Executive Assistant

The American economy is broken. Today, 53 million working adults–nearly half of the U.S. workforce–do not earn a living wage. These talented workers have few options to advance: college is too long and expensive, full-time boot camp programs don’t offer enough flexibility, and online courses don’t have the structure or support to translate learning into a new career. The result? Talented workers, disproportionately people of color and women, get stuck in low-wage roles with no way to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Merit America is a national nonprofit that creates pathways to family-sustaining careers for Americans stuck in low-wage work. Our fast, flexible solutions are built for working adults: We start by analyzing tens of millions of job postings to identify in-demand, high-paying tech careers and then work with industry-recognized partners to train for these roles with part-time programs that combine flexible online learning with best-in-class coaching. Finally, we support our learners in their job search, helping them connect with a broad constellation of local and national employers such as JPMorgan Chase and Infosys to land higher-earning, family-sustaining jobs. Merit America is on a mission to build a scalable pathway for workers to join the middle class through merit, not money. Since our founding in 2018, we’ve generated a projected $1 billion in near-term wage gains for our learners.

Note: Merit America generally operates on a four-day workweek; however, due to the nature of executive support, this role follows a five-day schedule (Monday–Friday).

Role Overview:

The primary mission of the Executive Assistant to the Co-CEOs is to support the Co-CEOs in working as efficiently and effectively as possible, managing complex calendars, coordinating executive travel, streamlining operations, and serving as a trusted liaison between the Co-CEOs and internal and external stakeholders.

The Executive Assistant will report directly to Lia Bonamassa (Chief of Staff) and work primarily with the Co-CEOs of Merit America. This role offers the opportunity to grow into expanded responsibilities over time, including supporting strategic projects, Board coordination, and executive communications.

• Must Haves for all roles at Merit America:
  • Committed to Merit America’s mission to pave pathways to family-sustaining careers, break the poverty cycle, and create upward mobility for low-wage workers
  • Demonstrated history of embodying our values, which inform our work and drive our organization's culture
  • Shared sense of responsibility and ownership for our collective work in making a positive impact on the community we support, true to our value of Win & Lose Together
  • Committed to continuous learning and growth in advancing inclusive excellence and closing gaps across lines of difference
  • Passionate about fostering a workplace culture that embraces and values individual differences, aligned with our core value of inclusivity
• Must Haves for this role:
  • Executive Support & Calendar Management
    • Experience as an Executive Assistant or in a similar high-level administrative role
    • Proven expertise managing complex calendars for senior executives, with ability to prioritize and coordinate across multiple stakeholders
    • Track record of anticipating needs and proactively solving problems before they arise
  • Communication & Stakeholder Management
    • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with ability to draft professional correspondence on behalf of executives
    • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels
    • Ability to serve as a professional liaison between executives and board members, partners, and teams
  • Organization & Project Coordination
    • Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
    • Experience coordinating complex travel logistics, including international travel arrangements
    • Ability to streamline workflows and implement systems to improve executive efficiency
  • Technical Proficiency & Adaptability
    • Proficiency with Google Workspace, Slack, Zoom, and other collaboration tools
    • Comfort working in a fully remote environment with a distributed team
    • Ability to learn new tools and systems quickly
  • Discretion & Professionalism
    • Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion
    • Sound judgment in prioritizing issues and knowing when to escalate
    • Flexibility to respond to urgent matters outside standard business hours when needed
• Nice to Haves for this role:
  • Experience supporting C-suite executives at a nonprofit or mission-driven organization
  • Experience in a startup or high-growth environment
  • Background in education, workforce development, or social impact sectors
  • Experience supporting large-scale events or offsites

• Executive Calendar & Schedule Management (50%)
  • Manage complex calendars for two Co-CEOs, scheduling meetings with critical stakeholders, typically within 24 hours of request
  • Proactively identify and resolve scheduling conflicts, prioritizing meetings aligned with CEO goals and organizational priorities
  • Coordinate across both Co-CEOs' schedules to ensure alignment and efficiency
  • Prepare daily/weekly schedule briefings with context, materials, and priorities
  • Monitor and respond to scheduling requests with urgency when needed (note: while responses outside business hours are appreciated for urgent matters, they are not required)
• Travel & Logistics Coordination (20%)
  • Plan and coordinate executive travel, including flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and detailed itineraries
  • Manage travel logistics for conferences, board meetings, donor visits, and strategic partner meetings
  • Handle expense reconciliation and travel reimbursements
  • Anticipate travel needs and prepare travel-related briefing materials
• Communication & Stakeholder Management (20%)
  • Draft and edit emails, correspondence, meeting agendas, and post-meeting action items on behalf of the Co-CEOs
  • Serve as a professional point of contact for internal teams, board members, partners, and external stakeholders
  • Manage the Co-CEOs' inboxes, flagging priority items and drafting responses as appropriate
  • Maintain discretion with sensitive and confidential information
• Operational Support & Project Coordination (10%)
  • Streamline workflows and systems to align with CEO priorities and deadlines
  • Coordinate logistics for leadership meetings, team offsites, and organizational events
  • Support cross-functional initiatives and strategic projects as needed
  • Maintain organized systems for tracking action items, deadlines, and follow-ups
  • Assist with Board coordination, including meeting minutes and follow-up actions (as role expands)