Executive Assistant Job Description – Responsibilities, Salary

Executive Assistant Job Description

Being an Executive Assistant is about the administrative duties and the enthusiasm, passion, and zeal to fulfill the work because being an Executive Assistant are demanding and stressful. An Executive Assistant provides direct administrative support to the high-level executives of a company. Executive Assistant Job Description consists of certain qualities and qualifications. The minimum requirement for an entry-level Executive Assistant position is usually a high school diploma. However, some executive assistants have an associate or bachelor’s degree or even a Master’s degree. Some executive Assistants may take administrative courses and computer proficiency courses to deepen and develop their foundational skills and knowledge to increase their earning potential in the company. 

Executive Assistant Job Description

  • An Executive Assistant stands as a middle person between the Executives and the Clients. 
  • An Executive Assistant must be able to work promptly. 
  • An Executive Assistant must be good at Bookkeeping. 
  • An Executive Assistant must be trustworthy. 
  • An Executive Assistant must be supportive. 
  • An Executive Assistant must possess leadership qualities. 
  • An Executive Assistant must have a great Knowledge of Technology. 
  • An Executive Assistant must be a decision-maker 
  • An Executive Assistant must be willing to learn. 
  • An Executive Assistant must be able to multitask 

Job Responsibilities

  • An Executive Assistant is expected to be the middle person between the Executives, Clients, and other employees. So he/she is expected to communicate effectively with supervisors, CEOs, staff, and clients daily. A good dress sense and a suitable attitude are required for the role. 

  • Another responsibility for the Executive Assistant is to manage information and prioritize them. The Executive Assistant is expected to manage the executive’s calendar and multiple schedules, set up meetings and conferences, and predict the time frame. It is also the duty of an Executive Assistant to help prepare for meetings while working on the clock. An Executive Assistant is also expected to take minutes during meetings. 

  • An Executive Assistant is expected to prepare reports weekly, monthly, or quarterly, conduct research, prepare correspondence, expense, and statistical analysis. He/she should format information for internal and external communication – emails, presentations, reports, send out office-wide emails authorized by the CEO, etc. The Executive Assistant handles even the most sensitive and confidential information; therefore, an executive assistant must be discreet and trustworthy.

  • An Executive Assistant must review and filter calls, emails, faxes, etc., for the Executive. He/she is also required to plan office events, calculate and review budgets, ordering and take inventory of parties and giveaways. He/she is responsible for making travel and accommodation arrangements. He/she should be able to fun on business trips for their CEOs and handle all the logistical aspects of the CEO’s travel. 

  • An Executive Assistant is expected to supervise the clerical staff and coordinate space and office organizations and special projects and events. He/she should also be able to work as a team and build working relationships for themselves and their company. This would require the Executive Assistant to be efficient at networking, which can also help find investment opportunities, new product markets, and new operation methods.

  • Executives expect their assistants to provide strategic counsel, which might also mean being the sole decision-maker. As the CEO and the Executive Assistant’s relationship grows,  the Executives would begin to seek support in both big and small matters of the company. This may go from business matters to non-business matters. The Executive Assistant is hereby expected to be a good support system. 

  • Like the popular saying goes, uneasy lies the head that bears the crown. An Executive Assistant should lead a well-intended culture committee dedicated to office fun and social events. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy, after all. The Executive Assistant should be able to take lead initiatives, identify problems, evaluate and develop methods and strategies necessary to solve and complete tasks and projects that would be responsible for the success of new committees, groups, and ideas that would greatly impact the success of the company.

  • As a 21st century Executive Assistant, it is important to have in-depth knowledge of technology use. The Executive Assistant should use software and applications for scheduling, keeping records of data, and keeping client and other information organized. The Executive Assistant should be familiar with the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, SharePoint,  Outlook, OneNote, and PowerPoint and, if possible, have a certificate on it. Knowing how to use word press is also essential, especially when the company has a blog or a daily journal. 

  • Being a decision-maker is one of the key responsibilities of an Executive Assistant. The ability to make last-minute decisions, analyze and evaluate situations and outcomes, and develop creative solutions to ensure the success and completion of a task or project. 

  • Every Executive Assistant job would require different skills as different Executives assign a variety of duties. The Executive Assistant should be willing and able to learn new skills and responsibilities as they progress in their career. However, Executive Assistants usually receive training on the job between the first few weeks of employment. They may also be expected to learn closely from other assistants.

  • Oftentimes, an Executive Assistant is expected to handle multiple situations and task lists, manage several projects at once and keep track of company information and records. The Executive Assistant works on tons of different projects with tons of different people in the company. The Executive Assistant should be flexible enough to comfortably switch tasks and take on new responsibilities as they arise. Therefore it is expected that he/she should be able to multitask and stay abreast of developments in the company. This can also help the Executive Assistant to succeed in his/her career. 
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Salary Expectation of an Executive Assistant 

The salary of an Executive Assistant is not fixed however it is influenced by many factors some of which are:

  • The Job Experience: An entry-level Executive Assistant with less than a year of experience can earn between $40,000 – $45,000 per annum, including compensations, tips, bonuses, and overtime pay. An Executive Assistant with One to four years of working experience can earn between $47,000 – $50,000 per annum, while an Executive Assistant in his or her mid-career with five to ten years of experience would earn between $53,000 – $57,000 per annum. Executive Assistants with over ten years of experience earn between $60,000 – $65,000 per annum. 

  • Seniority Level and Duties of the Job: The salary of an Executive Assistant change depending on who the Executive Assistant is supporting. For instance, the Executive Assistant to the CEO would earn more than other Executive Assistants. Also,  an Executive Assistant level III would earn more than an Executive Assistant level I or II. However, as the duties of an Executive Assistant varies, so does the salary.

  • The Industry: The company’s area of specialization matters a lot when it comes to salary expectations. This can influence the duties and responsibilities of an Executive Assistant, therefore, influencing the pay. An Oil and Gas Company would definitely pay more than a start-up or upcoming company.

  • Educational Qualification and Background: Educational qualification plays a vital role in the Executive Assistant’s salary scale. If the pay is based on an Executive Assistant salary with a bachelor’s degree, then the pay would probably be higher than an Executive Assistant with only a diploma or an associate degree. An Executive Assistant with a Master’s degree would also be paid much higher salaries given their outstanding academic performance and accomplishments. 

  • The Location/ Region: The location of a company matters a lot and can influence the Executive Assistant’s salary. Using some states in the USA, for example:

    • New York – According to salary.com, a typical executive assistant salary is about $79,000 per annum. This is because there are many executive assistants opportunities because of the number of big businesses you can find there. 

    • California – Looking for better opportunities and considering other factors such as cost of living. California is also a good start for entry-level assistants, given the increasing number of tech start-ups. California’s tech sector opens doors for many tech-driven executive assistants. However, California’s highest paying location is San Francisco, which is about $90,000 per annum. 

    • Florida – Florida is also a lucrative city for executive assistants, especially those in the medical field, due to many retirees in the state. The pay is usually hourly. According to payscale.com, the average hourly pay of an executive assistant is $16.

Having understood the job description, requirements, and responsibilities of an executive assistant and the salary scale and factors that affect it, you should consider the different factors before entering into the executive assistant job market. 

Also read Chief of Staff vs Executive Assistant: What’s the Difference?

Executive Assistant Job Description – Responsibilities, Salary

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