Executive Administrative Assistant

What is an Executive Administrative Assistant?

An Executive Administrative Assistant is an employee who provides high level administrative support to CEOs and other C-suite executives in the workplace. Administrative assistant job duties can include taking calls, scheduling meetings, managing executive requests, and other office duties. They may also oversee office functions and supervise lower level office employees. These employees are also commonly called Executive Secretaries or Executive Assistants in various workplace settings. This position requires someone who has excellent verbal communication skills, good judgement, and strong time management skills in order to meet deadlines.

What is the Difference between a PA and EA?

The main difference between a personal assistant (PA) and executive assistant (EA) is an executive assistant typically supports business executives in business settings, whereas a personal assistant tends to support personal tasks, such as grocery shopping, meal preparation, and household management. When personal assistants do work within a business structure they generally support lower-level management, as opposed to the upper-level executives EAs support.

Job Responsibilities

Executive Administrative Assistants work in a wide variety of employment settings, and their job responsibilities differ greatly according to their specific employer’s needs and policies. However, in general, executive assistants perform many of the same everyday functions in the workplace as secretaries, personal assistants and administrative assistants, including:

• Answering phones calls and taking messages
• Welcoming all visitors and interacting with them
• Managing scheduling and appointments
• Arranging meetings and other events, as well as travel arrangements
• Managing mail/fax communications
• Managing traditional paper and/or electronic filing systems
• Performing basic bookkeeping/clerical duties

Executive Administrative Assistants are generally also responsible for administrative tasks over and above those typically performed by these other administrative employees, which may include:

• Setting and managing the daily schedules and calendars of company executives
• Preparing and/or editing documents, such as expense reports, memos and invoices
• Creating spreadsheets, managing databases, preparing presentations
• Negotiating with vendors
• Order necessary office supplies
• Managing corporate stock rooms and/or libraries
• Managing videoconferencing, fax communications and office equipment
• Reviewing incoming documents
• Conducting research
• Training and/or supervising clerical workers

How to Become an Executive Administrative Assistant

Earning a degree in office management is your best first step towards building a career as an Executive Administrative Assistant. The Office Management associate degree program at Bryant & Stratton College teaches the skills necessary to thrive in today’s technology-rich and demanding office environment. Students who complete this program will gain a thorough understanding of the roles of administrative assistants in the modern workplace, which include interpersonal, organizational, administrative, and communications skills, among others. They will also receive an in-depth education on the technologies vital to pursuing this career path, such as mobile technology and devices, electronic correspondence and virtual/wireless technology, as well as modern corporate telephone, email and messaging systems, cloud computing systems and office management programs to name just a few. The dynamic nature of the modern workplace requires an ability to adjust and remain effective.

Additional Training/Requirements

Most employers prefer to hire candidates who have several years of work experience in a related occupation under their belts. Many meet this work experience requirement by spending some time working in lower level administrative jobs, such as General Office Clerk or Administrative Assistant positions, for instance. In many employment settings, the newly hired may also be required to complete a period of on-the-job training to learn skills and procedures specific to their new workplace.

Related Job Titles

Procurement Clerk

Procurement clerks are primarily responsible for compiling records and information needed to create purchase orders, which are documents used to procure supplies, equipment and services. These roles generally require a degree, such as the Office Management Associate Degree from Bryant & Stratton College.

Administrative Coordinator

An administrative coordinator is an employee who coordinates, oversees, performs or manages a wide variety of administrative and office support activities for their employers. These workers also serve as a link between departments, vendors, employees, clients and other relevant parties. These roles generally require a degree, such as the Office Management Associate Degree from Bryant & Stratton College.

Administrative Assistant

Administrative assistants carry out routine clerical and administrative tasks, such as scheduling appointments, organizing and maintaining both paper and electronic files, drafting correspondence, preparing documents, supporting other staff members, or providing callers with information. A diploma education, such as the Office Administration Assistant Diploma from Bryant & Stratton College.