Executive Assistant, US Policy

Applications close on September 30, 2026 About LawAI

The Institute for Law & AI (LawAI) is an independent think tank that researches and advises on the legal challenges posed by artificial intelligence. We believe that sound legal analysis will promote security, welfare, and the rule of law. We conduct research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, law, and policy and advise governments, research organizations, and private actors. You can learn more about LawAI on our website , alongside our recent publications and an overview of our work streams and research directions .

We’re hiring an Executive Assistant to provide dedicated, personalized support to our Managing Director of US Law & Policy. This role requires someone who can make decisions, not just manage a diary — deciding what’s urgent, acting on the Director’s behalf where it makes sense, and catching things before they become problems. Capacity is the real constraint right now, and the goal is to take enough off the Director’s plate so that his focus remains on the policy work itself.

A note from Mackenzie Arnold, Managing Director of US Law & Policy:

We’ve built a really great team over the past few years, and we’re bringing in more exciting projects than ever. That also means we have a lot more to coordinate these days. I’m looking for someone to help me do that. In return, you’d get a close look at all of our work—policy advising, research, hiring, talent development. And you’d help me make the day-to-day judgment calls needed to make some really cool projects happen.

You’d also be joining a team that’s a rare combination of friendly and driven, working on the questions of our time. If that sounds like a fit, I’d be excited to work with you.

Your main responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Proactively managing the Director’s calendar — judging what’s a priority, who actually needs face time versus who can be redirected to someone else, and protecting focus time even when it means pushing back on requests from senior people
• Researching and preparing meeting briefs, agendas (including nudging team members to populate them), and background materials ahead of key meetings — e.g., pulling together a one-page briefing on an unfamiliar stakeholder.
• Drafting substantive correspondence on the Director’s behalf, not just routine replies — the Director cares about writing quality, so this means producing clear, well-argued drafts that could go out largely as-is, in a voice that reads as theirs
• Learning the cast of characters well enough to triage independently
• Tracking responses to invitations for talks and seminars

• Owning deadlines end-to-end — tracking internal and external commitments, blocking time on the calendar so a project actually gets finished before it’s due, and flagging risk early rather than reminding the Director once something is overdue

• Acting as the day-to-day coordination point between the Director and the Ops team

• Helping identify programs, initiatives, or opportunities that could genuinely benefit the team

• Arranging domestic and international travel, including flights, hotels, coworking spaces, and visas — anticipating likely complications (tight connections, visa lead times, time zone changes)
• Processing reimbursement and expense requests promptly and accurately

• Staying genuinely plugged into what’s happening across the organization, not just your own workload, so you can keep the Director informed
• Supporting the wider team during crunch-time events throughout the year. During crunch periods, things may move too quickly for detailed instructions; you’ll need to work closely…