What is an Executive Assistant?
An Executive Assistant (EA) is a senior assistant who works in partnership with a director, a chief executive or a board. The role is one of the most senior and best paid in the administrative profession. An EA manages priorities at the top of the organisation, makes decisions on behalf of the executive, handles senior stakeholders and keeps the business moving.
Executive Assistants are business partners rather than providers of administrative support. That is what sets the role apart from a PA.
What does an Executive Assistant do?
Every role is shaped by the executive and the organisation, but an EA will typically be responsible for:
- Managing the priorities, diary and communications of one or more senior executives
- Preparing board and management meetings, including agendas, papers, briefings and minutes
- Tracking decisions and following up actions across the leadership team
- Acting as the trusted point of contact for the executive, internally and externally
- Managing relationships with clients, partners, investors and senior stakeholders
- Leading or coordinating business projects and events
- Drafting reports, presentations and correspondence at senior level
- Overseeing budgets, expenses and supplier arrangements for the office of the executive
- Handling confidential and commercially sensitive information with discretion
A good EA frees the executive to focus on running the business, and keeps things moving when the executive is away.
How is an Executive Assistant different from a PA?
The titles are often used loosely, but the roles are not the same. A PA spends most of the working day on administration: diaries, travel, correspondence and office tasks for a manager. An Executive Assistant works at a strategic level, with far more responsibility, autonomy and involvement in the business itself.
| Role | Level | Main focus |
|---|---|---|
| PA | Supports a manager | Administration and organisation |
| Executive PA | Supports a senior executive | Senior support, moving into business partnership |
| Executive Assistant | Supports a director, chief executive or board | Strategic business partnership |
In the Netherlands, Germany and much of continental Europe, the same senior role is usually called a Management Assistant. Read more about the Executive PA and PA roles.
Skills an Executive Assistant needs
Business skills
- Business understanding: knowing how the organisation works, its objectives and where the pressures lie
- Judgement and decision making: acting on behalf of the executive with confidence
- Stakeholder management: building relationships with directors, clients and partners, and influencing them
- Project management: planning and delivering business projects and events
- Finance awareness: managing budgets and understanding the figures the executive works with
Organisational skills
- Prioritisation: managing competing demands at the top of the organisation
- Time and diary management: protecting the time of the executive and planning ahead
- Meeting management: running board and management meetings and taking accurate minutes
- Written communication: clear, professional writing at senior level
Personal qualities
- Proactivity: anticipating needs rather than waiting to be asked
- Discretion: working with confidential information
- Confidence: working independently at executive level, while being a strong team player
- Problem solving: thinking critically and finding solutions
Technology and AI
EAs need advanced skills in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint. Increasingly they also use AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot to draft documents, summarise meetings and manage information. Many EAs now lead the adoption of these tools across the office of the executive.
Why the Executive Assistant role is growing
Executives increasingly want an assistant who can support them across the whole business, not only with administration. As AI takes over more routine tasks, the EA role is moving further towards business partnership, project work and stakeholder management. This makes the role more interesting and better rewarded. See our latest Executive Assistant salaries in the UK and Europe.
Executive Assistant training and qualifications
The IEAA offers qualifications recognised by employers in the UK and internationally:
- Executive Assistant Diploma for senior assistants supporting directors and boards
- Executive PA Certificate Course for assistants stepping up to executive level
All courses are available by live virtual classroom, so they can be taken from anywhere. See all Executive Assistant courses.
Summary
An Executive Assistant is a strategic business partner to a director, chief executive or board. The role combines strong organisational skills with business understanding, judgement and stakeholder management, and it sits above the PA and Executive PA roles. It is one of the most senior, varied and rewarding careers in the administrative profession.