Senior Executive Assistant

Complete with job descriptions, skill profiles, and interview templates. Use this Senior Executive Assistant hiring guide to help you make the right decisions, fast.

HOW TO HIRE A SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

What does a Senior Executive Assistant do?

Senior Executive Assistant provides administrative and clerical support to senior officials in the company. They help in managing their calendar, assist in meetings, and act as the middle man between the employees and the upper management.

Day to day tasks of a Senior Executive Assistant

Manage the calendar of senior executives–ensure all important appointments are prioritized.
Prepare travel arrangements including flight and accommodation bookings, and transportation transfer if needed.
Create presentations and reports as requested.
Organise and maintain internal databases.
Manage phone calls, emails, and other correspondences of the senior executive.
Prepare internal communication materials such as memos, invitations, announcements, and other correspondence.
Answer phone calls, emails, and other inquiries.
Review company policies and offer suggestions for improvements.

Recruitment guide role overview illustration

SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT DEFINITION

A Senior Executive Assistant’s primary responsibility is to provide administrative and clerical support to a senior official of a company. This person will be responsible for organizing and managing the day to day of a senior official. The Senior Executive Assistant will also be the link between the upper management and the staff of the company.

HIRING PROCESS

Senior Executive Assistant Hiring Process

1
STEP 1
2
STEP 2
3
STEP 3
4
STEP 4
5
STEP 5

STEP 1

Build the Ideal Candidate Profile

To find the best person for the role, you need to understand what the role involves. You can complete this with the hiring manager to define the role, its contribution, and the skills needed.

STEP 2

Write A Job Description Based On Skills

Once you understand the requirements for the role, you’ll need to understand the skills for success. You can then write an effective job description to promote your role.

STEP 3

Selecting The Ideal Candidate

See which applicants have the right skills for the role. Send all your applicants a Vervoe skills assessment from the expert library, or customize one for your organization.

STEP 4

Interview Top Performers

Your skills assessment results will identify top performers. Focus your time on interviewing those that have met or exceeded your requirements. Assessment results will also help guide which skill areas to focus on in the interview.

STEP 5

Making An Offer

Once you assess your candidates against these skills, you’re ready to offer the top performer(s). You should base your offer on the value that the candidate would bring to your team and your business as a whole. It is also important to ensure your compensation and benefits packages are competitive in the industry and help you attract and retain the top talent.

BUILD THE IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Skills needed for a Senior Executive Assistant

A Senior Executive Assistant must have exemplary organizational skills to be able to support the daily operations of a senior executive. Because the assistant will be working closely with a top level official, they should exhibit outstanding resiliency and adaptability.

Communication
Multitask
Professional Discretion

WRITE A JOB DESCRIPTION BASED ON SKILLS

How to write a Senior Executive Assistant job description

Once you’ve determined the skills required for the role, you can write the job description to advertise for your position. Here’s what to include in your Senior Executive Assistant job description:

Job Title: What position are you hiring for?
Summary: What makes your company unique? What would it be like to work for you?
Responsibilities: An overview of the role’s day-to-day activities, and how the position contributes to the organization
Requirements: Skills a candidate must have to perform the job successfully
Benefits: Details of compensation, benefits, and any perks on offer

Use our sample Senior Executive Assistant job description

SELECTING THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Sample skill tests for a Senior Executive Assistant

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Question 1

Multitask

Question Type: Text

What is the difference between 'urgent' and 'important' ?Tell us how you would distinguish the two from each other and give an example of when you have had to do so.

Question 2

Communication

Question Type: Video

Imagine, you have been shortlisted for this role as a Senior Executive Assistant, upload a video explaining why you stand out from the other applicantsThink about experience, skills and personality.

Question 3

Professional Discretion

Question Type: Text

Tell us about a time in the workplace where you have had to show a level of discretion with something you were doing or saying. What did you do to make sure you maintained complete professionalism while doing so?

INTERVIEW TOP PERFORMERS

How to interview a Senior Executive Assistant

Once your Vervoe skills assessment has surfaced the most qualified people for your open role, you can focus on interviewing these candidates. The interview should focus on any skills that require development that were highlighted from the skills assessment.

Now you know that candidates can do the job, the interview becomes more of a relationship building exercise where you can get to know the candidate on a more personal level, understand their motivations, and how they would fit in with the team.

MAKING AN OFFER

How much does it cost to hire a Senior Executive Assistant?

The US average for a Senior Executive Assistant, as reported by Glassdoor.com, is $66,586, while Payscale.com reported it at $71,794. Some companies can offer profit sharing, cash bonus, and tips, increasing the total pay being received.

United States

Senior Executive Assistant salaries in the United States range from $45,000 - $129,000. The salaries depend on the years of experience, industry, educational background, and the location. Other companies can offer additional pay in the form of profit sharing, cash bonus, and tips.

Source: Source: Glassdoor.com, Payscale.com

United Kingdom

Senior Executive Assistant salaries in the United Kingdom range from £25,000 - £59,000 (GBP). The salaries depend on the years of experience, industry, educational background, and the location. Some companies offer additional pay through bonuses.