Senior Executive Assistant, Office of the CEO

Agenus Inc; Lexington (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

Agenus in Lexington, MA is seeking an experienced Senior Executive Assistant to join the Office of the CEO and support the Chairman/CEO. You will work closely with senior executives, board members, investors, and partners in a fast-paced Nasdaq-listed biotechnology environment.

You will manage complex calendars, coordinate travel, handle confidential information, and help drive operational efficiency using AI-enabled tools and smart processes.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of executive support experience for a C-suite executive.
• Experience in a public company, biotechnology, life sciences, financial services, or fast-paced environments preferred.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to manage complex calendars, international travel, and high-level meetings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Confident in interacting with senior executives, board members, investors and external stakeholders.
• Discretion, judgment and ability to prioritize independently.
• Proactive, resourceful, adaptable and calm under pressure.
• Strong Microsoft 365 skills and quick learner of new systems and technologies.
• Comfort with AI tools to enhance productivity.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for learning how a high-level executive office operates.

Responsibilities

• Manage a complex, high-volume executive calendar across multiple time zones.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel, itineraries and changes.
• Serve as a trusted contact for internal and external requests.
• Manage communications, correspondence, follow-up and action items.
• Provide discreet personal support for select commitments and appointments.
• Support day-to-day operations of the Office of the CEO and related responsibilities.
• Coordinate Board meetings, leadership meetings and investor interactions.
• Build relationships with Board Members, investors and external partners.
• Identify process improvements and leverage technology and AI to increase efficiency.

Skills

Executive support

Calendar management

Travel coordination

Communications

Microsoft 365

AI tools (Copilot/ChatGPT/Claude)

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Copilot

ChatGPT

Claude

Job description

The Opportunity

Agenus is seeking an exceptional Senior Executive Assistant to join the Office of the CEO and work closely with the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer.

This is far more than a traditional executive assistant role. As part of a small, high-performing team, you will gain firsthand exposure to the leadership and operations of a Nasdaq-listed biotechnology company. You will work in the Office of the CEO and interact with senior executives, Board members, investors, business partners, and other key stakeholders.

You will be trusted with significant responsibility, encouraged to take ownership, and given the opportunity to expand your skills and progressively assume greater responsibilities. This position reports to the Director of Operations of the Office of the CEO, who will provide training and mentorship, with both roles working closely together to provide coverage and support.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced executive assistant who wants to expand beyond traditional administrative responsibilities and continue to build a career in executive operations and corporate leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Executive & CEO Support

• Manage a complex, high-volume executive calendar across multiple time zones.
• Coordinate domestic and international travel, itineraries, and real-time changes.
• Serve as a trusted point of contact for internal and external requests.
• Manage communications, correspondence, follow-up, and action items.
• Anticipate needs, identify potential issues, and proactively resolve them.

Personal & Confidential Support

• Provide discreet administrative support for select personal commitments and appointments.
• Handle sensitive business and personal information with exceptional judgment and confidentiality.

Office of the CEO Operations

• Support the day-to-day operations and priorities of the Office of the CEO.
• Manage expenses, memberships, subscriptions, renewals, and other administrative responsibilities.
• Support the CEO's involvement with affiliated companies, philanthropic organizations, and other initiatives.
• Provide coverage for the Director, Operations, during absences.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and leverage technology and AI.

Board, Leadership & Stakeholder Support

• Coordinate Board meetings, leadership meetings, investor meetings, partner meetings, and executive visits.
• Manage travel, accommodations, agendas, presentations, briefing materials, and meeting logistics.
• Coordinate executive dinners, events, and high-profile engagements.
• Build professional relationships with Board Members, investors, executives, and external partners.

What You Bring

• 5+ years of executive support experience, supporting a C-suite executive.
• Experience in a public company, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, financial services, or similarly fast-paced environment preferred.
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to manage complex calendars, international travel, and high-level meetings.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Confidence interacting with senior executives, Board Members, investors, and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and ability to prioritize independently.
• Highly proactive, resourceful, adaptable, and remain calm under pressure.
• Strong Microsoft 365 skills; ability to quickly learn new systems and technologies.
• Comfortable using AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude to improve productivity and executive support.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Curiosity and enthusiasm for learning how a high-level executive office and public company operate.

Location and Schedule

• Onsite at the Lexington, MA headquarters, Monday through Friday. Core hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• The CEO hosts dinners and events regularly, typically 5:00 to 7:00 PM; the Senior Executive Assistant is expected to be available for these. Occasional weekend work for travel changes and time-sensitive matters.
• Occasional travel to the company's New York office.
• The office is dog-friendly; a dog is present regularly.

Why This Is a Great Career Opportunity

This position offers an unusual opportunity to learn from senior leadership, become an essential member of the Office of the CEO, broaden your professional skill set, and build a career at the highest levels of the organization.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Work directly with the Chairman and CEO of a Nasdaq-listed biotechnology company.
• Gain exposure to Board relations, corporate strategy, investor interactions, and executive decision-making.
• Develop relationships with senior executives, Board Members, investors, and business partners.
• Take ownership of increasingly complex responsibilities and projects.
• Develop expertise in executive operations, corporate communications, event management, technology, and AI-enabled productivity.
• Learn from experienced professionals in a collaborative, high-performing environment.

The targeted salary range for this position is $80,000 - $113,000 per year. Agenus is making a good faith effort to be transparent and accurate around our hiring ranges. The salary offered is commensurate with Agenus’s compensation philosophy and considers factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, external market conditions, critical needs of the role, and internal equity.

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