Strategic Executive Assistant to CEO & Gatekeeper

Nift; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Nift is seeking an Executive Assistant who acts as a strategic partner and force multiplier for our CEO. This role is not a traditional admin seat; you’ll operate at the speed and altitude of a high-performing executive—managing time, information, and priorities with precision, and anticipating needs before they’re asked.

You’ll be a gatekeeper, a sounding board, and a trusted extension of the CEO, handling complex travel, board materials, stakeholder conversations, and confidential executive

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience, including 3+ years supporting a VP-or-above executive at a tech startup or VC firm.
• Strong bias toward action; you take initiative, work autonomously, and hunt down the answers, context, and data needed to solve problems.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and composure under pressure.
• High EQ and strong relationship-building instincts, paired with clear written and verbal communication.
• Outstanding organization and follow-through: you manage multiple workstreams at once and drive every one to completion.
• Adaptability when plans change last minute — and an optimistic outlook when they do.
• Fluency with modern productivity tools (Google Workspace, spreadsheets, structured email workflows).
• Flexibility to be generally reachable outside standard hours and across time zones — this role moves with the CEO's schedule, not a 9-to-5

Responsibilities

• Own the calendar. Run a complex, ever-changing executive calendar — weighing competing priorities, making judgment calls on the CEO's behalf, and ensuring every incoming request lands with full context.
• Control access. Serve as the primary gatekeeper for the CEO's time, deciding what gets through and when.
• Make travel seamless. Coordinate domestic and international travel end to end: detailed itineraries, contingency plans, and real-time adjustments when things change mid-flight.
• Prepare the CEO for everything. Deliver day-ahead and week-ahead briefings, background research, and meeting materials so the CEO walks in ready.
• Build the network. Establish and manage relationships with partners, DTC brands, board members, and investors on the CEO's behalf.
• Drive high-stakes work. Help prepare board presentations, client-facing decks, and executive communications — and streamline how decisions get made day to day.
• Support the whole picture. At this level, professional and personal logistics blur — you'll serve as a Personal Assistant for the CEO, managing their personal calendar, vacation planning, and other administrative needs alongside professional logistics with the same discretion you bring to everything else.

Skills

Calendar management

Gatekeeping

Travel coordination

Board deck preparation

Executive communication

Discretion

Relationship building

Organizational skills

Education

BS/BA preferred

Tools

Google Workspace

Spreadsheets

Structured email workflows

Job description

Nift is seeking an Executive Assistant who acts as a strategic partner and force multiplier for our CEO. This role is not a traditional admin seat; you’ll operate at the speed and altitude of a high-performing executive—managing time, information, and priorities with precision, and anticipating needs before they’re asked.

You’ll be a gatekeeper, a sounding board, and a trusted extension of the CEO, handling complex travel, board materials, stakeholder conversations, and confidential executive