Executive Assistant

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Administrative Partner to provide strategic, high-impact support to the R&D Strategy & Portfolio and the Systems Integration & Solutions teams. This role is based on-site 5 days per week at our San Diego headquarters and serves as a trusted partner to executive leadership. The Administrative Partner will own cross-functional coordination and strategic execution across a distributed, global organization spanning three sites (San Diego, Cambridge UK, and Singapore). This is a complex, fast-paced environment requiring independent judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence and coordinate across multiple teams and geographies without direct authority.

Key Responsibilities

• Calendar & Time Management: Own and strategically manage complex executive calendars for VP and other executives, thoughtfully prioritizing critical business activities, governance forums, board activities, cross-functional engagements, and site-specific meetings. Ensure optimal use of leadership time and maintain deep understanding of priorities, preferences, and operating rhythms.

• Global Coordination: Coordinate logistics and communications for multi-site team engagements across geographies, including travel, meeting preparation, materials coordination, and stakeholder alignment across five global locations. Support leadership presence and effectiveness in managing distributed teams.

• Cross-Functional Partnership Coordination: Coordinate complex internal and external partnerships, research initiatives, and collaborative projects. Act as the primary liaison between leadership and cross-functional teams, managing communication, alignment, decision gates, and deliverable tracking. Support strategic partnerships with external organizations and maintain stakeholder relationships. Work closely with HR and finance business partners to support annual talent review, performance management, promotion processes, and budget / planning reviews.

• Meeting & Event Coordination: Plan and execute weekly leadership meetings, high-visibility meetings, workshops, off-sites, social events and collaborative working sessions for leadership and broader team engagement. Coordinate both on-site and distributed/virtual meetings ensuring operational excellence, technology support, and effective outcomes.

• Administrative Excellence: Manage expense reporting and financial administration with accuracy and timeliness. Handle confidential information and sensitive communications with sound judgment and discretion. Exercise independent judgment on behalf of executives and their teams within established guidelines.

• Collaboration & Process Improvement: Collaborate with peer administrative partners across company to ensure effective executive coverage and contribute to process standardization and continuous improvement.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strategic Thinking & Execution: Ability to understand business strategy, translate goals into actionable plans, anticipate bottlenecks, and drive proactive solutions. Comfort with ambiguity and ability to work independently with minimal direction.

• Independent Judgment & Decision-Making: Proven ability to exercise sound judgment on behalf of executives within defined parameters. Capability to escalate complex or sensitive issues appropriately while handling routine decisions autonomously.

• Complex Priority Management: Exceptional ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced, global environment. Strong attention to detail with demonstrated ability to drive tasks and action items to completion despite complexity.

• Interpersonal & Collaboration Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to build trust and influence across organizational boundaries. Strong executive presence with ability to remain calm, confident, and composed under pressure.

• Adaptability & Learning Agility: Demonstrated flexibility and willingness to learn new tools, methodologies, and technologies. Ability to quickly absorb new information and apply it in practical ways. Comfort with emerging technologies and innovation.

• Global Coordination: Experience managing complex logistics (ex. Travel, meetings, social events, communications) across geographies, time zones, and distributed teams.

• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Comfort with emerging tools and platforms like Claude, ChatGPT, and others. Ability to quickly learn new software and recommend tool adoption based on organizational needs. Experience with project management tools or collaboration platforms preferred.

• Integrity & Professionalism: High degree of integrity, accountability, and professionalism. Ability to handle highly confidential information with discretion. Strong business ethics and alignment with company values.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or life sciences environment

• Familiar with competitive intelligence, strategic planning, and research innovation

• Executive assistant or equivalent strategic partnership role supporting senior leadership

• Experience evaluating, implementing, or optimizing new tools and technologies

• Experience with global, distributed teams or matrix organizational structures

Requirements

• 4-6 years of administrative experience in a mid to large-sized organization

• Proven track record of supporting multiple senior leaders and managing complex, distributed teams

• Demonstrated experience managing projects with cross-functional stakeholders

• Demonstrated experience with calendar management, meeting coordination, project management, and event execution

• Ability to engage effectively with senior leaders, internal teams, external partners, and customers with professionalism and credibility

• Basic understanding or willingness to learn fundamentals of chemistry, physics, or biology; ability to follow and participate in scientific discussions

• On-site availability 5 days per week at San Diego headquarters, ability off core hours in occasions, as needed.

• Bachelor's degree preferred.