Free template
Executive assistant job description template: describe your week, not a list of office tasks
A job description you can post today, with a filled-in example and the lines to change when the role is remote. Copy it or print it. Free, no sign-up.
Most executive assistant posts list office tasks: answer phones, order supplies, manage calendars. They bring in a pile of applications from people who've never run an executive's week. This template describes the week instead, so the right people recognise it.
Copy the executive assistant job description
Job title: Executive assistant to the [CEO / founder / managing director]
Location: [office address / hybrid, days in the office / remote, working [__] to [__] [time zone]]
Hours: [full-time / part-time, __ hours a week]
Pay: [currency][low] to [currency][high] a [month / year], plus [benefits]
Reports to: [name and title]
About us
[Two or three sentences: what the company does, how many people work there, and what the next year looks like.]
About the role
You'll run [name]'s week: their inbox, calendar, travel and the follow-ups from their meetings, so they can spend their time on [the work only they can do]. In a typical week that means about [__] meetings to schedule, [__] trips a month and [__] emails a day to sort.
What you'll do
- Manage [name]'s calendar: book and move meetings, protect focus time and settle clashes before they reach them
- Sort the inbox every morning: reply to what you can, draft what needs their voice, flag what's urgent
- Prepare for meetings: agendas, briefing notes and papers, sent the day before
- Take notes in [which meetings] and follow up on the actions, with owners and dates
- Book travel and build itineraries for [__] trips a month
- Handle expenses, invoices and [other admin, e.g. board papers, contracts to sign]
- Track [projects or priorities] and remind [name] of what's due
- Be the first contact for [clients, the board, the team] on [name]'s behalf
What you'll need
- [__]+ years supporting a senior executive, founder or partner
- Clear, careful writing: you'll send emails in [name]'s name
- Comfortable with [Google Workspace / Microsoft 365], [Slack / Teams] and [other tools]
- Discretion with confidential information
- The judgement to decide what can wait and what can't
Nice to have
- [e.g. board meetings, event planning, a second language, experience in your industry]
What success looks like after 90 days
- [name]'s calendar and inbox run without them checking them
- Every meeting has an agenda the day before and a written follow-up the same day
- [One goal specific to your business]
How to apply
Send your CV and a short note to [email] with the subject "[job title]". In your note, tell us about a week you ran for an executive and one thing you'd change about how they worked. We'll reply to every application by [date].
How to write an executive assistant job description the right people answer
The brackets ask for numbers only you have.
- Open last week's calendar and inbox, and fill the brackets with the real numbers
- Cut any duty you won't hand over in the first month
- Move the extras to Nice to have
- Keep the question in How to apply. It's your first filter.
A filled-in example: executive assistant to the founder of a 40-person agency
Harbourline is a made-up company. The pay is left for you to fill in.
Job title: Executive assistant to the founder
Location: Hybrid, in our Tanjong Pagar office three days a week
Hours: Full-time, 9 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday
Pay: S$[low] to S$[high] a month, plus 18 days' leave and a learning budget
Reports to: Daniel Koh, founder
About us
Harbourline is a 40-person design agency. We build brands and websites for clinics, schools and property developers, and we're opening a second studio next year.
About the role
You'll run Daniel's week: his inbox, calendar, travel and the follow-ups from his meetings, so he can spend his time on clients and the new studio. In a typical week that means about 25 meetings to schedule, two trips a month and 120 emails a day to sort.
What you'll do
- Manage Daniel's calendar: book and move meetings, protect two mornings a week for design reviews and settle clashes before they reach him
- Sort the inbox by 10 am: reply to what you can, draft what needs his voice, flag what's urgent
- Send agendas and briefing notes the day before every client meeting
- Take notes in the Monday leadership meeting and chase the actions by Wednesday
- Book travel and build itineraries for two trips a month
- Prepare expense claims and send client invoices for his approval
- Keep the list of open items for the new studio and remind Daniel what's due each Friday
- Be the first contact for clients and suppliers who need Daniel
What you'll need
- 3+ years supporting a founder, director or partner
- Clear, careful writing: you'll send emails in Daniel's name
- Comfortable with Google Workspace, Slack and Notion
- Discretion with client contracts and staff matters
- The judgement to decide what can wait and what can't
Nice to have
- Experience planning an office move or opening
- Bahasa Indonesia or Malay
What success looks like after 90 days
- Daniel's calendar and inbox run without him checking them
- Every client meeting has an agenda the day before and a follow-up the same day
- The new studio's open items are tracked in one place and reviewed every Friday
How to apply
Send your CV and a short note to hiring@harbourline.example with the subject "Executive assistant". In your note, tell us about a week you ran for an executive and one thing you'd change about how they worked. We'll reply to every application by 31 October.
Five mistakes that fill your inbox with the wrong applicants
Each one costs you a week of reading CVs.
- A list of office tasks instead of your week. "Answers phones, orders supplies" brings in receptionists.
- No pay range. You find out on the third call that you can't agree.
- No hours or time zone. For a remote role, the hours that overlap are part of the job.
- Five jobs in one. Event planning, bookkeeping and social media belong under Nice to have, if anywhere.
- Nothing to answer. Without a question in How to apply, every CV looks the same.
Hiring a remote executive assistant? Change these four lines
Swap these into the template above.
- Location: remote, working [__] to [__] [your time zone], Monday to Friday
- What you'll need: add a computer, a reliable connection and a quiet place to take calls
- Add How we'll work: a check-in at [time] on [Slack or Teams], with logins shared through [a password manager]
- How to apply: shortlisted people do a short paid task, like sorting a sample inbox
Rather not run the hire yourself?
The template is free. If you'd rather not run the hire, that's what Catalyst does: we recruit and vet executive assistants before you meet them.
- We're the employer, so payroll and equipment are ours to run.
- Plans start from around $8.80 an hour, billed monthly per assistant.
Frequently asked questions
What does an executive assistant do?
They run an executive's week: the calendar, the inbox, travel, meeting preparation and the follow-ups, so the executive spends their time on work only they can do.
What should an executive assistant job description include?
The job title, location and hours, the pay range, who they report to, a short about us, the duties as they'd show up in a real week, the skills you need, what success looks like after 90 days, and how to apply.
What's the difference between an executive assistant and an administrative assistant?
An administrative assistant supports a team or an office. An executive assistant supports one or two senior people and acts on their behalf, so the role needs more judgement and discretion.
Should I put the pay in the job description?
Yes. A range saves you calls with people you can't afford, and some places require it, so check the rules where you're hiring.
Can an executive assistant work remotely?
Yes. Most of the job is the inbox, the calendar and travel bookings, which all happen online. Change the four lines above and set the hours that overlap with yours.
Is the template free?
Yes. Copy it or print it. No sign-up and no email.