Executive Assistant

EXTERNAL JOB VACANCY
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Office of the Executive Director
New York Office
Application Deadline: September 7, 2026

The Executive Assistant provides operational, project, and administrative support to the Executive Director (ED) and the Special Advisor, Internal Communications. The Executive Director is responsible for the strategic direction of the organization and ensures that HRW continues to build our organization for maximum impact in the world today.

This position reports to the Special Advisor, Internal Communications, in the Office of the Executive Director. The position will be based in HRW’s New York City office and requires significant in-person presence, including working in the office daily when the Executive Director is in New York.

Responsibilities:

1. Manage the day-to-day calendar of the Executive Director to promote the most effective use of their time;
2. Ensure effective time management of the Executive Director and anticipate opportunities to facilitate workflow, including alignment with organizational priorities in mid- and long-term planning;
3. Manage travel and scheduling arrangements for the Executive Director, and where necessary for the Special Advisor, Internal Communications, which includes arranging transportation and hotel bookings, ensuring that calendars are kept up to date with relevant briefings and logistical arrangements, and assisting in securing visas as needed;
4. Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to the Executive Director’s Office, including Board members, donors, media, and government officials, coordinating requests across multiple time zones, and, where necessary, with discretion and strict confidentiality;
5. Manage the Executive Director’s social media accounts in partnership with the Communications team, including scheduling and monitoring content across relevant platforms;
6. Support the Executive Director’s engagement with HRW’s Development department to help manage the Executive Director’s relationships with key donors;
7. Support the Special Advisor, Internal Communications, in planning and coordinating executive leadership meetings, including agenda development, preparation of materials, tracking decisions, and monitoring follow-up actions;
8. Support the Special Advisor, Internal Communications, in coordinating cross-organizational projects, tracking deliverables, and monitoring deadlines; and,
9. Develop systems to streamline communications and support timely correspondence by the Executive Director and other members of the ED Office.

Meetings and presentations
1. Plan, coordinate, and support internal and external meetings, including taking minutes when necessary and following up on action points;
2. Coordinate with the Special Advisor, Internal Communications, to assist with meeting preparation and ensure that all meeting materials (supporting documents for internal and external meetings including agendas, research briefs, presentations, and reports) are available for the Executive Director and the Special Advisor;
3. Attend and support the production of HRW Board meetings alongside the Board Relations Team;
4. Organize the Executive Director’s correspondence, presentations, and meeting notes; and,
5. Maintain records of Executive Director’s speaking engagements and participation in conferences, external events, and overseas travel on behalf of HRW.

Executive Office Operations Management
1. Manage budget and financial operations for the Executive Office;
2. Advise on and implement Operations policies across the Executive Office (e.g., physical and digital security, GC trainings and reporting); and
3. Provide event management support, including organizing catering for meetings and hospitality gifts, as needed.

Overall administrative support
1. Schedule and participate in regular staff meetings in the ED’s Office;
2. Ensure that the Executive Director’s public profile information is kept updated and respond to requests for materials regarding the Executive Director and the organization in general;
3. Implement and manage office systems including digital filing systems, as well as document and content management systems;
4. Support in the recruitment and onboarding of new staff as needed;
5. Manage sensitive and confidential interactions between key internal and external stakeholders;
6. Process the expenses and invoices related to the E…