Executive Family Assistant

Busy professional couple with 4 terrific kids (ages 6, 11, 14 & 16) and a 1 y/o Havapoo is seeking a bright, high-energy, and positive Executive Family Assistant (EFA) to be their “right hand.”

The EFA must be skilled in providing superb personal administrative support (calendar and travel management and other administrative assistance), household management, project management, event coordination, errand-running, and all necessary tasks to ensure the family’s household and lives run seamlessly, and so the parents may focus on their family, work, philanthropy, and community engagements.

The EFA will round out a close-knit executive support team and collaborate with the family’s executive assistant and project manager, as well as interact with family office colleagues vendors, consultants, contractors, and more. In the home, the EFA will manage the part-time housekeeper, coordinate with part-time childcare support, and pitch in oneself with the kids as needed. Along with consummate professionalism, the successful EFA must also bring flexibility and warmth to help the family in this way.

The ideal candidate is a stellar, proactive professional who is always a step ahead of the family, who sees themself as a “true extension” of the parents, doing what it takes to make the family and household function smoothly. It is essential that the EFA be able to manage processes, priorities, and time; solve problems; develop and consistently use systems and apps; and demonstrate strong organizational skills. They must be comfortable communicating openly, see the big picture and how their work fits in, and jump in to complete any task that may arise. They must be a team player with the parents, colleagues, direct reports, service providers/vendors, and kids. The family is looking for EFA candidates who have a minimum of 5+ years of applicable professional experience, exceptional judgment, impeccable attention to detail, high integrity, candor and honesty, discretion, and an enduring commitment to maintaining the trust of the family. The parents seek self-starters who are fulfilled by reliably getting stuff done, and add to the good feeling in the home.

The primary location is Brooklyn, NY. Flexibility to travel with the family and stay overnight with the children when the parents are away may be requested and will be mutually agreed upon in advance. During the summer, the EFA may be asked to relocate with the family and participate in managing a multi-generational family home.

In light of the ongoing pandemic, vaccination is required as well as is taking prudent precautions that evolve as the situation and science evolve (especially since two of the children are under the age of vaccination at this time). Some of the standing duties are curtailed now because in-home entertaining and vacation travel are on pause.

The family is dynamic, warm, positive, and view their team members as partners. They are straight shooters and look for someone who wants to become a highly valued, highly trusted extended member of the household. Since this is a long-term position, they are looking for someone who can commit to the role for many years and sees it as a good career move. The parents rely on their support professionals to help them make the most of everyday and truly appreciate all the hard work that they do to help!

Work schedule:

The role is salaried full-time with a typical work schedule of Monday-Friday with occasional weekend help as requested. Standard workdays are 10 am to 6:30 pm (though subject to change in consultation with the selected EFA). High flexibility to shift hours, stay later or come in earlier when needed is essential. Summer schedule TBD each year.

PERSONAL & FAMILY SCHEDULING

• “Own” the family/household calendar and the personal side of the parents’ calendars. Ensure school requirements are reflected; coordinate with parents’ EA; update in accordance with changes on timely basis.
• Ensure no misalignments between work obligations/schedules and personal demands, between parents’ schedules, between parents’ and children’s calendars. Ensure visibility around schedule conflicts, upcoming travel plans, special project timelines, etc. and drive resolution as needed.
• Schedule and reschedule personal appointments for whole family, both in advance to ensure regularity/on time & as needed, such as:
• Extra-curricular
• Parent/Teacher conferences
• Medical appointments
• Fitness classes and personal training
• Personal care appointments
• Dates
• Pet care

CHILDCARE

• Be the responsible adult at home as needed and requested. Help the kids out in age-appropriate ways.
• Provide transportation to/from activities and after school pick-up as needed.
• Develop rapport with the four children across a diverse age range so there is a comfortable dynamic in the home.

 HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT

• Be the overall manager of the upkeep and smooth operations of the family home.
• Handle day-to-day tasks around the home (e.g. receiving deliveries, service providers, contractors, repairs, going through mail and sorting bills and junk, etc.).
• Manage household projects – small (e.g. rearrange a closet) and big (e.g. support renovation) – as arise and requested.
• Keep regular inventory of household items, food, essentials, etc. and order before supplies run out. (But do not over order, either.) Coordinate grocery buying with the dad and back him up as needed.
• Back up dad on healthy meal prep when he needs (e.g. Tuesdays when he teaches out of town).
• Manage part-time housekeeper and ensure housekeeping is effective. Ensure tidiness of home at the end of the day.
• Set up system for standing task completion on regular daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis (e.g. water filter changes).
• Maintain documentation & file systems for household operations, warranty manuals, household equipment, etc. Know where to go when repairs are needed.
• Initiate and complete organizational projects.
• Run various errands as requested (e.g. shopping, shoe repair, clothing care).
• Manage household technology & supplies; troubleshoot household technology or arrange for troubleshooting with the family office’s IT services.
• Coordinate & complete preparations for overnight guests (e.g. preparing bedrooms, adequate hospitality supplies, dietary needs are known/met, etc.)
• Drop off donations.
• Manage household petty cash (including proper documentation).
• Maintain vehicle, fill gas tank, make & take for service appointments, and keep accurate records of services completed.
• Support dog care as needed (e.g. walk dog, hand off dog to walker, etc.).
• Assist with tasks at two other family apartments in the building as needed.

FAMILY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE

• Provide general administrative support for personal tasks for the family and household as assigned (e.g. shipping packages). May use resources at the family’s nearby office as needed.
• Manage personal projects as requested and arise; may manage some projects independently and/or collaborate with the family office project manager.
• Stay on top of school communications and flag must-know info for parents.
• Register children for sports/activities/camps/etc. Fill out and submit any & all personal forms: school, camp, medical, etc. Ensure all prep.
• Make restaurant reservations; track family’s preferred restaurants & stay on top of new restaurants that will meet family’s needs.
• Support gift giving (kids’ friends, holidays, weddings/babies, Mother’s/Father’s Day, birthdays, etc.). Remind parents, suggest ideas, purchase/pick up, wrap, and/or send. Especially during Q4 of the year in anticipation of the holidays.
• Assist with household financial tasks: submit bills to office for payment, submit medical claim forms, submit receipts, complete expense reports and credit card coding. Track reimbursements.
• Update records, documents, and contact lists that include family members, friends, vendors, contractors, businesses, etc.
• Consistently & regularly update & document family processes and preferences.

 TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

• Manage soup-to-nuts personal travel coordination for family.
• Make personal travel reservations, flight, lodging, and ground bookings for entire family and guests (e.g. grandparents) as needed.
• Prepare apartment for travel (e.g. stopping mail, newspapers, refrigerator clean out) & for return (e.g. stocking groceries prior to arrival, mail & packages, cleaning.)
• Ensure lodgings are prepared for arrival (e.g. pre-order groceries for delivery); ensure clean-up/break down upon departure.
• Track and ensure validity and renewals of passports, Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Clear, and Driver’s Licenses. Coordinate renewals.
• Research and plan/book activities and tours at travel destination.
• Support packing for trips as needed. Inventory & acquire necessary location/trip specific gear and apparel in advance (e.g. safari gear, wetsuits, sports equipment). And/or ensure appropriate gear/apparel is available at other residence or vacation destination.
• For international travel, research, coordinate, and ensure timely execution of necessary visas, immunizations, and medications (e.g. anti-malarial, anti-seasickness), etc.
• Complete travel forms as necessary. (e.g. cruise ship forms)

 HOME HOSTING AND EVENT PLANNING & COORDINATION

• Coordinate weekly Shabbat dinners (Friday nights); hire server help, ensure guests’ dietary needs are met, acquire, and arrange supplies.
• Coordinate, plan, and execute larger events either independently or in consultation with family’s project manager, depending on the scale of the event. Assist with event tasks & errands as assigned. (e.g. supplies inventory & stocking, set-up, ordering, vendor mgmt.)
• Support children's birthday parties as needed.