Located in Somerville, MA; possible occasional travel to London UK

Summary: The head of one of the world’s fastest-growing groups of independent publishing companies seeks a dedicated professional for a personal executive assistant role. As one of two executive assistants, the successful candidate will enjoy performing to the highest standards of professionalism and effectiveness, being willing to perform all tasks as they arise, in an environment that is often fast-paced and chaotic.

Responsibilities of the executive assistant will include:

• Triaging incoming calls/requests in general and managing mail
• Extensive scheduling: maintaining a highly complex and ever-evolving calendar
• Prepping the executive via documents, verbal briefs, and background information in advance of all meetings and phone appointments
• Drafting, editing and preparing final versions of internal and external correspondence, reports, and presentations including highly confidential material
• Acting as a liaison to staff including the US, UK, and AUS
• Acting as liaison to authors, illustrators, and agents
• Maintaining an extensive and complex filing system
• Large and small meeting preparation and follow through, including making guests comfortable, handling food and beverage arrangements, clearing up, etc.
• Handle expense reporting
• Extensive travel arrangements, including transportation, accommodations, etc.
• Acting as the main point of contact for personnel; helping facilitate, prioritize, and troubleshoot on behalf of the executive
• Assist with scheduling meetings; taking minutes at meetings; creating, compiling and distributing meeting materials when necessary
• Performing other tasks as needed

Requirements:
A minimum of eight years experience supporting a high-level international executive with responsibility for handling sensitive and confidential materials, preferably in a media-related industry, is required. Discretion, maturity, diplomacy, discernment, the ability to successfully juggle many simultaneous tasks, keen emotional intelligence, kindness, and a sense of humor will be invaluable qualities to bring to the job. A love of children's books is a huge plus.

The ideal candidate will have a friendly, professional, and poised demeanor and will possess the ability to: use discretion in handling all matters/material - confidential or routine; perform efficiently under pressure; "read" a situation and respond appropriately; work independently and complete assignments efficiently; and work in a fast-paced environment comfortably. Great orientation to detail, a strong sense of scheduling and prioritization, outstanding people skills, telephone manner, and communication skills along with excellent typing, spelling, grammar, and punctuation skills is also required. MS Excel, MS Word, MS Powerpoint, and other computer programming knowledge required. This role dictates that the individual be a quick learner and be resourceful, extremely organized, proactive, detail-orientated and a strong team player in working with, and serving as a potential mentor to, other staff.

Candlewick Press is one of the fastest-growing children’s book publishers in the United States. Established in 1991, we are a progressive and creative company, with a steadfast commitment to the best, which is due in part to our rare independence--being 100 percent employee-owned gives us the freedom to publish only the books we believe in.

Our reputation for excellence in creating beautiful, high-quality children’s books is accomplished through a staff of dedicated, focused, and energetic individuals who enjoy an innovative, team-oriented work environment.

This full-time opportunity is based from our office in Somerville, MA. A very generous compensation and benefits package is offered including medical, dental, life and ltd insurance; flex spending and 401k plan participation with profit sharing; voluntary supplemental insurance; very generous paid time off, and much more!