Executive Assistant to Founder (Public Intellectual & Research Director)

Role Overview

The Luminary Agency, in partnership with a non-profit Social Research Organization, are hiring a part-time, virtual Executive Assistant to support the Founder of said Organization and its small, fast-moving team. 

This role is focused on keeping communication, scheduling, and operational details organized and under control. The right person will bring strong judgment, attention to detail, and follow-through. This role does lean slightly in the direction of media relations but is otherwise not a strategy, creative, or public relations role. It is a steady, high-trust position centered on execution, discretion, and reliability.

Reporting Structure

This role supports the Founder operationally on a day-to-day basis.

Administratively, the role reports to a manager at The Luminary Agency. Scope, performance, workload, and compensation are managed through Luminary. 

Clear communication between the Founder, the Assistant, and Luminary is expected. Scope expansion or role changes are managed through Luminary. This role will start narrow in scope, with the potential to expand based on fit and organizational needs.

Who This Role Suits

Candidates should have several overlapping working hours with U.S. Pacific time. This role does not require attendance of numerous regularly scheduled meetings but does require  consistent weekly availability and timely responsiveness during working hours.

This role suits someone who is intellectually serious, politically literate, and comfortable working around complex ideas and public-facing work. The organization engages questions of political theory, cultural criticism, institutional research, and contemporary public debate. Familiarity with these areas is helpful. You do not need to be an expert, but you should not be intimidated by them.

You will be supporting a public intellectual whose work attracts strong opinions. The environment requires discretion, composure, and sound judgment. Not every message is routine, and not every request is straightforward. The right person will be steady, thoughtful, and able to operate with consistent temperament. 

This is a small team with minimal bureaucracy and high expectations. The culture is plain speaking and serious about its work. It is not corporate and not performative. The right fit is low-ego, reliable, and motivated by contributing to work that has substance.

Responsibilities

Inbox Triage & Correspondence Management 

Manage high-volume inbound communication. Prioritize requests, draft responses, flag sensitive or urgent matters, and ensure timely follow-up. Exercise sound judgment and discretion.

Media & External Request Coordination 

Track media requests, speaking invitations, partnership inquiries, and academic outreach. Maintain a clean, up-to-date tracker of contacts, engagements, and placements (CRM-style) and ensure all opportunities are logged, routed, and followed through.

Calendar & Scheduling Management 

Coordinate scheduling across multiple time zones. Propose times, confirm meetings, send accurate calendar invites with correct links and materials, and maintain a clear, realistic calendar.

Travel & Logistics Coordination 

Plan and manage domestic and international travel, including itineraries and confirmations. Support event logistics as needed and ensure details are accurate and organized.

Operational Tracking & Follow-Through 

Maintain action-item lists from meetings and ensure follow-up across stakeholders. Track ongoing initiatives and commitments to completion.

Contact & Information Management 

Maintain organized contact lists (press, partners, collaborators, donors). Ensure information is structured, searchable, and current.

Skills & Experience

• Prior experience supporting an executive, academic, or public-facing leader
• Strong written communication skills
• Excellent organization and time management
• Ability to manage multiple threads without dropping details
• Sound judgment in handling sensitive or confidential information
• Comfortable working across time zones
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets) and Zoom

Preferred but not required:

• Experience supporting media-facing work
• Familiarity with simple CRM or contact tracking systems
• Experience coordinating international travel

Hours & Compensation

• Part-time, approximately 10–15 hours per month to start
• Workload may increase during major events or travel periods
• Compensation: $650 per month (contract role)

This is a steady, ongoing role for the right person. Reliability and consistency matter more than availability for ad hoc tasks.