Executive Assistant to the CEO

Specific compensation will be based on candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, commercial considerations, and other job-related factors permitted by law. At Russell Investments, salary is just one part of our compensation package. Our total rewards approach includes an annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility criteria) in addition to participation in our competitive benefits programs including healthcare, retirement, vacation, and wellbeing programs.

Location: New York or Seattle

The Executive Assistant (EA) to the CEO provides strategic, operational, and administrative support to the CEO and the Office of the CEO. This role sits at the center of the organization, ensuring the CEO’s time, focus, and engagements are aligned to Russell Investments’ highest priorities. The EA serves as a trusted partner to the CEO and Chief of Staff, operating with sound judgment, discretion, and a deep understanding of enterprise priorities. In addition to directly supporting the CEO, this role works closely with the EA team, including back-up support for the President/Chief Investment Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer’s EAs as required.
 

This is a highly visible, in-office, dynamic role requiring strong business acumen, operational rigor, and the ability to anticipate needs in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
 

The responsibilities of the individual in this position include:
 

Executive Support:

• Owns and optimizes the CEO’s time to maximize strategic impact, including managing personal appointments and priorities.
• Anticipates CEO needs and proactively identifies conflicts, trade-offs, and risks.
• Manages complex calendars and schedules global meetings with clients, board members, colleagues and other company stakeholders.
• Arranges complex and detailed global travel, including developing itineraries, ensuring flawless execution, and overseeing the timely processing of multiple currency expense reports.
• Partners closely with the Chief of Staff to ensure alignment across priorities, communications, and executive follow-through.
• Prepares CEO briefing materials, presentations, and reports for internal and external meetings ensuring timeliness and a high level of accuracy.
• Handles highly confidential information with the utmost discretion and integrity.
• Serves as a trusted representative of the CEO and the Office of the CEO, exercising sound judgment in all interactions.
• Ability to travel as needed (including international).
   

Communication and Liaison:

• Serves as the primary point of contact for the CEO, ensuring thoughtful prioritization and effective routing of correspondence.
• Facilitates communication between the CEO and senior leadership, clients, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Assesses and prioritizes incoming issues and determines appropriate courses of action.
• Drafts and proofreads executive communications and correspondence.
• Exercises independent decision-making authority within defined guardrails.
   

Operational Coordination:

• Coordinates Executive Committee meetings, leadership off-sites, and CEO client meetings.
• Coordinates Board meetings liaising with Board members as required.
• Tracks action items and ensures timely follow-up for CEO commitments.
• Organizes and executes executive-level events with careful attention to sequencing, logistics, and stakeholder experience.
• Ensures adherence to internal budget, expense, and regulatory policies related to executive activities and client engagement.
   

Projects:

• Effectively manages a variety of special projects, many of which will have a regional or firmwide impact.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.
   

Team Leadership:

• Establishes operating rhythms, service standards, and coverage models across the Office of the CEO.
• Serves as escalation point for complex scheduling and stakeholder conflicts.
• Coaches and mentors team members, building a strong talent pipeline and promoting professional development.

The successful candidate will have extensive demonstrable skills and experiences including the following:

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience supporting C-Suite Executives; financial services preferred.
• Exceptionally high level of professionalism, excellent customer service, communication, influencing, and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to act with the utmost discretion and maintain complete confidentiality.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and collaboration platforms including Zoom, Skype, and mobile devices and applications. Ability to troubleshoot and work through basic tech challenges.
• Excellent problem analysis and proactive problem-solving skills with excellent judgment and decision-making ability, with a proven track record in these areas.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability and experience to multi-task, handle and prioritize multiple assignments and conflicting deadlines, deal with ambiguity, and reprioritize tasks in response to unexpected changes in priorities/requests whilst providing a flawless level of client service.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and tight deadlines, with attention to detail, and the ability to handle conflict and negotiate resolution.
• Excellent project coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders.
• Stellar interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, including external partners.
• Has a fast-paced, proactive approach, with strong initiative and forward-thinking abilities.
• Operates comfortably independently with minimal need for guidance or instruction.
• Polished and professional demeanor in all situations.
• Continuous improvement mindset with willingness to increase proficiency in the role and demonstrate initiative and creativity in all aspects of work.
• Expert-level written and verbal communication skills, including drafting executive correspondence and briefing materials.
• Ability to work flexible schedules when needed to support the CEO.

This role is not eligible for employment-based immigration sponsorship. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without employer sponsorship, now or in the future.

Russell Investments is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all associates and employment applicants regardless of race, religion, ancestry, creed, color, gender (including gender identity which refers to a person's actual or perceived sex, and includes self-image, appearance, behavior or expression, whether or not different from that traditionally associated with a person's biological sex), age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, medical condition, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation,  past or present unemployment status , or any other characteristic protected by law.