Executive Assistant

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm with 500+ professionals and 350+ business professionals. The firm is known for quality and an extraordinary commitment to clients, offering a groundbreaking approach that integrates legal services, advocacy, and business strategy.

About the role

We are seeking a highly experienced, organized, and proactive professional Executive Assistant to support our CEO/Managing Partner in this high-visibility role. As a trusted partner, you will ensure the seamless management of priorities, communications, scheduling, travel, and key firm initiatives while helping maximize the CEO/Managing Partner’s focus on the firm's most important strategic objectives. The ideal candidate is a resourceful problem solver who anticipates needs, drives efficiency, and creates leverage for executive leadership. They bring executive presence, sound judgment, and the ability to build credibility and trusted relationships while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Manage and protect a highly complex executive calendar, ensuring alignment with firm priorities and maximizing the CEO/Managing Partner's effectiveness.
• Anticipate competing demands, evaluate requests, proactively resolve scheduling conflicts, and ensure adequate preparation time for meetings, client engagements, and strategic initiatives.
• Serve as a gatekeeper for the CEO/Managing Partner's time, exercising sound judgment in prioritizing requests and commitments.
• Coordinate meetings across multiple stakeholders, offices, and time zones while balancing priorities effectively and independently.
• Prepare daily and weekly agenda materials, meeting briefs, and relevant background information.
• Proactively review upcoming calendar items to confirm meeting details, attendees, materials, locations, Zoom/video links, travel time, and other logistical needs.
• Ensure calendar changes are communicated clearly and timely to all appropriate parties.
• Arrange and manage complex travel itineraries, including flights, accommodations, transportation, and logistics.
• Prepare detailed travel itineraries and ensure smooth execution of all travel-related plans.
• Manage travel disruptions and last-minute changes with professionalism, responsiveness, and sound judgment.
• Coordinate with local office leadership and administrative teams regarding office visits, meals, meetings, and other logistics.
• Anticipate travel-related issues and adjust plans as needed with minimal disruption.
• Coordinate executive participation in internal meetings (board, leadership, partner, committee, firm retreats, and strategic planning sessions) and external meetings (recruiting, conferences, speaking engagements, and firm events).
• Confirm meeting logistics, including conference rooms, video links, catering, technology needs, attendee lists, and room readiness.
• Assist in preparing, collecting, and circulating agendas, executive briefing materials, meeting summaries, and presentation decks.
• Track action items, deadlines, and commitments arising from meetings.
• Process expense reports and assist with budget tracking and administrative documentation.
• Maintain highly confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Organize and maintain executive files, reports, and records to ensure accessibility and efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, increase efficiency, and enhance executive productivity.
• Act as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the CEO/Managing Partner.
• Coordinate with business professional departments and other teams to ensure alignment and appropriate follow-through.
• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with clients, recruits, attorneys, consulting and business professionals, firm leadership, board members, and C-Suite.
• Draft, edit, and proofread executive correspondence, presentations, talking points, speeches, reports, and other communications.
• Communicate in the CEO/Managing Partner's voice while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, accuracy, and confidentiality.
• Ensure timely follow-up on communications, commitments, and action items.
• Exercise good judgment in determining what requires escalation, what can be handled independently, and what should be coordinated with others.
• Serve as an ambassador for the CEO/Managing Partner, representing the firm with professionalism and exceptional client service.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of executive support experience with at least 5 years directly supporting a C-suite executive, Managing Partner, CEO, President, or other senior business leader.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Demonstrated success managing complex executive calendars and travel arrangements in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional experience coordinating across multiple stakeholders, priorities, and time zones.
• Experience supporting board-level, partner-level, or executive leadership activities.
• Willingness and ability to travel to all firm office locations as needed.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional business judgment and decision-making abilities.
• Strong executive presence and relationship management skills.
• Ability to anticipate needs and solve problems before they arise.
• Highly proactive, resourceful, and adaptable.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and remain composed under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Proven ability to manage confidential and sensitive matters with discretion and professionalism.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining close alignment with executive priorities.

Technical Proficiency

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Excel.
• Experience with expense management, document management, and collaboration tools.
• Comfort learning and leveraging new technologies, including AI-powered productivity tools.

Pay

The base annual pay range for this role is between $100,000-$125,000. The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

Benefits

A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.