Sr. Executive Assistant- Distribution

AAR Corp; Illinois; On-site; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonus

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) retirement plan with company 
%

Generous paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

AAR Corp in Illinois seeks a Senior Executive Assistant to provide high‑level administrative support to our Senior Vice President, Distribution, and additional senior leaders. This role expands beyond calendars and travel to create leverage for leaders, ensuring high‑impact work stays front and center.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years supporting executives in fast‑paced settings, exceptional organizational skills, and a discreet, proactive mindset.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience supporting senior executives in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong team player who partners effectively across departments and administrative teams.
• Excellent judgment to determine when to escape, act independently, or decline requests.
• Clear and confident communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, Teams, and travel/expense systems; enthusiasm for leveraging AI tools like CoPilot to enhance productivity.
• Calm under pressure, dependable, and trusted with highly confidential information.
• Results-driven and adaptable, with a proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
• Skilled at building relationships and contributing positively to a collaborative culture.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level administrative support to the Senior Vice President, Distribution, and other senior leaders.
• Go beyond calendars and travel, creating leverage to keep leaders focused on high-impact work.
• Coordinate across departments and administrative teams to ensure seamless operations.
• Exercise sound judgment and discretion in handling information and requests.
• Communicate clearly in writing and verbally to diverse stakeholders.
• Utilize AI tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.
• Maintain confidentiality and manage sensitive information with care.
• Support ongoing process improvements and cross-functional collaboration.

Skills

Executive support

Organizational skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Discretion

AI productivity tools

Microsoft Office 365

Teams

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

CoPilot AI

Travel & expense systems

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Executive Assistant to provide high-level administrative support to our Senior Vice President, Distribution, as well as other senior leaders within the Distribution organization. This role goes beyond managing calendars and travel, it’s about creating leverage, ensuring our leaders stay focused on the highest-impact work. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment, exercises sound judgment and discretion, and takes pride in making complex operations run seamlessly. You’ll play a vital role in keeping the organization aligned and operating efficiently at the top level.

This position is based at our Corporate Headquarters in Wood Dale, IL, with a planned relocation to the Merchandise Mart (Chicago) in early 2027.

What you will be responsible for:

• 5+ years of experience supporting senior executives in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong team player who partners effectively across departments and administrative teams.
• Excellent judgment to determine when to escape, act independently, or decline requests.
• Clear and confident communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, Teams, and travel/expense systems; enthusiasm for leveraging AI tools like CoPilot to enhance productivity.
• Calm under pressure, dependable, and trusted with highly confidential information.
• Results-driven and adaptable, with a proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
• Skilled at building relationships and contributing positively to a collaborative culture.

What you need to be successful in the role:

• 5+ years of experience supporting senior executives in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong team player who partners effectively across departments and administrative teams.
• Excellent judgment to determine when to escape, act independently, or decline requests.
• Clear and confident communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365, Teams, and travel/expense systems; enthusiasm for leveraging AI tools like CoPilot to enhance productivity.
• Calm under pressure, dependable, and trusted with highly confidential information.
• Results-driven and adaptable, with a proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making.
• Skilled at building relationships and contributing positively to a collaborative culture.

The rewards of your career at AAR go far beyond just your salary:

• Competitive salary and bonus package
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Generous paid time off program
• Professional development and career advancement opportunities

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to sit, stand, bend, reach and move about the facility.
• The environmental characteristic for this position is an office setting.
• Candidates should be able to adapt to a traditional business environment.

AAR provides accommodation in accordance with applicable laws through all stages of the hiring process. If you require accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please advise Human Resources.

Compensation:

The anticipated salary range for this position is $90,000 to $105,000 annually. This range reflects the base salary for candidates who meet the requirements of the role, including experience, education, and location. In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for a bonus. AAR offers a competitive benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance, 401(k) savings plan with employer match, paid time off and holiday pay, as well as opportunities for professional development and growth.

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We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.