Executive Assistant & Board Liaison | National Council on Aging

Nonprofit HR; Virginia (MN); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

National Council on Aging is seeking an Executive Assistant to the CEO. You will sit at the center of executive operations—partnering with the President & CEO, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Team to keep the office running smoothly.

This hybrid role focuses on CEO scheduling, board liaison, and preparing materials such as board books, agendas, and briefing documents. You’ll manage travel, meetings, and special projects with impeccable judgment and discretion.

Qualifications

• 5+ years supporting a CEO, Executive Director, President, or comparable senior-most executive
• Direct Board of Directors experience — governance, Board books, agendas, and minutes
• A track record of drafting correspondence, briefings, and talking points on behalf of leadership
• Exceptional judgment and the confidence to make decisions and inform, rather than wait for direction
• Discretion that is absolute when it comes to confidential and sensitive information
• Precision under pressure, and the calm to manage competing priorities without dropping detail
• Direct, efficient communication — you get to the point, and you are comfortable with a leader who does the same
• Coachability and comfort with accountability and candid feedback
• Advanced Microsoft 365 skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and an appetite for using AI tools to work smarter
• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Responsibilities

• Own the CEO's Calendar and Protect Their Focus
• Manage a complex, constantly shifting calendar against strategic priorities
• Triage requests, resolve conflicts, and make the call — then inform
• Serve as the Board's Primary Point of Contact
• Act as the administrative liaison to the Board of Directors and its committees
• Coordinate meeting schedules and logistics, build and distribute Board books and agendas
• Power the Executive Office
• Monitor and triage the CEO's correspondence and draft on her behalf
• Build the weekly executive briefing package
• Prepare agendas, background documents, presentations, and talking points
• Stay Two Steps Ahead of Every Trip and Every Event
• Manage all aspects of monthly domestic travel — transportation, itineraries, and expense reporting
• Coordinate events: guest lists and room suitability for the CEO
• Coordinate Across the Organization
• Run logistics for Executive Team meetings, All Staff meetings, and retreats
• Support cross-functional projects and process improvements that sharpen the Executive Office

Skills

Executive support

Board governance

Communication

Microsoft 365

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Location: Arlington, VA (Crystal City)
Schedule: Hybrid — 3 days per week on-site
Salary: $100,000–$120,000 annually, commensurate with experience
Reports to: Chief of Staff

National Council on Aging is looking for an Executive Assistant to the CEO!

100 Million Happier, Healthier Birthdays. Someone Has to Keep That Mission on Schedule.

NCOA has spent more than 75 years fighting for one idea: that every person has the right to age well — with health, independence, and financial security — no matter their zip code. Today that fight runs through a national network of thousands of partners, a Board of Directors, a Capitol Hill advocacy agenda, and a CEO whose calendar is the single most contested resource in the organization. We are looking for the person who will run it.

This is the seat closest to the decision‑making. If you are the one who reads the room before it fills, who has the briefing in hand before it is requested, and who can tell a Board chair "no, but here's what I can do" without a single wrinkle — keep reading. If you are looking for a quiet desk and a predictable inbox, this is not your role.

The Opportunity

The Executive Assistant is the trusted partner to NCOA's President & CEO and the primary point of contact for the Office of the CEO. You will sit at the center of executive operations — the connective tissue between the CEO, the Board of Directors, the Executive Team, staff, donors, partners, and national stakeholders.

Three priorities define this role: CEO scheduling, Board liaison, and the positioning of the Executive Office. You will protect the CEO's time, decide what reaches her and what does not, and make sure that every meeting, trip, Board book, and briefing she walks into is already handled.

You will report to the Chief of Staff and work in close partnership with the Executive Team. This is a service role at the highest level of the organization — and the credibility you build here compounds quickly.

What You'll Do

Own the CEO's Calendar and Protect Their Focus

Manage a complex, constantly shifting calendar against strategic priorities. Triage requests, resolve conflicts, and make the call — then inform. You are the gatekeeper, and you will be trusted to act like one.

Serve as the Board's Primary Point of Contact

Act as the administrative liaison to the Board of Directors and its committees. Coordinate meeting schedules and logistics, build and distribute Board books and agendas, sit in as the official recorder, and produce accurate minutes and governance records on time, every time.

Power the Executive Office

Monitor and triage the CEO's correspondence and draft on her behalf. Build the weekly executive briefing package. Prepare agendas, background documents, presentations, and talking points — and then track the follow-up until it is closed.

Stay Two Steps Ahead of Every Trip and Every Event

Manage all aspects of monthly domestic travel — transportation, itineraries, and expense reporting. Think ahead on events: who is on the guest list, where it is being held, and whether this is the right room for the CEO to be in at all.

Coordinate Across the Organization

Run logistics for Executive Team meetings, All Staff meetings, and retreats. Partner with the Chief of Staff on organizational priorities and CEO outreach, and support cross‑functional projects and process improvements that make the Executive Office sharper than you found it.

What You Bring

• 5+ years supporting a CEO, Executive Director, President, or comparable senior-most executive
• Direct Board of Directors experience — governance, Board books, agendas, and minutes
• A track record of drafting correspondence, briefings, and talking points on behalf of leadership
• Exceptional judgment and the confidence to make decisions and inform, rather than wait for direction
• Discretion that is absolute when it comes to confidential and sensitive information
• Precision under pressure, and the calm to manage competing priorities without dropping detail
• Direct, efficient communication — you get to the point, and you are comfortable with a leader who does the same
• Coachability and comfort with accountability and candid feedback
• Advanced Microsoft 365 skills (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and an appetite for using AI tools to work smarter
• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Why This Role Is Worth Your Next Five Years

NCOA is a hard‑working, deeply mission‑driven team of subject matter experts who are sought out across the aging field. People here want to know the why. They are collaborative, direct, and all in on the mission. If you value respect, care for others, and integrity — and you want your work to reach millions of older adults — this is the place.

Ready to Apply?

Submit your cover letter, resume, and application to https://nonprofithr.applytojob.com/apply/LOVnBx47Ij/Executive-Assistant-Board-Liaison-National-Council-On-Aging.
Address your cover letter directly to National Council on Aging and share why you would want to support their mission.

Learn more about NCOA's work at ncoa.org.

National Council on Aging is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

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