Executive Assistant

The Seattle Times, a family-owned, Pulitzer Prize-winning news organization, is hiring for an Executive Assistant to provide administrative, project, and logistical support to the Executive Editor. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for serving as the gatekeeper for the editor, demonstrating a knack for customer service and high organizational ability while triaging information and providing support. Successful candidates will be comfortable assisting the Editor and the newsroom leadership team in coordinating day-to-day logistical, event, customer, personnel, and other matters in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. This varied role requires you to be resolute with matters of confidentiality, especially as it relates to personnel, financial matters, and business strategy. You will report directly to the Executive Editor.

Schedule: This full-time position is scheduled to work Monday to Friday from approximately 8:00am-5:00pm.

Location: This is a hybrid role with the expectation of being in the office 3 days per week. 

Responsibilities

• Exercise extensive independent judgment and maintain strict confidentiality.
• Independently, and/or in consultation, develop plans needed to carry out assigned projects and activities; establish methods and schedules to implement and maintain activities for newsroom leaders.
• Facilitate and perform administrative functions in support of newsroom supervisor meetings and team meetings as assigned. Support activities including the timely collection and preparation of draft agendas, prioritizing items in consultation with news leaders to finalize agenda. Disseminate meeting materials, keep meeting notes and coordinate any follow-up.
• Assure a logical flow for scheduling of activities, including preparation and planning time. Work with other administrative assistants or independently to schedule meetings, travel and outside commitments.
• Assist in scheduling panel interviews for applicants being vetted for open positions, working with editors throughout the newsroom and coordinating with the candidates.
• Provide assistance to newsroom staff of roughly 170, addressing needs ranging from ordering supplies to answering questions about logistical procedures and policies.
• Process payroll records for some employees, working in concert with other administrative assistants.
• Help process incoming newsroom mail and assist with outgoing mail as needed.
• Update and share newsroom organizational charts on a regular cadence.
• Track and submit expenses incurred by the Executive Editor, including for out-of-town business travel.
• Support newsroom leaders through positive communication and relations with internal and external customers in an environment that is open and inviting. Maintain relationships with, and respond to contacts from, internal and external customers (such as executives, news staff, newsmakers, news sources, readers, etc.) with the purpose of exchanging information, scheduling meetings and communicating confidential and non-confidential matters.
• Plan events for up to 200 people including in-house logistics and catering.

Qualifications

We are committed to diversity and creating an inclusive newsroom and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. If your profile does not match this job description exactly, you may still be a candidate for this position. Please let us know how your skills and experience relate to the role and its objectives in your cover letter.

• Experience: Three to five years of experience as an executive assistant.
• Education: Minimum four years of university or college training in English, liberal arts or related subjects; or graduation from a technical program in secretarial or office support services; or the equivalent education.
• Keyboarding minimum of 60 WPM.
• Expertise in MS Office Suite, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; Google Docs, Sheets and Forms; and Slack.
• Experience with SharePoint a plus.
• Ability to independently solve problems, using research skills to find answers as needed or exploring new technology when appropriate.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must demonstrate consistently high degree of accuracy in all aspects of the position.
• Strong organizational, project management and problem-solving skills with impeccable multi-tasking abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to problem solve and maintain strict confidentiality using appropriate discretion as necessary.

Compensation: The full salary range for this position is $58,000 to $79,700. We typically pay between $58,000 to $72,400, depending on experience and qualifications.

Benefits: 

• Medical, dental insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Optional life and AD&D insurance and long-term care insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 10 days of annual vacation accrual, increasing with tenure up to 20 days
• 10 days of annual sick accrual; unused sick pay accrues to an extended illness bank
• 9 paid holidays
• Subsidized transit cards
• Complimentary Seattle Times subscription
• Wellness program
• Parental leave options

Please note: This position requires a criminal background check once an offer is made.