Executive Assistant at Channing House – Palo Alto, California

Job Summary

Nestled in a walkable neighborhood, Channing House is a leading not-for-profit Life Plan Community in Palo, founded in 1960. Our team of 195 staff members, from Front-Line to Leadership, drive the mission of Channing House, providing essential services to our 265 highly engaged residents who call Channing House their home. The Executive Assistant will exemplify our Core Values: Do the right thing; Be a team player; Focus on quality; Adapt to change.

The Executive Assistant (EA) supports two members of the executive leadership team, the CEO and the Health & Wellness Administrator. The EA functions as an extension to these executives, serving as a trusted partner, and enabling them to focus on organizational leadership, strategy, and external relationships. This role requires exceptional judgment, discretion, and the ability to anticipate needs, manage priorities, and act on behalf of the executives when appropriate. The EA functions at a high level of autonomy, coordinating across the organization, ensuring seamless execution of the executives agendas. The EA performs duties on-site, generally Monday through Friday. Some evenings and/or weekends may be required, with advance notice. Together with the entire team at Channing House, this role contributes to promoting a healthy and vibrant home for our residents.

Key Responsibilities

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to, the following:

Strategic & Executive Support

Act as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and Health & Wellness Administrator (executives), helping prioritize initiatives, manage competing demands, and tracking progress on key goals.

Serve as a gatekeeper for the executives’ time, aligning meeting requests with strategic priorities.

Anticipate executives’ needs by proactively identifying issues, preparing options, and recommending next steps.

Represent the executives internally and externally when appropriate, conveying intent, priorities, and decisions with clarity and authority.

Provide direct support for Board and Board committee activities, including meeting logistics, agenda development, materials preparation, and follow-up.

As needed, provide administrative support to the Chief Financial Officer, as well.

Operational & Organizational Leadership

Coordinate and monitor Executive-led initiatives and cross-functional projects; follow up on action items to ensure timely execution.

Prepare and review presentations for board meetings, executive meetings, resident meetings, and external engagements.

Maintain a forward-looking calendar that integrates strategic planning, governance obligations, and key stakeholder engagements.

Partner with senior leaders to align communication, scheduling, and execution of organization-wide priorities.

Communication & Relationship Management

Draft, edit, and manage correspondence on behalf of the CEO and Health & Wellness Administrator.

Build strong relationships across the organization to facilitate information flow and problem-solving.

Manage sensitive communications with discretion, professionalism, and emotional intelligence.

Develop and maintain positive image and relationships with trustees, staff, residents, families, business partners, and other external parties.

Confidentiality & Decision Support

Handle highly confidential information related to personnel, finances, strategy, and governance with absolute discretion.

Support decision-making by synthesizing information, highlighting risks and implications, and maintaining situational awareness of organizational dynamics.