Executive Assistant to Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Position Title: Executive Assistant to Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Program/ Dept: Administrative

Work location: Los Angeles- Hybrid

Classification: Full-time, permanent, Exempt

Reports to: Vice President

Salary: 90,000 to 105,000 DOE

Position Overview

Job Summary:

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative and strategic support to the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Young Women’s Freedom Center, who oversees Operations and HR, the Freedom Research Institute, and Southern California Impact and Strategy. This role manages complex scheduling, email, travel, communications, and document preparation, and takes ownership of building and running the systems that keep the VP/COO's time, priorities, and cross-departmental commitments on track.

This is not a support role that waits to be told what to do. The Executive Assistant works independently, anticipates needs, builds structure where none exists, and keeps pace with a portfolio that spans multiple departments and regions. Given the volume and range of what the VP/COO oversees, this role requires someone who can triage competing priorities in real time and protect the VP/COO's capacity to lead.

Core Responsibilities

Executive & Administrative Support

• Manage the Vice President of Strategy & COO’s calendar, travel, email, and meeting logistics with precision and discretion. Coordinating availability and resolving conflicts.
• Prepare presentations, briefings, reports, agendas, and meeting minutes for internal and external engagements as requested.
• Serve as a liaison with internal and external stakeholders, maintaining professionalism and confidentiality.
• Track action items, deadlines, and follow-ups related to the Vice President/COO’s work.
• Respond to routine communications on behalf of the Vice President/COO as appropriate.
• Maintain organized records, files, and systems related to executive support.
• Track and manage special projects, deadlines, correspondence, and expense reporting.
• Facilitate internal communications to ensure clear, timely information sharing.
• Anticipate needs and proactively resolve issues to maximize executive effectiveness.
• Escalate issues, conflicts, or scheduling risks as needed.

Fundraising and Event Support

• Support fundraising activities including donor and funder communications, scheduling, and materials preparation
• Plan and coordinate events, from internal meetings to external convenings, handling logistics start to finish
• Manage meeting planning end to end: agendas, materials, room or venue logistics, follow up notes, and action tracking

Cross Departmental Coordination & Staff Support

• Serve as a connector across Operations and HR, Freedom Research Institute, and Southern California Impact and Strategy, keeping the VP/COO informed without needing to chase information
• Liaise with directors and staff across these areas to keep projects and commitments moving
• Escalate scheduling conflicts, risks, or bottlenecks before they become problems
• Develop and maintain internal systems and tools that support a high-functioning, mission-aligned team culture.
• Provide operational and project support to staff and the VP & COO as needed.

Systems Building and Administrative Organization

• Design and maintain systems (trackers, templates, filing structures, workflows) that bring order to a high volume, multi department portfolio
• Continuously identify where current systems are breaking down and build better ones, without waiting for direction
• Maintain organized records and documentation across Operations and HR, Freedom Research Institute, and Southern California Impact and Strategy work
• Support onboarding of new tools or processes that improve how the VP/COO's office runs

Professionalism & Confidentiality

• Handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Community-oriented, flexible, values-aligned, and a critical thinker
• Highly developed skills in conflict resolution
• Maintain clear boundaries around role scope, authority, and confidentiality.
• Represent the VP/COO's office professionally with internal staff, board members, funders, and external partners

Skills & Qualifications

• Must be based in Southern California and willing to travel regularly to the LA office
• Highly organized with a demonstrated ability to build systems from scratch, not just maintain existing ones
• Proven ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment without close supervision
• Experience managing complex, shifting priorities for a senior leader across multiple portfolios or departments
• Experience supporting fundraising activities and planning events or meetings
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and reliability
• Comfort working in a fast paced, evolving nonprofit environment
• Familiarity with California workplace norms and expectations preferred