Executive Assistant to CEO & Founder

About The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup is on a bold mission to develop technology to rid the world’s oceans and rivers of plastic. Our pioneering work focuses on developing innovative solutions that can eliminate plastic pollution at a massive scale. We believe in tackling the plastic crisis through sustainable, large-scale systems that can capture plastic from rivers and oceans, ultimately removing 90% of ocean plastic by 2040.

We combine in-house engineering expertise with cutting-edge technology, collaborating closely with operations and other technical teams to deploy systems that can truly make a difference. With our unique approach, we’re working on solving one of the planet's most pressing environmental issues—plastic pollution—and we need passionate, skilled people to help us turn this mission into reality.

Located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, we are a fast-growing, international team that thrives on innovation, creative problem-solving, and commitment to sustainability. We are driven by our values of Innovation, Tenacity, Teamwork, Integrity, and Sustainability. These values guide us every day, ensuring we stay focused on our mission to clean up rivers and oceans worldwide. By joining our team, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to this groundbreaking work, helping create a sustainable future for our plane

As the Executive Assistant to Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, you will play a pivotal role in supporting one of the most visionary leaders in environmental technology. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with Boyan and enable him to focus on achieving The Ocean Cleanup’s bold mission. Your role will be to manage his dynamic schedule, provide strategic administrative support, and ensure seamless communication across teams, amplifying his impact in tackling the global plastic crisis.

Your success will be defined by your ability to anticipate needs, streamline priorities, and proactively manage a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. You will be integral to the operational efficiency of Boyan’s leadership, allowing him to focus on scaling The Ocean Cleanup's groundbreaking technologies.

About Boyan Slat, CEO

At just 18, Boyan Slat developed the idea to tackle ocean plastic pollution, leading to the creation of innovative technology to address one of the planet's biggest environmental challenges.

His goal is to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040. Boyan has been recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30, TIME 100, and one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. He also holds a Guinness World Record for his engineering achievements. As his Executive Assistant, you’ll have the opportunity to work closely with a leader whose vision is shaping the future of our planet.

Key Responsibilities

Calendar and Schedule Management:

• Manage Boyan's calendar, planning, mailbox, and meetings across various time zones to ensure alignment with the broader Management Team’s agendas.

• Organize complex travel arrangements, ensuring all logistics are smooth and coordinated.

• Provide flexible and proactive scheduling support, including being available outside traditional working hours to accommodate Boyan’s dynamic schedule.

Communication and Documentation:

• Prepare and edit correspondence, reports, presentations, and other documents as needed, including creating baseline presentations for key meetings.

• Facilitate communication and information sharing across teams, ensuring clear alignment and efficient management of priorities.

Team and Stakeholder Management:

• Organize and manage key events and offsites, coordinating with internal and external staff to ensure smooth execution.

• Manage agendas for both internal and external engagements, making sure critical topics are prioritized and handled effectively.

• Provide backup support to other executive assistants, ensuring consistency in executive-level operations.

Confidentiality and Professionalism:

• Handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion and professionalism.

• Maintain a high level of organization and resourcefulness, anticipating challenges and finding solutions in advance.

Process Improvement:

• Identify areas where processes can be improved or automated, especially leveraging new tools and technology.

• Proactively refine organizational workflows to increase efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.

This role is not just about being an assistant; it’s about being a true business partner to Boyan, thinking ahead, and ensuring his time is maximized for impact. You will be integral to the success of our mission, helping to drive the organization forward in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment. If you’re ready for a challenging and rewarding role, we want to hear from you.

• Emotional Intelligence: You are grounded, self-aware, and genuinely interested in enabling others to succeed.

• Problem-Solving Ability: You thrive in complex, fast-paced environments and have a knack for thinking several steps ahead.

• Discretion and Professionalism: You are trusted with sensitive information and always act with the highest level of professionalism.

• Adaptability and Flexibility: You embrace change and are eager to refine processes or implement new systems that increase efficiency.

• Passion for the Mission: You are driven by The Ocean Cleanup’s bold mission and are deeply curious about the technology and startup/scale-up mentality.

• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience. While a degree is valuable, we prioritize candidates who can learn quickly, solve problems creatively, and think strategically.

• 5+ years of experience providing executive-level support in a fast-paced, international environment.

• Proven experience in business administration, communications, or project management.

• Strong knowledge of MS Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

• Experience in creating and modifying processes to improve efficiency.

• Fluency in English; Dutch is a plus but not required.

• A valid Dutch driving license is required.

• Starting Date: As soon as possible.

• Location: The role is based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This is a flexible/hybrid work role, but you will need to be in the office most of the time to fully support the leadership team.

• Compensation: As a nonprofit organization, our salaries reflect our reliance on donations, not commercial rates.

• Pre-employment Check: A pre-employment check may be part of the recruitment process.

#li-jm1

#LI-Onsite