Executive Operations

Executive Assistant to CEO

Job Description & Chart of Accountability

About atWork

atWork is a B2B2C corporate meal platform revolutionizing employee welfare benefits across Europe. With current operations in Tirana generating €750K ARR and ambitious plans to scale to €5M+ while expanding into Italy, Spain, UK, and Germany, we are building a high-performance organization that combines technological innovation with exceptional people practices.

With operations centralized in Tirana and expansion underway across Europe, we are assembling a high-caliber team that can support rapid scaling, complex fundraising, and multi-country execution.

Position Overview

The Executive Assistant to the CEO is a critical strategic role serving as the right hand to the CEO during atWork’s most intensive growth phase. This role combines executive partnership, operational amplification, and expansion enablement so the CEO can focus on the highest-impact initiatives.

You will manage fundraising workflows, coordinate multi-country expansion, interface with investors and board members, and ensure flawless execution across all business operations while operating with exceptional judgment and discretion.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support & Time Management

●Manage the CEO's complex calendar across multiple time zones, balancing fundraising meetings, board commitments, and operational reviews.
●Prioritize competing demands and gatekeep the CEO’s time to maximize focus on highest-value activities.
●Prepare briefing materials, agendas, and follow-up action items for all CEO engagements.
●Coordinate complex travel logistics across Europe including flights, accommodations, transportation, and itineraries.
●Manage email triage, correspondence, and communication flows to ensure critical items receive immediate attention.
●Anticipate needs proactively, identifying potential issues before they arise and preparing solutions.
●Act as a trusted sounding board and thought partner on operational decisions and strategic challenges.

Fundraising & Investor Relations Support

●Coordinate fundraising processes including investor outreach, meeting scheduling, and follow-up communications.
●Manage investor pipeline tracking, meeting notes, and relationship updates in the CRM system.
●Prepare and maintain the data room with financial models, legal documents, pitch decks, and diligence materials.
●Coordinate due diligence processes with investors, legal advisors, and internal teams to ensure timely delivery.
●Schedule and manage board meetings including agenda preparation, materials distribution, minutes, and action tracking.
●Maintain relationships with angel investors, syndicate members, and strategic advisors on the CEO’s behalf.
●Support SAFE agreement execution, cap table updates, and equity allocation tracking.
●Coordinate investor updates, quarterly reports, and stakeholder communications to ensure transparency and engagement.

Expansion Operations & Market Entry

●Project manage market entry initiatives for Italy, Spain, UK, and Germany including timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder coordination.
●Coordinate with local partners, legal advisors, and service providers for company registration, licensing, and compliance.
●Research and compile market intelligence on competitive landscape, regulatory requirements, and partnership opportunities.
●Support hiring processes in new markets including job posting, candidate screening coordination, and interview scheduling.
●Facilitate relationships with restaurant partners, 3PL providers, and technology vendors across expansion markets.
●Track expansion KPIs, milestones, and deliverables to keep projects on schedule and within budget.
●Organize market exploration trips including itinerary planning, meeting coordination, and logistics management.

Strategic Projects & Special Initiatives

●Drive cross-functional strategic projects on behalf of the CEO including M&A exploration, partnerships, and product launches.
●Conduct research and analysis on strategic opportunities, competitive threats, and industry trends.
●Prepare presentations, reports, and strategic documents for board meetings, investor pitches, and internal reviews.
●Manage confidential and sensitive projects requiring the highest levels of discretion and judgment.
●Coordinate with legal, finance, and operations teams on complex cross-functional initiatives.
●Support Series A preparation including organizational readiness, metric tracking, and investor positioning.
●Act as the CEO’s proxy in meetings and decisions when appropriate, representing his interests with authority.

Communications & Stakeholder Management

●Draft and edit executive communications including emails, presentations, investor updates, and internal announcements.
●Serve as primary liaison between the CEO and internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders.
●Manage relationships with key stakeholders including board members, investors, advisors, and strategic partners.
●Coordinate company-wide communications ensuring alignment with the CEO’s vision and priorities.
●Interface with media, PR agencies, and event organizers for the CEO’s public engagements and speaking opportunities.
●Prepare the CEO for external meetings with comprehensive background research on attendees and context.
●Maintain professional relationships with C-suite assistants at partner companies, investors, and corporate clients.

Operational Excellence & Process Improvement

●Design and implement systems for tracking action items, decisions, and commitments from CEO meetings.
●Create dashboards and reporting mechanisms for the CEO to monitor key business metrics and team performance.
●Streamline workflows, communication processes, and decision-making frameworks for maximum efficiency.
●Maintain organized filing systems for contracts, agreements, strategic documents, and confidential materials.
●Manage expense reporting, invoice processing, and administrative tasks related to CEO office operations.
●Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in organizational processes, proposing and implementing solutions.
●Leverage technology and automation tools to enhance productivity and reduce manual administrative burden.

Team Coordination & Leadership Support

●Coordinate leadership team meetings including scheduling, agenda setting, materials preparation, and follow-up.
●Track deliverables and commitments from department heads ensuring accountability and execution.
●Facilitate communication flow between the CEO and direct reports, escalating urgent matters appropriately.
●Support onboarding of new leadership team members including logistics, documentation, and integration.
●Coordinate company events, all-hands meetings, and team-building activities that reinforce culture and alignment.
●Maintain pulse on organizational dynamics, surfacing concerns and opportunities to the CEO proactively.
●Embody company values and culture, setting standards for professionalism, responsiveness, and excellence.

Required Qualifications

Experience

●5-7+ years as Executive Assistant, Chief of Staff, or similar role supporting C-level executives in fast-growth environments.
●Experience in technology startups, scale-ups, or high-growth companies navigating fundraising and expansion.
●Demonstrated experience supporting CEOs or founders through fundraising processes (Seed, Series A, or similar).
●Background managing complex international operations, multi-market coordination, or expansion projects.
●Proven track record operating autonomously with minimal supervision in ambiguous, fast-paced environments.
●Experience in food delivery, logistics, SaaS, or B2B technology sectors strongly preferred.

Core Competencies

●Exceptional organizational skills with obsessive attention to detail and zero-error execution mindset.
●Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in English (native or near-native fluency required), Italian.
●Strategic thinking with ability to understand business context and make informed decisions on the CEO’s behalf.
●Project management excellence including ability to juggle multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
●Relationship management skills for interfacing with high-level stakeholders including investors, board members, and executives.
●Problem-solving capabilities with resourcefulness to navigate challenges independently.
●Anticipatory mindset with ability to stay three steps ahead and prepare for upcoming needs.

Technical Skills

●Advanced proficiency with productivity tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, calendar management systems).
●Strong experience in Claude by Anthropic and other AI tools.
●Experience with project management platforms (Asana, Notion, Monday.com, Trello, or similar).
●Familiarity with CRM systems for investor tracking and relationship management.
●Comfortable with presentation design tools (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote).
●Ability to quickly learn new software platforms and technology tools.
●Strong research skills using internet, databases, and professional networks.
●Basic financial literacy for understanding business metrics, financial models, and fundraising documents.

Personal Attributes

●Absolute discretion and trustworthiness with sensitive business information and confidential matters.
●Entrepreneurial spirit with ownership mentality and commitment to company success.
●Extreme reliability and follow-through with flawless execution.
●Calm under pressure with composure in high-stakes, fast-moving situations.
●Proactive and self-directed with minimal need for supervision or micromanagement.
●Emotional intelligence and diplomacy for navigating complex interpersonal dynamics.
●Flexible and adaptable with willingness to work irregular hours when required by business needs.
●Cultural awareness and sophistication for operating across diverse European markets.
●Humble team player who takes pride in enabling others’ success rather than seeking spotlight.

Language Requirements

●Fluent English (required—this is the primary business language).
●Italian, Spanish, or German language skills highly preferred for expansion market coordination.

Performance Metrics

●CEO Effectiveness: Enable the CEO to focus 70%+ of time on highest-value activities (fundraising, strategy, key relationships).
●Fundraising Support: Successfully coordinate seed round closing by January 2026 with zero administrative bottlenecks.
●Expansion Execution: Support successful market entry into 3+ countries within 18 months.
●Meeting Efficiency: Achieve 100% on-time preparation of briefing materials and zero scheduling conflicts.
●Response Time: Respond to urgent CEO requests within 30 minutes and standard requests within 4 hours.
●Project Delivery: Complete 100% of assigned projects on time and to specification.
●Stakeholder Satisfaction: Maintain 95%+ satisfaction ratings from investors, board members, and leadership team.
●Accuracy: Maintain zero critical errors in documents, communications, or logistics requiring CEO intervention.
●Proactivity: Identify and resolve 80%+ of potential issues before they require CEO attention.
●CEO Feedback: Consistently positive feedback on quality of support, judgment, and impact.