Executive Assistant To Chief Executive Officer

Organisation Background:

The Akanksha Foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing children from low-income communities with high-quality, holistic education enabling them to maximise their potential and transform their lives. Akanksha operates through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in partnership with municipal governments across Urban Maharashtra. Today, Akanksha runs 27 English-medium schools across Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur, reaching 14,600 students and employing 760+ educators. Its four core programmes the School Project, Alumni Support and Engagement (ASE), Project Setu, and Art for Akanksha (AFA) collectively serve tens of thousands of children and young adults on their journey from early schooling to economic mobility. Akanksha's 2031 aspiration is bold: to run 4550 high performing PPP schools serving 35,000 children directly, while enabling holistic outcomes for 250,000 children across 800-1000 government schools through Project Setu. Talent is the most critical enabler of this ambition and the person will play a crucial role in this journey.

Position Summary:

The Office of the CEO sits at the intersection of many of these moving parts. As Executive Assistant, you will work directly with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), helping the CEO stay focused on the organisation's most important priorities and ensuring that critical decisions, meetings and commitments translate into action. Yes, the role requires outstanding organisation and executive support. But this is not simply a calendar-management role. You will have a front-row view into how a large education nonprofit is led: how priorities are set, how information moves, how decisions get made and how multiple stakeholders are brought together around Akanksha's mission. The role will suit someone who likes creating order from complexity, anticipates rather than waits to be asked, communicates exceptionally well and takes satisfaction in making other leaders and teams more effective.

Location: Pune (preferably) or Mumbai

Reports to: CEO

What your role will entail:

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Make the CEO's office work brilliantly

a. Manage the CEO's calendar, travel and key commitments with strong judgement around priorities.

b. Ensure meetings are purposeful and leaders have the context and information they need beforehand.

c. Prepare agendas, briefings, presentations and relevant background material.

d. Capture key decisions and actions and ensure follow-through.

e. Manage correspondence and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.

2. Support the CEO

Work closely with the CEO on priorities requiring coordination across the organisation.

a. Create visibility on important commitments, decisions and dependencies.

b. Coordinate leadership meetings, reviews and other critical organisational forums.

c. Follow through with teams on agreed actions without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.

d. Help ensure information reaches the right people at the right time.

3. Coordinate Board and senior stakeholder engagement

a. Coordinate Board calendars, meetings, agendas, documentation and communication.

b. Support the preparation of Board materials and ensure timely pre and post-meeting follow-up.

c. Build professional and trusted relationships with Board members and key internal and external stakeholders.

d. Coordinate important external meetings, speaking engagements and organisational events involving the CEO.

4. Drive strategic projects and follow-through

a. Support or independently coordinate select projects from planning through execution.

b. Build simple trackers and mechanisms to keep high-priority work moving.

c. Conduct research, synthesise information and create concise reports or presentations for decision-making.

d. Work across functions on time-sensitive organisational priorities.

e. Spot gaps, dependencies or potential problems early and proactively help resolve them.

Requirements:

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelors degree in any discipline
• Currently working as an Executive Assistant, project coordinator, programme professional or someone in a role requiring high levels of organisation and stakeholder management.
• Approximately 3-5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Exceptional organisation and attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Ability to synthesise information and produce clear notes, presentations and reports.
• Confidence working with senior leaders and diverse stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of AI tools or willingness to learn them.

Key Competencies:

• Strong follow-through and the ability to keep multiple priorities moving.
• Resourcefulness and comfort solving problems independently.
• High discretion and maturity in handling confidential information.
• Interest in education and the social sector. Previous sector experience is useful but need not be essential.
• Ability to operate with judgement, pace and discretion.