Senior Executive Assistant/Operations Specialist

Cushman & Wakefield
Chicago, IL
Job Title

Senior Executive Assistant/Operations Specialist

Job Description Summary

The Senior Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative and strategic support to two executive leaders within the Americas Commercial Real Estate business. This role manages complex priorities, ensures seamless coordination across both leaders’ operations, and acts as a key partner in driving execution across a fast-paced, multi-market business. The ideal candidate anticipates needs, balances competing demands and builds strong relationships across senior leadership while maintaining absolute discretion.

Job Description

Key Company Ethos - DRIVE

  • Drive
  • Resilient
  • Inclusive
  • Visionary
  • Entrepreneurial

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support

  • Manage an active and dynamic calendar, including meeting prioritization, strategic scheduling, and coordination across North Americas time zones.
  • Prepare the leader for daily meetings by organizing agendas, briefing materials, talking points, and required background information.
  • Serve as a partner in managing communications, drafting emails, and ensuring timely follow-up on key actions.
  • Coordinate complex travel for domestic and international trips, including itineraries, accommodations, and logistics.
  • Handle confidential information with the highest level of integrity.

Business Operations

  • Support execution of business priorities across the Americas region by tracking key deliverables and deadlines.
  • Maintain oversight of team operating rhythms, including leadership meetings, town halls, business reviews, and offsites.
  • Partner with HR, Finance, Legal, and regional leadership teams to support operational needs, workflows, and internal programs.
  • Assist with preparation of presentations, reports, investor/client briefing materials, and leadership updates.

Project & Relationship Management

  • Facilitate effective communication between the Americas Leaders and senior executives, business heads, office leads, and external stakeholders.
  • Coordinate cross-functional initiatives, ensuring timely progress and alignment across markets.
  • Manage special projects as assigned, including strategic research, vendor coordination, and event support.
  • Build strong relationships across markets to help navigate the business efficiently.

Office & Administrative Oversight

  • Manage expense reporting, procurement, invoicing, and budget tracking as needed.
  • Oversee document management, approval flows, and contract routing.
  • Partner with office management teams to support space planning, client meetings, and operational needs.

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of experience in operations, project coordination, executive support, or business administration
  • Demonstrated success in managing complex executive calendars and large-scale event logistics
  • Experience supporting or working closely with executive leadership
  • Excellent organizational and time-management skills with strong attention to detail
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Comfort working independently and navigating ambiguity
  • Proficiency in tools such as Microsoft Office, Teams, and project/task management platforms (e.g., Workday, Concur)
  • Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in a large corporate or global organization
  • Familiarity with executive-level reporting, business planning, or stakeholder engagement
  • Experience coordinating offsites, board meetings, or corporate events
  • Interest in strategic operations, organizational planning, or process optimization

Competencies

  • Executive presence with strong communication instincts.
  • Anticipatory thinker who can identify needs before they arise.
  • Problem solver who can navigate ambiguity and deliver solutions.
  • Detail-oriented with strong follow-through.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative approach.
  • Calm and steady under pressure.

Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role.

The compensation for the position is: $ 97,750.00 - $115,000.00

Cushman & Wakefield is an Equal Opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Discrimination of any type will not be tolerated.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position at Cushman & Wakefield, please call the ADA line at 1-888-365-5406 or email [email protected] . Please refer to the job title and job location when you contact us.

INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”
Posted 2025-11-24

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