How to hire an executive assistant to executive director

How to hire an executive assistant to executive director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step executive assistant to executive director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an executive assistant to executive director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new executive assistant to executive director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an executive assistant to executive director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an executive assistant to executive director, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An executive assistant to executive director's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, executive assistant to executive directors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of executive assistant to executive directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Executive Assistant To Executive Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Executive Assistant To Executive Director	Secretaries and administrative assistants perform clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.	$15-36

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Data Entry
   • Financial Reports
   • Payroll
   • PowerPoint
   • Meeting Minutes
   • Event Planning
   • Calendar Management
   • Conference Calls
   • Human Resources
   • Office Management
   • Provides Administrative Support
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Office Equipment
   • Word Processing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and provide assistance for escalate VIP customer complaints.
   • Organize and manage SVP calendar independently to ensure important meetings receive the priority they deserve by eliminating unnecessary interactions.
   • Issue customer satisfaction surveys to customers in compliance of ISO standards.
   • Maintain departmental information in an organize format using Microsoft SharePoint.
   • Create organizational charts and maintain current disaster recovery information in database and upload to SharePoint.
   • Assist in day-to-day payroll activities, responsible for daily production output analysis, daily inventory/input controls and paying vendors.

   More executive assistant to executive director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your executive assistant to executive director job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An executive assistant to executive director salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an executive assistant to executive director in Nebraska may be lower than in New Jersey, and an entry-level executive assistant to executive director usually earns less than a senior-level executive assistant to executive director. Additionally, an executive assistant to executive director with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average executive assistant to executive director salary

   $50,166yearly

   $24.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level executive assistant to executive director salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average executive assistant to executive director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$70,284	$34
   2	California	$63,020	$30
   3	New York	$62,550	$30
   4	New Jersey	$62,453	$30
   5	Connecticut	$61,071	$29
   6	Illinois	$58,698	$28
   7	Washington	$58,573	$28
   8	Maryland	$56,794	$27
   9	Pennsylvania	$54,945	$26
   10	North Carolina	$53,700	$26
   11	Oregon	$52,622	$25
   12	Massachusetts	$47,637	$23
   13	Wisconsin	$46,941	$23
   14	Michigan	$44,062	$21
   15	Minnesota	$42,787	$21
   16	Texas	$42,522	$20
   17	Tennessee	$42,403	$20
   18	Colorado	$41,622	$20
   19	Arkansas	$38,970	$19
   20	New Mexico	$37,702	$18

   Average executive assistant to executive director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Cisco	$103,567	$49.79	96
   2	Protiviti	$95,221	$45.78	1
   3	Argonne National Laboratory	$73,801	$35.48
   4	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$72,961	$35.08
   5	Electronic Arts	$68,187	$32.78	2
   6	Sidwell Friends School	$64,797	$31.15
   7	Stanford University	$62,902	$30.24	24
   8	Autodesk	$58,355	$28.06	32
   9	Michigan State University	$56,799	$27.31	4
   10	Duke University Health System	$55,054	$26.47	13
   11	University Hospitals	$54,346	$26.13	4
   12	RWJBarnabas Health	$53,571	$25.76	8
   13	Equality Now	$53,403	$25.67
   14	University of California-Berkeley	$52,395	$25.19	1
   15	Trinitas Regional Medical Center	$51,495	$24.76
   16	University of Colorado Boulder	$51,111	$24.57	3
   17	Washington State University	$49,844	$23.96	3
   18	The State of Oregon	$49,546	$23.82
   19	New York State Restaurant Association	$48,039	$23.10
   20	Burke	$47,889	$23.02	8

4. Writing an executive assistant to executive director job description

   An executive assistant to executive director job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an executive assistant to executive director job description:

   Executive assistant to executive director job description example

   As Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, this position is responsible for direct one-on-one executive support, including but not limited to: management of executive level projects, presentation development, schedule management, travel coordination, and various duties as assigned. The person hired for this position is a main point of contact, serving as a liaison between internal and external constituents pertaining to the Executive Director. This position requires someone great at organizing and paying attention to details, who adapts well to and anticipates the needs of others, brings a solution-focused approach to problem-solving, is adept at making decisions and activating on them, and is skilled at handling multiple projects concurrently.
   
   We are excited to add a talented person to our energetic team who excels in the above and also enjoys:
   Working for an organization focused on changing lives for the better A dynamic environment where every day is a bit different Stretching yourself and learning new things Offering feedback/ideas to enhance organization decision-making and outcomes Openly receiving feedback and pivoting quickly to improve skills and effectiveness Being empowered to take full ownership of your role Working with an authentic, fast-paced, passionate, fun, and visionary leader Laughing... Every. Single. Day.
   Make an impact with our team:
   
   The passion for our community is the driving force behind the Madison Strategies team, striving to create access to high-quality education, fulfilling employment, and upward economic mobility for all. We're always looking ahead and innovating to ensure our programs meet the needs of the workforce and community.
   
   The team at Madison Strategies knows that the work we do is both highly challenging and profoundly rewarding. Our successes come from positive attitudes, diversity of thought, collaborative work and compassionate customer service. We hold ourselves to the highest standard because we know the importance of our work for the community.
   
   Primary Responsibilities
   Maintains absolute confidentiality and protects company information. Management of Executive Director (ED)'s projects to include follow-up, execution of agreed-upon elements, and research when necessary, working intimately with the ED. Manages ED's complex business schedule and is responsible for scheduling travel, meetings, and other commitments; assists with the preparations necessary for meetings, travel, presentations, etc.; responsible for all calendar changes or cancellations as deemed necessary and/or appropriate. Liaison with other staff for communication, fostering good working relationships, problem-solving, and information sharing. Stays up to date on activities taking place with the leadership team and ensures timely and appropriate follow-up. Creates and assembles dashboards with highly confidential documents as required. Also, prepares reports by collecting and analyzing information. Prioritizes conflicting needs; ensures CEO receives the support required to be successful; handles matters expeditiously and proactively. Coordinates with other departments as necessary to prepare specific engagements; maintains and organizes detailed schedules.
   Qualifications
   7+ years of executive administrative experience or comparable experience Bachelor's degree Must have strong critical thinking skills, able to quickly and effectively provide valuable answers to questions or provide effective solutions Strong verbal, written, and impeccable organizational skills are required Expert negotiating skills to handle quick-paced scheduling and projects with a high level of detail orientation Must have complete knowledge of booking domestic travel at an executive level Must be extremely familiar with Google calendar scheduling and have experience managing a complex calendar in multiple time zones Must be accustomed to Google applications and Microsoft Office Maintain a high level of integrity and ethics Demonstrate ability to initiate, plan, prioritize, and organize multiple projects Must be able to work independently with little or no supervision Exceptional multi-tasking abilities and excellent follow-through on all assigned tasks Must have excellent interpersonal and customer service skills Ability to treat confidential information with professionalism and discretion Prefer previous experience using project management software
   Benefits: Madison Strategies Group offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance, 401k and generous paid time off.
   
   Job Type: Full-time
   
   Salary:: The salary for this position is $50,000 - $55,000 based on experience.
   
   How to Apply:
   
   Our multi-step hiring process ensures we employ the right people with the skills necessary to innovate and elevate the Madison Strategies team. Submit a resume along with a cover letter describing how the mission of Madison Strategies Group motivates you.
   
   MSG is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse workforce.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find executive assistant to executive directors for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your executive assistant to executive director job on Zippia to find and recruit executive assistant to executive director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with executive assistant to executive director candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new executive assistant to executive director

   Once you've found the executive assistant to executive director candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new executive assistant to executive director. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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