Executive Assistant

Five qualities we are looking for in our full-time, in-person, Executive Assistant to the Principal

1. Executive Judgment: knowing what deserves attention versus what can wait.

2. Precision: conveying facts exactly as received, with context, without interpretation.

3. Executive Presence: representing the Principal and the firm with polish, restraint and professionalism.

4. Process Discipline: following systems instead of recreating them, working around them or asking questions that already have documented answers.

5. Anticipation & Protectiveness: protecting the Principal’s time, focus, energy, calendar and productivity.

At Laura Yeager Smith Home & Design, the Executive Assistant is far more than an administrative professional, they are the operational extension of the Founder and an indispensable strategic partner.

Apply only if you've had previous Executive Administrative experience.

This role exists to create space for the Principal to lead the business by protecting time, reducing distractions, anticipating needs, executing with precision, and representing the firm with the highest level of professionalism.

Success requires exceptional judgment, absolute discretion, executive presence, and anticipation. The ideal candidate protects the Principal's time, attention, and priorities by exercising sound judgment, meticulous attention to detail, communicating with precision, anticipating needs before they arise, and representing Laura Yeager Smith Home & Design with warmth, sophistication, and professionalism. They understand how to operate confidently in a fast-paced, high-touch, luxury professional services environment where polish, confidentiality, and thoughtful execution are expected, not managed.

As the first point of contact for many clients, vendors, consultants, and industry partners, this individual sets the tone for the luxury experience our firm is known for. Every interaction should reflect warmth, sophistication, confidence, and professionalism.

The Executive Assistant understands that their primary responsibility is to maximize the effectiveness of the Principal, not manage the design team. They protect focus, minimize interruptions, maintain confidentiality, and quietly ensure that countless details are handled before they ever become problems.

Position Purpose

The Executive Assistant serves as the trusted operational partner to the Principal, ensuring the seamless execution of daily priorities while protecting her time, focus, and strategic capacity.

This position combines executive support, studio operations, client experience, strategic scheduling, communication management, travel coordination, office management, and select personal assistance.

This individual exercises exceptional judgment regarding what requires immediate attention, what can be handled independently, and what can wait. They reduce interruptions, communicate objectively, execute reliably, and create calm through anticipation and thoughtful follow-through.

Success in this Role Looks Like

The ideal Executive Assistant consistently demonstrates:

Executive Judgment

• Knows when to interrupt, and more importantly, when not to.
• Brings only the items requiring the Founder's attention.
• Solves problems independently whenever possible.
• Prioritizes based on impact, urgency, and strategic importance.

Precision

• Delivers messages exactly as communicated.
• Never inserts assumptions or interpretations.
• Confirms details rather than guessing.
• Maintains exceptional accuracy in scheduling, communication, and documentation.

Professional Presence

• Communicates with warmth, confidence, and polish.
• Creates an elevated first impression for every client, vendor, and visitor.
• Represents the firm's luxury brand in every interaction.
• Maintains appropriate professional boundaries in all relationships.

Process Excellence

• Learns established systems thoroughly.
• Follows documented processes consistently.
• Improves systems thoughtfully rather than bypassing them.
• Maintains exceptional organization and follow-through.

Confidentiality

• Handles sensitive information with complete discretion.
• Protects the privacy of the Principal, employees, and clients.
• Exercises sound judgment in every conversation.

Core Responsibilities

Executive Support

• Manage the Founder's calendar with strategic attention to priorities and focus time.
• Protect designated strategic work blocks from unnecessary interruptions.
• Coordinate meetings, appointments, travel, events and engagements.
• Prepare meeting materials and agendas.
• Track action items and ensure timely follow-up.
• Track Principal’s time in Studio Designer software daily
• Screen communications and prioritize appropriately.
• Draft correspondence and presentations.
• Manage expense reporting and travel logistics.
• Anticipate needs before they arise.

Communication Management

Serve as the communication hub for the Principal by:

• Delivering messages with factual accuracy, detail and context.
• Separating facts from opinions.
• Gathering complete information before escalating.
• Responding professionally on behalf of the Founder when appropriate.
• Ensuring timely follow-up with clients and consultants.
• Standard: Communication should reduce confusion, not create it.

Calendar Management

The calendar is one of the firm's most valuable assets. Responsibilities include:

• Strategic scheduling.
• Coordination across multiple stakeholders.
• Protection of blocked work time.
• Minimizing context switching.
• Balancing workload across the team when calendar planning
• Understanding production schedules.
• Recognizing downstream impacts of scheduling decisions.
• Appointment reminders and confirmations

Client Experience

As the first impression of LYSHD, you will:

• Welcome clients with warmth and professionalism.
• Anticipate client needs.
• Prepare meeting spaces.
• Coordinate refreshments.
• Maintain impeccable presentation of the studio.
• Ensure every interaction reflects our luxury brand.

Studio Operations

• Reception
• Office management
• Vendor coordination
• Technology coordination with Facilities & Benefits Manager
• PTO Submission facilitation with Facilities & Benefits Manager & Company Calendar
• Office supplies coordination with Procurement Director
• Shipping and receiving support
• Meeting logistics
• Photography coordination
• Marketing coordination
• Team event logistics
• Process documentation
• Onboard new employees to the facilities
• Event planning and coordination
• Liaison to Copier Consultant

Personal Executive Support

Provide confidential assistance including:

• Email Triage
• Travel planning
• Lunch and meal coordination
• Personal appointments
• Gift wrapping for Principal from SMITHS CURATED
• Returns
• Family calendar coordination
• Miscellaneous executive assistance
•  

Professional Standards

The Executive Assistant is expected to:

• Protect the Founder's focus.
• Respect strategic work blocks.
• Minimize unnecessary interruptions.
• Communicate concisely.
• Exercise mature judgment.
• Maintain composure under pressure.
• Adapt quickly.
• Follow through completely.
• Think ahead rather than react.
• Demonstrate initiative without creating unnecessary work for others.

Critical Competencies

We are seeking someone who naturally demonstrates:

• Executive-level judgment
• Emotional intelligence
• Strong written communication
• Exceptional verbal communication
• Professional polish
• Organizational excellence
• Calm under pressure
• High attention to detail
• Anticipation of needs
• Reliability
• Confidentiality
• Resourcefulness
• Accountability
• Ownership
• Discretion

Experience & Required Skills Preferred:

• 5+ years supporting a CEO, Founder, Executive, or business owner.
• Experience in luxury residential design, architecture, construction, professional services, hospitality, or other high-touch client environments.
• Advanced Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Asana, and scheduling software.
• Experience managing complex calendars with multiple competing priorities.
• Experience with AI
• College degree

Measures of Success (90 Days and Beyond)

A successful Executive Assistant will:

• Protect the Founder's calendar and focus without being prompted.
• Communicate information accurately and objectively.
• Anticipate needs before requests are made.
• Reduce interruptions across the entire team.
• Follow documented processes consistently.
• Execute with minimal supervision.
• Create a calm, polished, luxury client experience.
• Become a trusted partner known for sound judgment, professionalism, and flawless follow-through.

The Executive Assistant is the guardian of the Founder's attention.

They understand that attention is our firm's most valuable resource. They exercise excellent judgment about when to interrupt, when to solve independently, and when something can wait. They communicate facts objectively, follow established processes, and reduce, not create, cognitive load for the Principal and the design team. They consistently represent Laura Yeager Smith Home & Design with professionalism, discretion, warmth, and polish. They possess the ability to adapt to changing priorities and work in a fast paced environment, consistently advocating LYSHD.

Laura Yeager Smith Home & Design is a full-service residential interior design firm located in Hudson, Ohio.