Senior Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer

New York, NY
Full Time
Experienced
About The New York Climate Exchange
The New York Climate Exchange (“The Exchange”) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating climate solutions through research, education, innovation, and collaboration. Through partnerships spanning academia, government, philanthropy, industry, and communities, The Exchange is building a world-class climate solutions center headquartered in New York City.
The Exchange brings together leading experts, practitioners, policymakers, and innovators to advance climate action and create scalable solutions for a more sustainable future.

Position Summary
The New York Climate Exchange seeks an exceptional Senior Executive Assistant (SEA) to serve as a trusted partner to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
This is a highly visible and impactful role that extends well beyond traditional executive support. The Senior Executive Assistant is responsible for ensuring the CEO’s time, communications, priorities, stakeholder relationships, meetings, and travel are managed with precision, professionalism, and exceptional attention to detail. The role incorporating some of the capabilities commonly associated with a Chief of Staff, including executive operations, stakeholder management and communications support.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned executive support professional with significant experience supporting CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors, Founders, or similarly senior leaders. This individual operates with discretion, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and a high degree of independence. The successful candidate will be highly organized, exceptionally resourceful, proactive, responsive, and comfortable working in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment where priorities evolve rapidly.
This individual will regularly engage with board members, major donors, philanthropists, government officials, academic partners, corporate leaders, community partners, and other high-profile external stakeholders. The ability to represent the CEO and The Exchange with confidence, diplomacy, and professionalism is essential.
The position requires flexibility and responsiveness, including periodic evening and weekend availability and the ability to manage urgent issues that arise outside traditional business hours.


Key Responsibilities


Executive Partnership & Strategic Support
  • Serve as the primary executive support partner to the CEO and operates as an extension of the CEO’s office.
  • Manage a complex and dynamic calendar while balancing competing priorities.
  • Ensure the CEO’s time is aligned with organizational goals and strategic priorities.
  • Anticipate needs, identify potential conflicts, and develop solutions before issues arise.
  • Prepare the CEO for meetings, presentations, media appearances, donor engagements, board activities, and public events through commissioning and compiling comprehensive briefing materials and background research.
  • Draft, edit, and proofread correspondence, presentations, reports, speeches, talking points, and executive communications.
  • Track key decisions, deadlines, commitments, and follow-up actions across multiple initiatives.
  • Operate as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the CEO on administrative, operational, and organizational matters.
  • Serve as a proxy for the CEO when appropriate, ensuring important matters continue to move forward effectively.
Executive Operations & Organizational Coordination
  • Coordinate and monitor cross-functional initiatives on behalf of the CEO.
  • Coordinate follow-up actions and accountability to ensure priorities remain on track.
  • Support leadership meetings, Board meetings, strategic planning sessions, donor engagements, and organizational convenings.
  • Work across departments to facilitate timely execution of CEO priorities and organizational commitments.
  • Identify opportunities to improve workflows, processes, communication, and operational efficiency.
  • Help resolve organizational issues by gathering information, coordinating stakeholders, and driving appropriate follow-through.
Stakeholder & Relationship Management
  • Serve as a key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the CEO.
  • Build positive and productive relationships with Board members, donors, elected officials, academic leaders, corporate executives, community partners, and other stakeholders.
  • Coordinate communication and follow-up with senior stakeholders. Navigate sensitive and complex situations with discretion, composure, and emotional intelligence.
  • Represent the CEO and The Exchange with professionalism and credibility at all times.
  • Maintain strong working relationships across the organization and with external partners.
Meeting Management & Executive Preparation
  • Coordinate and manage a high volume of internal and external meetings on behalf of the CEO. Coordinate scheduling across multiple stakeholders, organizations, and time zones.
  • Prepare agendas, briefing materials, meeting notes, talking points, and follow-up communications. Conduct or commission background research and gather relevant information to ensure the CEO is fully prepared for meetings and engagements.
  • Ensure meetings are executed professionally and efficiently, with all necessary materials prepared in advance.
  • Track meeting outcomes, decisions, commitments, and follow-up actions.
  • Ensure appropriate stakeholders are informed and action items are completed.
Communications & Executive Support
  • Support the CEO in preparing speeches, presentations, remarks, talking points, correspondence, and other executive communications.
  • Coordinate with internal teams to gather information and materials needed for executive communications.
  • Support preparation for media interviews, public appearances, conferences, donor meetings, and other high-profile engagements.
  • Ensure communications and materials reflect the appropriate level of professionalism, accuracy, discretion, and organizational voice.
Board, Donor & External Engagement Support
  • Support the CEO’s engagement with the Board of Directors and other governance bodies.
  • Assist with preparation for Board meetings, committee meetings, donor engagements, and strategic discussions.
  • Coordinate materials, schedules, logistics, and follow-up associated with high-level stakeholder engagements.
  • Support donor and philanthropic engagement activities in partnership with internal teams.
Complex Travel & Executive Logistics
  • Manage sophisticated domestic and international travel arrangements for the CEO.
  • Coordinate flights, accommodation, transportation, visas, meeting schedules, and executive logistics.
  • Manage last-minute travel changes, cancellations, flight disruptions, weather-related delays, and other unforeseen challenges.
  • Maintain extensive familiarity with New York City transportation systems, airports, hotels, venues, and executive travel logistics.
  • Ensure seamless execution of executive travel and related stakeholder engagements.
Executive Events & Special Projects
  • Manage logistics for executive events, retreats, conferences, donor engagements, Board activities, and other high-profile organizational events.
  • Coordinate multiple stakeholders, vendors, venues, schedules, and materials to ensure successful execution.
  • Support special projects and strategic initiatives led by or assigned through the CEO’s office.
  • Take ownership of time-sensitive and high-priority assignments requiring discretion, initiative, and independent judgment.
Financial & Administrative Support
  • Coordinate and process CEO-related expense reports and supporting documentation.
  • Assist with executive-level administrative and financial tracking as needed.
  • Maintain organized records and documentation related to executive activities.
  • Support appropriate administrative processes associated with the CEO’s office.

Confidentiality & Professionalism
  • Handle highly sensitive organizational, personnel, financial, governance, legal, fundraising, and strategic information with complete discretion.
  • Exercise exceptional judgment when responding to sensitive and confidential matters.
  • Maintain professionalism and composure under pressure.
  • Demonstrate a service-oriented mindset and commitment to excellence.
  • Protect the confidentiality and integrity of information entrusted to the CEO’s office.
  • Maintain appropriate boundaries and discretion when working with senior leaders and external stakeholders.
Required Qualifications and Attributes
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
  • Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible executive support, operations, administration, project coordination, or related experience.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting a CEO, President, Executive Director, Founder, or other senior executive leader.
  • Significant experience operating and ability to prioritize in complex, fast-paced, or high-growth environments.
  • Extensive experience managing highly complex calendars with competing priorities and frequent changes.
  • Extensive experience coordinating domestic and international executive travel.
  • Exceptional organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, and use sound judgment.
  • Strong project management and cross-functional coordination skills.
  • Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Teams, Zoom, PowerPoint, and related productivity tools.
  • Ability to work evenings, weekends, and outside traditional business hours when required.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and exercise appropriate judgment regarding escalation.
Preferred Qualifications and Attributes
  • Experience supporting executives within nonprofit, philanthropy, climate, sustainability, public policy, academic, government, or other mission-driven organizations.
  • Familiarity with fundraising operations, donor stewardship, and Board governance.
  • Experience supporting organizations during periods of rapid growth, organizational transformation, or startup development.
  • Familiarity with New York City’s nonprofit, philanthropic, academic, government, and business communities.
  • Experience performing Chief of Staff-adjacent responsibilities, including executive operations, stakeholder management, strategic planning support, organizational problem-solving, and cross-functional project coordination.

Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $130,000–$155,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
The Exchange offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement benefits, paid time off, and Summer Fridays.


Additional Information
Location: New York City (Hybrid)
Reporting Relationship: Chief Executive Officer
Travel: Occasional domestic travel may be required. Periodic evening and weekend availability may also be required based on executive and organizational needs.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The New York Climate Exchange is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The Exchange provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal laws.
Due to the high volume of applications received, The Exchange is unable to provide individual feedback. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

A Note to Prospective Applicants
Research indicates that men tend to apply for jobs when they meet approximately 60% of the criteria, while women and people from other marginalized groups may be more likely to apply only when they meet all of the stated qualifications.
If you are passionate about The Exchange’s mission and believe you have the skills, experience, judgment, and potential to be successful in this role—even if you do not check every box—we encourage you to apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
 

You must be able to work in the United States as The Exchange does not yet have visa-sponsoring capabilities.

Share

Apply for this position

Required*
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability
Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 07/31/2029
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Please check one of the boxes below:

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

You must enter your name and date
Human Check*