Executive Administrative Assistant

Orion Group; North Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 37,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Leadership development opportunities

Technology and training resources

Campus transportation and coffee

Job summary

Orion Group is seeking an experienced Executive Administrative Assistant IV to support our pharmaceutical client’s BTS department in North Chicago, IL. This hybrid role requires handling complex calendars, travel, invoices, and confidential information for a Senior Director and team.

You will coordinate meetings, prepare presentations, and manage onboarding for new hires, while ensuring compliance with policies and deadlines.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of previous administrative experience supporting executives or senior leaders.
• Some college preferred.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience desired.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or CRO environments strongly preferred.
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Concur, SharePoint, Visio, and/or OrgPlus.
• Familiarity with corporate travel, expense reporting, purchasing, and administrative workflows.
• Strong understanding of business processes and operational requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new technology quickly and adapt to changing environments.
• Excellent calendar management, scheduling, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and proactively address challenges.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the confidence to respectfully push back when appropriate.
• Make it happen mindset with persistence, initiative, and a commitment to delivering results.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced administrative support to senior leadership and BTS team.
• Manage complex calendars and proactively resolve scheduling conflicts.
• Anticipate leadership and team needs, ensuring schedules, priorities, and deliverables remain organized.
• Maintain team rosters and contact lists.
• Schedule meetings and support Teams/Zoom and telepresence setups.
• Act as liaison for remote access and technical meeting needs.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements.
• Prepare and submit expense reports in compliance with company policies.
• Manage correspondence, couriers, FedEx labels, and shipments.
• Order office supplies and manage inventory.
• Process invoices and assist with vendor onboarding.
• Coordinate meeting planning, events, and catering.
• Create or modify business documents and presentations.
• Prepare binders and manage large copy requests.
• Request publications and articles as needed.
• Coordinate new employee office setups and onboarding activities.
• Provide backup administrative support to other team members as needed.

Skills

Calendar management

Travel coordination

Executive support

Microsoft Office

Concur

SharePoint

Education

Some college preferred.

Tools

Concur

SharePoint

Visio

OrgPlus

Job description

Executive Administrative Assistant IV – Business Technology Solutions (BTS)

Location: North Chicago, IL (Potential future relocation to Mettawa, IL)

Work Schedule: Hybrid – Tuesday through Thursday onsite | Monday and Friday remote- must be flexibly to work onsite as needed

Contract Duration: 12 months with potential for permanent conversion

Pay Rate: $27-$31/hr based on benefit selection

Department: Business Technology Solutions (BTS)

Orion Group is seeking an experienced Executive Administrative Assistant IV to support our pharmaceutical client's Business Technology Solutions (BTS) department in North Chicago, IL!

This role provides advanced administrative and operational support in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, partnering closely with senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

This is a high-visibility position supporting a Senior Director and their team, requiring exceptional organization, attention to detail, technical proficiency, and proactive problem-solving skills.

Team & Leadership Overview The selected candidate will join the Business Technology Solutions (BTS) team, providing direct administrative support to a Senior Director and their team.

The team is currently based in North Chicago, IL, with a potential future relocation to Mettawa, IL. The new location has not yet been confirmed.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable supporting senior-level leadership in a dynamic business technology environment where priorities can shift quickly. The team values an administrative professional who is highly organized, detail-oriented, adaptable, and technologically proficient.

Beyond traditional executive administrative support, the team is seeking someone who can anticipate needs, think two steps ahead, independently identify solutions, and confidently communicate or push back when necessary to ensure priorities and deadlines are effectively managed.

The selected individual should demonstrate a proactive mindset, sound judgment, flexibility, and the ability to quickly adjust to changing business needs while maintaining a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.

Key Responsibilities

Administrative & Operational Support

• Provide advanced administrative support to senior leadership and the Business Technology Solutions team.
• Manage complex calendars and proactively resolve scheduling conflicts.
• Anticipate leadership and team needs, ensuring schedules, priorities, and deliverables remain organized.
• Maintain team rosters and contact lists.
• Schedule meetings and support Teams/Zoom and telepresence setups.
• Act as liaison for remote access and technical meeting needs.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel arrangements.
• Prepare and submit expense reports in compliance with company policies.
• Manage correspondence, couriers, FedEx labels, and shipments.
• Order office supplies and manage inventory.
• Process invoices and assist with vendor onboarding.
• Coordinate meeting planning, events, and catering.
• Create or modify business documents and presentations.
• Prepare binders and manage large copy requests.
• Request publications and articles as needed.
• Coordinate new employee office setups and onboarding activities.
• Provide backup administrative support to other team members as needed.

Compliance & Confidentiality

• Ensure compliance with corporate travel, expense, purchasing, security, privacy, and administrative policies.
• Handle confidential and business-sensitive information with discretion.
• Maintain departmental files in accordance with corporate and regulatory requirements.
• Follow corporate branding guidelines and established administrative procedures.
• Support budget expenditure tracking as needed.

Project & Team Support

• Support ad hoc projects and operational initiatives as assigned.
• Prepare presentations from source materials.
• Assist with coordination of team activities, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Operate with general instruction while demonstrating initiative and ownership.
• Adapt quickly to changing priorities and shifting business needs.
• Proactively identify scheduling conflicts, potential obstacles, and opportunities to improve administrative processes.
• Communicate effectively with leadership and stakeholders, including confidently raising concerns or recommending alternative approaches when appropriate.

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple requests in a high-volume environment.
• Proactive problem-solving and the ability to anticipate team needs.
• A forward-thinking approach, consistently staying two steps ahead of leadership priorities.
• Flexibility and adaptability when priorities or business needs change unexpectedly.
• Strong technical fluency and confidence learning new systems and tools.
• Willingness to professionally challenge decisions, ask questions, or push back when necessary.
• Clear communication of deadlines, deliverables, and potential obstacles.
• Accountability and ownership of work.
• Strong relationship-building skills across departments and client areas.
• Professional demeanor when interacting with senior leadership.
• Ability to execute independently while collaborating effectively.
• Strong listening skills, sound judgment, and discretion.
• A persistent, solutions-oriented, "make it happen" attitude.

QualificationsRequired / Preferred

• 7+ years of previous administrative experience supporting executives or senior leaders.
• Some college preferred.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience desired.
• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or CRO environments strongly preferred.
• Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience with Concur, SharePoint, Visio, and/or OrgPlus.
• Familiarity with corporate travel, expense reporting, purchasing, and administrative workflows.
• Strong understanding of business processes and operational requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to learn new technology quickly and adapt to changing environments.
• Excellent calendar management, scheduling, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and proactively address challenges.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the confidence to respectfully push back when appropriate.
• "Make it happen" mindset with persistence, initiative, and a commitment to delivering results.

Interview Process

Selected candidates will participate in a virtual panel interview via Microsoft Teams with members of the leadership and administrative team.

Work Environment & Benefits

This role offers the opportunity to work within a collaborative team environment while supporting important business technology initiatives at a leading pharmaceutical organization.

Contractors have access to:

• Ongoing technology and training resources.
• Leadership support for career development.
• A flexible hybrid work schedule based on team requirements.
• A professional, inclusive workplace culture.
• Opportunities to collaborate with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Inter-campus shuttle services where available.
• Complimentary campus transportation and coffee services at participating locations.

Permanent Opportunity:

This position has the potential for conversion to a full-time employee, depending on business needs and performance.

People are our business worldwide

Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.