Executive Assistant

The Planet Group; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Planet Group is seeking an experienced executive assistant to support our founders and leadership team in Cambridge. The role focuses on calendar management, meeting preparation, and coordination of governance activities and donor engagements.

You will draft and format professional documents, manage travel logistics, and help keep high-level engagements organized with clear next steps. A strong bias for proactive problem-solving and discretion is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
• 3-5+ years of administrative or executive support experience.
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain attention to detail.
• Professional discretion and ability to handle confidential information.
• Experience with Microsoft 365, Zoom, and collaborative platforms.
• Ability to draft, edit, and format professional documents and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Manage co-founder calendars, scheduling, and meeting coordination.
• Coordinate logistics for donor meetings and external engagements.
• Prepare leadership with itineraries, briefings, agendas, and materials.
• Prepare meeting follow-up items and track decisions and actions.
• Support leadership travel planning and expense coordination.
• Triage requests and flag urgent or sensitive matters.
• Draft, edit, and format professional correspondence and meeting summaries.
• Coordinate Board of Directors and advisory group meetings.
• Prepare agendas, materials, and minutes; track actions.
• Maintain governance documents and records.
• Support donor engagement workflows and fundraising communications.
• Assist with donor materials preparation.
• Coordinate event logistics for retreats, meetings, and donor meetings.
• Ensure events are professionally organized with clear next steps.

Skills

Organizational skills

Time management

Written and verbal communication

Multitasking

Discretion and confidentiality

Interpersonal skills

Independent and proactive work style

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft 365

Zoom

CRM systems

Job description

• Manage co-founder calendars, scheduling, and meeting coordination, including prioritizing requests, resolving conflicts, protecting focus time, and ensuring meetings are well prepared
• Coordinate logistics for donor meetings and external engagements
• Prepare leadership for meetings and appointments by providing itineraries, briefings, agendas, background notes, and supporting materials, including as needed creation of PowerPoint presentations, Excel charts, or Word documents
• Prepare meeting follow-up items as requested and help track decisions, deadlines, and action items to completion
• Support leadership with travel planning and expense coordination
• Help triage requests and communications, flagging urgent or sensitive matters and escalating appropriately
• Draft, edit, and format professional correspondence, meeting summaries, and other documents as needed

Board & Advisory Group Administration

• Coordinate Board of Directors and advisory group meetings
• Prepare and distribute agendas, meeting materials, and minutes
• Track action items and support follow-up on Board decisions
• Maintain governance-related documentation and records
• Support smooth communication among Board members, advisors, co-founders, and staff
• Support scheduling and logistics for donor cultivation meetings
• Assist with preparation and organization of donor materials, including pre-meeting briefing materials
• Coordinate follow-up and communication tracking related to fundraising activities
• Support leadership in maintaining organized donor engagement workflows
• Help maintain accurate donor contact records, meeting histories, and next steps

Event & Logistics Support

• Assist with logistics coordination for organizational retreats, meetings, lunches, dinners, and events
• Coordinate vendors, scheduling, and travel arrangements where needed
• Provide administrative support for high-level convenings and leadership meetings
• Maintain business accounts and prepare/process expense reimbursement requests
• Handle miscellaneous tasks such as printing, copying, mailing, and other duties as assigned
• Help ensure that events and meetings are professionally organized and followed by clear next steps

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience
• 3-5+ years of administrative, executive support, or operations experience
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain attention to detail
• Professional discretion and ability to handle confidential information
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with senior academic, philanthropic, and organizational leaders
• Ability to work independently and proactively in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with Microsoft 365, Zoom, and collaborative work platforms
• Ability to draft, edit, and format professional documents, presentations, spreadsheets, and correspondence
• Sound judgment and comfort handling sensitive relationships, confidential information, and competing priorities

Preferred:

• Experience supporting executives, boards, or nonprofit leadership teams
• Familiarity with higher education, nonprofit, or academic environments
• Experience with CRM systems
• Experience coordinating events, retreats, Board meetings, or donor meetings
• Comfort working in a startup or early-stage organizational environment where systems are still being built