MPTA Executive Special Assistant

charlottenc; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 81,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) seeks an Executive Special Assistant to provide high‑level support to the CAO and CEO, coordinating priorities, preparing materials, and safeguarding confidentiality in a fast‑paced public agency environment.

You will manage complex projects, track deadlines, draft executive communications, and align initiatives across departments to ensure smooth operations as the agency transitions to the MPTA.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level, strategic support to assigned executives, ensuring administrative, operational, and communication activities align with organizational priorities and leadership expectations.
• Manage executive priorities, scheduling demands, commitments, and workflow with strong foresight, anticipating needs and proactively preparing required materials.
• Prepare, refine, and coordinate polished executive correspondence, presentations, briefings, talking points, reports, and other strategic materials.
• Ensure executives are fully informed, equipped, and supported for meetings, decisions, public engagements, and internal leadership interactions.

Job description

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department Salary: $81,226.00 - $116,762.94 Commensurate with Experience

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving, at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), we’re committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative transit services for our growing community, and we value employees who bring professionalism, passion, and a commitment to public service.

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long-term investment in mobility. Its an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY

The Executive Special Assistant provides high-level, strategic support to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), serving as a trusted advisor in managing executive priorities, complex initiatives, and sensitive organizational matters. They coordinate and advance multifaceted projects, communications, and stakeholder relationships while overseeing executive office operations with exceptional judgment, discretion, and political awareness. This role ensures the CAO and CEO are fully supported and prepared by managing competing demands; organizing high-visibility meetings, briefings, and executive materials; and independently driving follow-through on issues, requests, and action items. The Executive Special Assistant is expected to anticipate needs, uphold confidentiality, manage sensitive information responsibly, and help maintain alignment across strategic initiatives and organizational commitments. Characterized by strategic coordination, independence, and trusted-advisor engagement, this role plays a critical part in sustaining effective executive decision support, issue management, and stakeholder continuity for the organization.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Executive Support

• Provide high-level, strategic support to assigned executives, ensuring administrative, operational, and communication activities align with organizational priorities and leadership expectations.


• Manage executive priorities, scheduling demands, commitments, and workflow with strong foresight, anticipating needs and proactively preparing required materials.


• Prepare, refine, and coordinate polished executive correspondence, presentations, briefings, talking points, reports, and other strategic materials.


• Ensure executives are fully informed, equipped, and supported for meetings, decisions, public engagements, and internal leadership interactions.

Complex Project and Issue Coordination

• Coordinate and support highly complex, high-visibility assignments, projects, initiatives, and follow-up actions on behalf of executive leadership.


• Track deadlines, commitments, decision points, major initiatives, and deliverables requiring executive attention or organizational follow-through.


• Gather context, data, and insights from departments, leaders, and stakeholders to support issue resolution and inform executive decision‑making.


• Independently advance assigned matters, navigating barriers and resolving issues within delegated authority while maintaining alignment with expectations.

Executive Communications and Workflow Management

• Oversee and prioritize executive-level communications, including emails, correspondence, requests, and scheduling matters, ensuring clarity and responsiveness.


• Identify and elevate urgent, sensitive, high-impact, or politically relevant issues requiring timely executive awareness or action.


• Draft, refine, and coordinate routine and semi-routine communications, ensuring professional tone and accuracy.


• Serve as a trusted gatekeeper for the executive office, managing access, maintaining communication flow, and ensuring appropriate follow‑up.

Stakeholder and Relationship Coordination