Executive Assistant to the Co-CEOs

The Organization: Merit America

The American economy is broken. Today, 53 million working adults–nearly half of the U.S. workforce–do not earn a living wage. These talented workers have few options to advance: college is too long and expensive, full-time boot camp programs don’t offer enough flexibility, and online courses don’t have the structure or support to translate learning into a new career. The result? Talented workers, disproportionately people of color and women, get stuck in low-wage roles with no way to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Merit America is a national nonprofit that creates pathways to family-sustaining careers for Americans stuck in low-wage work. Our fast, flexible solutions are built for working adults: We start by analyzing tens of millions of job postings to identify in-demand, high-paying tech careers and then work with industry-recognized partners to train for these roles with part-time programs that combine flexible online learning with best-in-class coaching. Finally, we support our learners in their job search, helping them connect with a broad constellation of local and national employers such as JPMorgan Chase and Infosys to land higher-earning, family-sustaining jobs. Merit America is on a mission to build a scalable pathway for workers to join the middle class through merit, not money. Since our founding in 2018, we’ve generated a projected $1 billion in near-term wage gains for our learners.

Role Overview:

The primary mission of the Executive Assistant to the Co-CEOs is to support the Co-CEOs in working as efficiently and effectively as possible, managing complex calendars, coordinating executive travel, streamlining operations, and serving as a trusted liaison between the Co-CEOs and internal and external stakeholders.

The Executive Assistant will report directly to Lia Bonamassa (Chief of Staff) and work primarily with the Co-CEOs of Merit America. This role offers the opportunity to grow into expanded responsibilities over time, including supporting strategic projects, Board coordination, and executive communications.

Note: Merit America generally operates on a four-day workweek; however, due to the nature of executive support, this role follows a five-day schedule (Monday–Friday). Given the demands of supporting two Co-CEOs, this role requires greater availability than most positions at Merit America, including responsiveness to occasional evening and weekend communications. We want to be transparent about this expectation upfront so candidates can make an informed decision about whether this role is the right fit.

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities of the Executive Assistant to the Co-CEOs will include, but are not limited to, the following:

Executive Calendar Schedule Management (50%)

Manage complex calendars for two Co-CEOs, scheduling meetings with critical stakeholders, typically within 24 hours of request

Proactively identify and resolve scheduling conflicts, prioritizing meetings aligned with CEO goals and organizational priorities

Coordinate across both Co-CEOs' schedules to ensure alignment and efficiency

Prepare daily/weekly schedule briefings with context, materials, and priorities

Monitor and respond to time-sensitive communications from the Co-CEOs outside standard business hours, including evenings and weekends, when needed; urgency and frequency will vary based on executive travel and organizational events

Travel Logistics Coordination (20%)

Plan and coordinate executive travel, including flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and detailed itineraries

Manage travel logistics for conferences, board meetings, donor visits, and strategic partner meetings

Handle expense reconciliation and travel reimbursements

Anticipate travel needs and prepare travel-related briefing materials

Communication Stakeholder Management (10%)

Serve as a professional point of contact for internal teams, board members, partners, and external stakeholders

Maintain discretion with sensitive and confidential information

Operational Support Project Coordination (20%)

Streamline workflows and systems to align with CEO priorities and deadlines

Coordinate logistics for leadership meetings, team offsites, and organizational events, as assigned

Support cross-functional initiatives and strategic projects as needed

Maintain organized systems for tracking action items, deadlines, and follow-ups

Assist with Board coordination, as assigned

Performs personal support tasks, as assigned

Skills Competencies

We recognize that some individuals from underrepresented backgrounds may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. Please don’t let that discourage you from applying! We value the unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that each applicant brings, and we encourage you to apply if you believe your background demonstrates the required skills and competencies:

Must Haves for all roles at Merit …