management,
and collaboration tools
- Experience
working with confidential business and financial information
Experience in one or more of the following areas is strongly preferred:
- Entrepreneurial
or founder-led businesses
- Investment or
deal-oriented environments
- Professional
services
- Multi-location
businesses
- Finance,
bookkeeping, or operational coordination
First 90-Day Success Measures
During the first 90 days, the successful candidate will be expected to:
- Establish an
effective inbox-triage and escalation process
- Significantly
reduce the volume of routine matters requiring CEO involvement
- Assume
ownership of recurring administrative responsibilities
- Implement a
reliable open-loop and follow-up tracking system
- Establish
weekly reporting and executive-summary routines
- Ensure brokers
and key vendors provide consistent, structured updates
- Create clear
escalation criteria for financial, personnel, strategic, legal, and
reputational matters
- Eliminate
unresolved administrative items that lack an owner or next step
- Demonstrate
sound judgment regarding what should—and should not—reach the CEO
- Build
sufficient trust to operate independently within established authority
Compensation
Competitive compensation based on experience, qualifications, and
demonstrated judgment.
The compensation package may include a performance-based bonus tied to
execution quality, reliability, operational improvement, and the level of trust
and responsibility earned in the role.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit a current resume
Final Note
This role requires judgment, confidence, discretion, and consistent
execution—not perfection.
The ideal candidate enjoys creating structure, taking ownership, solving
problems, and being the trusted person who quietly makes everything run better.