Executive Assistant

About the Job

The Executive Assistant serves as a trusted strategic partner to the CEO, providing high‑level executive support in a fast‑paced, complex mission‑driven environment. This one‑year maternity leave coverage position manages the CEO's priorities, calendar, communications, and workflow so the CEO can focus on the highest‑value activities that advance the organization’s strategic objectives.

• Act as a strategic partner to the CEO, proactively anticipating needs, identifying priorities, and ensuring the CEO is prepared for all meetings, events, and engagements.
• Manage an exceptionally complex and high‑volume executive calendar, balancing competing organizational priorities while protecting the CEO's time and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Serve as the primary gatekeeper for the CEO's schedule, exercising judgment in evaluating requests, managing competing demands, and making independent decisions regarding priorities and scheduling.
• Manage and monitor the CEO's email inbox, prioritizing correspondence, drafting responses, identifying urgent matters, and ensuring timely follow‑up on key issues.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of organizational priorities and stakeholder relationships to support executive decision‑making.
• Coordinate briefing materials, agendas, presentations, and background information so the CEO is fully prepared for meetings and engagements.
• Track action items, commitments, and follow‑up activities arising from meetings and stakeholder interactions.
• Anticipate potential conflicts, risks, and bottlenecks, and proactively implement solutions before issues arise.
• Act as a trusted liaison between the CEO and Board members, senior leadership, government representatives, donors, community partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Handle highly sensitive, confidential, and politically sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Support Board and Committee activities as required, including meeting coordination, materials preparation, and minute‑taking.
• Coordinate executive travel, accommodations, itineraries, and logistics while ensuring efficient use of organizational resources.

• Completion of a post‑secondary degree, diploma in Business Administration or equivalent experience.

• Minimum 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience supporting a CEO, Executive Director, President, or other senior executive in a complex, fast‑paced organization.
• Demonstrated expertise managing complex executive calendars and high‑volume executive communications, including email management and prioritization.
• Proven ability to anticipate executive needs, exercise independent judgment, and make decisions within delegated authority.
• Experience supporting Boards of Directors and interacting with senior‑level stakeholders, government representatives, funders, and community partners is a strong asset.
• Previous experience in the non‑profit, healthcare, mental health, public sector, or association environment is preferred.

• Experienced Executive Assistant who can step into a highly autonomous role with minimal ramp‑up time.
• Highly organized and able to thrive in environments with constant change and competing priorities.
• Balancing diplomacy, tact, and firmness when managing stakeholder expectations.
• Protects executive time while ensuring strong relationships across the organization.
• Remains calm, resourceful, and solutions‑focused under pressure.

• 1.0 FTE, one‑year term position with possibility for extension.
• Standard work week 37.5 hrs, primarily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with occasional flexibility for evenings and weekends.
• Position can be based out of the Vancouver or Victoria office with potential for a hybrid working arrangement.
• Occasional travel, if required.
• Salary Range: $58,733.00 – $84,429.00 (Typical hiring range $66,075.00 – $77,087.00).

CMHA BC Division is committed to our workforce reflecting the diversity of the communities within which we work. We encourage applications from persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, people of all sexual orientations and genders, and others who may contribute to the diversity of our staff. Personal experience with mental illness and/or addiction, either through self or a loved one, is an asset.