Executive Assistant to Exec Leadership, The Economist
3+ days a week in office
International weekly newspaper
Job no longer available
3+ days a week in office
1001+ employees
Company mission
To take part in a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.
Role
Who you are
- Extensive experience providing Executive Assistant support at C-suite level within complex global organisations
- Experience working in technology, product, digital, media, or transformation-focused environments
- Strong experience preparing board packs, presentations, reports, and executive documentation using Microsoft Office and Google Workspace tools
- Experience using and adapting to emerging AI technologies and platforms, including ChatGPT, Gemini and Notebook LM
- Ability to clearly summarise key discussions, decisions, and actions
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the professionalism and discretion required for executive and board-level engagement
- Highly organised, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities and deadlines within fast-paced environments
- Proactive, adaptable, and resilient, with the ability to work independently, demonstrate initiative, and collaborate effectively across teams
- Strong commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, and maintaining high standards in all aspects of work
- Energy and resilience
- Emotional intelligence
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Customer focus
- Commitment and excellence
- Commercial acumen
- Growth mindset
- Results oriented
What the job involves
- We are currently seeking two exceptional Executive Assistants to support either our Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO) or The President, The Economist
- These are highly strategic and fast-paced roles requiring proactive, organised, and commercially aware professionals who can operate confidently at executive level across a global business
- The Executive Assistant will act as a trusted partner to the CPTO, supporting the effective delivery of the product and technology strategy across the organisation. The role requires exceptional coordination, attention to detail, communication, and stakeholder management skills, alongside the ability to manage complex priorities, confidential information, and cross-functional initiatives
- This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the centre of a global technology, product, AI, and digital transformation agenda
- Acting as a trusted partner to the President, the Executive Assistant will provide high-level strategic and operational support, ensuring seamless coordination across priorities, stakeholders, and business initiatives
- The role requires exceptional judgement, communication, and attention to detail, alongside the ability to manage complex schedules, confidential information, and cross-functional activities with discretion and professionalism
- Working at the centre of the business, this position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to leadership impact, organisational effectiveness, and key strategic initiatives across a global media and information company
- Provide advanced executive support through complex diary management, inbox management, global travel coordination, and end-to-end meeting preparation for senior leadership
- Prepare high-quality presentations, briefing papers, reports, board materials, and executive communications for C-suite and Board-level audiences
- Partner closely with the Board EA to coordinate Board materials, Group Executive Committee meetings, Technology Investment Committee meetings, and Executive Leadership forums
- Coordinate strategic initiatives and enterprise-wide transformation programmes across Product, Technology, Editorial, Commercial, AI, and Operations teams
- Track strategic priorities, decisions, actions, and deadlines, ensuring effective follow-through and timely execution across multiple stakeholders
- Facilitate collaboration between B2C, B2B, Editorial, Commercial, operational, and cross-functional teams to support business objectives and leadership priorities
- Support governance, risk, and compliance activities, including cybersecurity, GDPR, data protection, audit, and policy adherence processes
- Organise and manage leadership offsites, workshops, conferences, and strategic events, overseeing logistics, meeting environments, guest coordination, and attendee experience
- Prepare agendas, record minutes, and manage follow-up actions for high-level internal and external meetings
- Manage sensitive and business-critical documentation, including contracts, reports, presentations, and correspondence, maintaining the highest levels of accuracy, professionalism, and confidentiality
- Act as a trusted point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, using strong business knowledge and discretion to manage enquiries and communications effectively
- Process invoices, expenses, procurement administration, vendor coordination, and budget tracking in support of operational and leadership requirements
- Drive continuous improvement across administrative processes, team coordination, and ways of working to enhance efficiency and effectiveness
- Anticipate, identify, and proactively resolve scheduling, operational, and stakeholder challenges in a fast-paced executive environment
- Lead and support special projects and ad hoc requests on behalf of senior leadership and C-suite executives, demonstrating initiative, sound judgement, and independent problem-solving capability
Salary benchmarks
Our take
Founded in 1843, the Economist is one of the best-known and well-read current affairs publications in the world, able to boast an ever-growing international circulation of around 1.5m readers. With sections ranging from US business news to the best new books & art, The Economist is a key figure within the huge journalism market.
Given its big market share, the key question for The Economist will be where it goes from here. Likely, the plan will be to carry on with business as usual. Critically, unlike many of its competitors, during the coronavirus pandemic The Economist has seen little decline in business, even as sales of paper-newspapers have declined globally. In particular, this is because the Economist has been operating a hybrid system of online and paper news for many years now, and so its core business has had relatively little to adapt to during the pandemic.
So, the key thing for The Economist will be ensuring that it keeps producing high-quality journalism into the future. In an age where the news is constantly plagued by distrust and misinformation, The Economist has a golden opportunity to set itself apart as a quality institution going forward.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Meet the team
Danny, BI Analyst
Insights
25% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Company benefits
- Team +/ individual performance bonuses
- Extended life assurance
- Training and development programmes
- Funding available for further education
- Work from home opportunities
- Health insurance
Company values
- Independence
- Integrity
- Excellence
- Inclusivity
- Openness
Company HQ
London, UK
Articles
Leadership
Lara Salameh Boro
(CEO)Lara has previously been CEO at Top Right Group and Informa. They are also a Non Executive Director at RWS HOLDINGS PLC.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at The Economist
- Commitment to equal opportunities and inclusion
- Applications from all backgrounds encouraged
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