Simon & Schuster is seeking an exceptional Executive Assistant to serve as a trusted partner to our Chief Executive Officer. This highly visible role supports a dynamic, fast-moving executive whose responsibilities span company leadership, strategic initiatives, board engagement, industry relationships, and frequent travel between the East and West Coasts.
The successful candidate is an outstanding administrator, proactive problem-solver, skilled relationship manager, and master of execution who can anticipate needs, navigate competing priorities, and bring order to complex situations. This individual will serve as a key extension of the CEO, ensuring seamless coordination across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
The ideal candidate thrives in a high-performance environment, exercises exceptional judgment, maintains absolute discretion, and enjoys operating at the center of one of the most respected publishing companies in the world.
Key Responsibilities- Manage a complex, constantly evolving bicoastal calendar, balancing internal leadership responsibilities, board commitments, travel, speaking engagements, and external meetings
- Anticipate scheduling conflicts and competing priorities, proactively identifying solutions and optimizing the CEO's time and focus
- Serve as a trusted liaison between the CEO and internal and external stakeholders, including senior leadership, board members, authors, agents, business partners, and industry leaders
- Coordinate extensive domestic and international travel, including detailed itineraries, accommodations, logistics, and last-minute changes
- Prepare briefing materials, presentations, reports, and other supporting documents for meetings, board sessions, speaking engagements, and public appearances
- Draft, edit, and manage correspondence on behalf of the CEO
- Monitor key initiatives and follow-through across the organization to ensure timely execution and alignment with CEO priorities
- Organize and support executive meetings, including agendas, materials, notes, and follow-up coordination
- Partner closely with the Chief of Staff and leadership team on strategic projects and company-wide initiatives
- Handle highly confidential information with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment
- Assist with special projects, events, and company initiatives as needed
Qualifications- 8+ years of experience supporting a CEO, senior executive, founder, or business leader in a complex, fast-paced environment
- Proven ability to manage competing priorities, shifting schedules, and high-volume communications with exceptional attention to detail
- Demonstrated ability to build credibility and strong working relationships with senior executives, external partners, and high-profile stakeholders
- Exceptional organizational, project management, and time management skills
- Strong written and verbal communication abilities
- Ability to anticipate needs, think several steps ahead, and operate with minimal direction
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with changing priorities
- Experience in publishing, media, entertainment, technology, consumer, or other fast-paced industries is preferred
Technical Capabilities- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) and Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Drive)
- Experience with project management and collaboration tools such as Asana, Monday.com, Trello, or similar platforms
- Familiarity with CRM systems such as Salesforce or HubSpot
- Ability to create polished presentations, dashboards, and executive-level reports
- Experience managing virtual meetings and events through platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet
- Strong spreadsheet and data management skills, including the ability to organize, summarize, and present information clearly
- Experience with document management systems and cloud-based file organization
- Ability to troubleshoot minor technical issues and coordinate effectively with IT support teams
Key Attributes- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and dependable
- Calm under pressure and skilled at solving problems in real time
- Professional, adaptable, resourceful, and resilient
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across all levels of an organization
- Exercises excellent judgment and discretion in handling sensitive matters
- Operates with a service mindset while confidently managing priorities and expectations
Flexible and responsive to the needs of a bicoastal executive with an active travel schedule
