Office Manager & Executive Assistant

ARCO Design/Build · Raleigh, NC · 3 days ago

AdministrativeFull-time

ARCO Design/Build is one of the nation's leading design-build engineering and construction firms, and our Advanced Manufacturing & Life Sciences Line of Business is at the center of the country's reindustrialization story. We build the facilities that make things: pharmaceutical plants, semiconductor fabs, precision manufacturing campuses, food and beverage production, and the advanced industrial infrastructure powering the next generation of American competitiveness. We move fast, think big, and hold ourselves to an exceptionally high standard—expecting the same from everyone around us. Our culture is high-energy, high-trust, and deeply results-oriented.

About the role

This is not a support role—it is a force multiplier role. The Office Manager & Executive Assistant to the COO and CCO of our Advanced Manufacturing & Life Sciences Line of Business is one of the most consequential hires we make. You will operate at the center of a fast-moving, nationally focused business unit, managing the calendars, travel, communications, office environment, and day-to-day operational infrastructure that allows our leadership team to perform at their absolute best. You will be the first face clients, partners, and prospects see when they walk into our office, the person our team looks to when the day goes sideways, and the one who holds the culture, owns the chaos, and makes it look effortless.

This role is for a proven operator—someone for whom this is not a stepping stone but a craft. You have done this at a high level and are looking for an organization worthy of what you bring.

Responsibilities

Executive & Calendar Operations
- Own the calendars of the COO and CCO—architect them, not just manage them. Anticipate conflicts, protect focused work time, and build in buffers before high-stakes engagements so leadership walks in prepared, not frantic.
- Prepare daily and weekly briefings that distill priorities, context, and decisions required—no noise.
- Gate-keep with grace: triage, assess, and handle every request for time with professionalism and discretion.
Travel & Predictive Logistics
- Manage complex, multi-city travel with precision and foresight—confirming details like hotel Wi-Fi reliability for post-check-in client meetings and having Plan B ready before the original plan fails.
- Own expense management for the COO and CCO with rigor: timely submission, policy compliance, and clean documentation—no reminders needed.
Hiring & Candidate Experience
- Coordinate the interview process for open roles across the Line of Business, including scheduling, logistics, candidate communications, and on-site visit itineraries.
- Ensure every candidate leaves with a strong impression of ARCO, regardless of outcome—you are often their first and most sustained point of contact.
- Partner with hiring managers and HR to keep the process moving without friction.
Fleet & Facilities Management
- Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for our operations truck fleet, aligning with ARCO’s Enterprise-wide Fleet Director.
- Own the office environment at our LoB headquarters: appearance, supplies, vendor relationships, service contracts, and lease coordination.
- Ensure the office communicates ARCO’s identity: sharp, professional, and built to deliver.
- Review vendor contracts and office expenses with an ROI-focused mindset—not just approval, but optimization.
Events & Culture Activation
- Plan and execute team events, client receptions, leadership offsites, and milestone celebrations that reinforce culture and energize the team.
- Act as the team’s unofficial culture officer: notice when morale needs a lift and take action before it becomes a problem.
- Coordinate with marketing, leadership, and operations to bring ARCO’s brand to life through every office touchpoint.
Communications & Brand Stewardship
- Handle correspondence, client-facing interactions, and internal messaging with professionalism, accuracy, and consistent tone.
- Represent ARCO in every interaction—email, phone, or in person—as someone who embodies the company’s values.
Systems, Process & Tech
- Build systems, not band-aids: design processes to prevent recurring issues, not just fix them once.
- Leverage Microsoft Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365, and internal platforms to streamline information flow and automate mundane tasks.
- Stay ahead of the curve: scan for new tools and workflows that enhance team operations and bring actionable ideas forward.
- Manage onboarding logistics, team communications, and project tracking support as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher required.
7+ years of experience in a senior executive assistant or office management role—this is a career discipline, not a transitional position.
Demonstrated experience managing complex multi-executive calendars and high-volume travel logistics at a senior level.
Hands-on experience managing executive expense reporting at volume: timely, accurate, and policy-compliant without hand-holding.
Experience supporting hiring and interview coordination, including candidate-facing logistics and scheduling.
Experience managing office operations, facilities vendors, and fleet coordination.
High proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Excel); familiarity with CRM platforms like Dynamics 365 is a plus.
Genuine curiosity about tools and systems—you test promising ideas and bring them forward to improve the team.
Experience coordinating corporate events, leadership meetings, and client-facing functions.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills: clear, professional, and on-brand in every interaction.
Instinct for prioritization—you make judgment calls under pressure and get them right.
Track record of protecting sensitive information and navigating organizational complexity with maturity and poise.

Skills

Radically Proactive: You operate three steps ahead—anticipating needs, not waiting to be told what to do.
Unflappable: When multiple things go wrong at once, you remain the calmest person in the building—solving problems, not broadcasting stress.
Discreet and Trusted: You handle confidential matters—personnel, financials, strategic initiatives—with ironclad confidentiality.
Emotionally Intelligent: You read the room and adjust schedules or priorities when leadership needs it most.
Precise: Your work is exactly right—details matter, and you prioritize accuracy over speed.
Systems-Oriented: You see operational infrastructure and ask how it can be better, faster, or more reliable.
An Owner: When something goes wrong, you fix it and build guardrails to prevent recurrence—extreme ownership is how you operate.
A Communicator: You write clearly, speak confidently, and represent ARCO with professionalism—compressing complexity into concise briefs when needed.
A Connector and Culture Carrier: You build raving fans—associates, clients, vendors—who leave interactions feeling good about ARCO.
Fun: You bring positive energy to a high-pressure environment—organized, drama-free, and genuinely enjoyable to work with.

Benefits