Executive Assistant

Tri; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 134,000 - 184,000; Full time

Job summary

Toyota Research Institute in California seeks an Executive Assistant to provide dual support to the VP of Communications and the Director, Head of People. You will manage calendars, handle confidential information with discretion, and coordinate complex travel.

The role demands proactive judgment, autonomy, and seamless execution across two leadership functions, with strong collaboration, expense reporting, and cross‑functional staff coordination.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred.
• Eight+ years of administrative experience, including at least 4 years in direct support of VP-level executives.
• Experience managing executive workflows with high autonomy and sound judgment.
• Proficient in Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and Asana, with hands-on experience using AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage the executive's calendar, correspondence, and meeting cadences with a strong understanding of team priorities and business rhythms.
• Handle sensitive information with a high degree of confidentiality and discretion at all times.
• Anticipate needs and proactively coordinate resources to support executives before requests become urgent.
• Plan and coordinate highly complex international and domestic travel, including detailed itinerary and logistics management.
• Serve as a trusted gatekeeper and point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, maintaining professionalism and discretion at all times.
• Prepare and manage expense reports, purchase orders, and financial documentation accurately and promptly.
• Partner with the broader Executive Assistant team to coordinate cross-functional schedules, staff meetings, agendas, and action item tracking.
• Handle incoming correspondence and requests, triaging and following through independently as appropriate.
• Own day-to-day administrative operations, including expense reporting, filing systems, vendor contract support, meeting agendas, and document retention.
• Manage schedules and communications across US time zones, with flexibility to accommodate international time zones, including Japan and other locations, as business needs and executive travel require.
• Provide coverage for EA team members on vacation to ensure continuity of support.

Skills

Executive support

Calendar management

Travel coordination

Discretion & judgment

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Google Suite

Microsoft Office

Asana

AI tools (Claude)

Job description

At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team advancing the state of the art in AI, robotics, driving, and material sciences.

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly skilled and resourceful Executive Assistant to provide dual support to the VP of Communications and the Director, Head of People. This role requires a proactive individual with exceptional judgment, strong discretion, and the ability to manage complex, cross-functional priorities across two distinct leadership functions. The ideal candidate is a trusted partner who operates with autonomy, anticipates needs before they arise, and ensures seamless execution for both executives.

• Manage the executive's calendar, correspondence, and meeting cadences with a strong understanding of team priorities and business rhythms.
• Handle sensitive information with a high degree of confidentiality and discretion at all times.
• Anticipate needs and proactively coordinate resources to support executives before requests become urgent.
• Plan and coordinate highly complex international and domestic travel, including detailed itinerary and logistics management.
• Serve as a trusted gatekeeper and point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, maintaining professionalism and discretion at all times.
• Prepare and manage expense reports, purchase orders, and financial documentation accurately and promptly.
• Partner with the broader Executive Assistant team to coordinate cross-functional schedules, staff meetings, agendas, and action item tracking.
• Handle incoming correspondence and requests, triaging and following through independently as appropriate.
• Own day-to-day administrative operations, including expense reporting, filing systems, vendor contract support, meeting agendas, and document retention.
• Manage schedules and communications across US time zones, with flexibility to accommodate international time zones, including Japan and other locations, as business needs and executive travel require.
• Provide coverage for EA team members on vacation to ensure continuity of support.

• A bachelor’s degree is strongly preferred.
• Minimum eight (8) years of administrative experience, including at least 4 years in direct support of VP-level executives or equivalent.
• Experienced managing executive workflows and deliverables with high autonomy and sound judgment, communicating professionally and representing leadership with discretion across all interactions.
• Strong judgment and decision-making, with the ability to balance strategic perspective and tactical execution.
• Proven ability to act with integrity, discretion, and composure in all circumstances, including sensitive or confidential matters.
• Highly detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent assignments under tight deadlines.
• Flexible and adaptable; thrives in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
• Team-oriented mindset, able to collaborate effectively with peers while working independently.
• Proficient in Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and Asana, with hands-on experience using AI tools (including Claude), travel and expense platforms, and virtual collaboration tools; quick to adopt new systems and workflows.
• Experience with dual or multi-executive support is a strong plus.

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $134,000 and $184,000/year for California-based roles. Base pay offered will depend on multiple individualized factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's experience, skills, job-related knowledge, and market location. TRI offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) eligibility, paid time off benefits (including vacation, sick time, and parental leave), and an annual cash bonus structure. Additional details regarding these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people with unique backgrounds, education and life experiences. We are dedicated to fostering an innovative and collaborative environment by living the values that are an essential part of our culture. We believe diversity makes us stronger and are proud to provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all, without regard to an applicant’s race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, religion, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.