EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Company Overview

Competition number: J1026-0719

Department:                Executive Office

Status:                         Full-Time continuing

Hours:                         Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (35 hours per week; occasional early mornings/ evenings)

Annual/hourly salary:  $ 77,800 - $97,100 (position with benefits and pension plan)

Closing date:               November 29, 2026

Anticipated start date: As soon as possible

Introducing the National Arts Centre

The National Arts Centre (NAC) is Canada’s bilingual, multi-disciplinary home for the performing arts. The NAC presents, creates, produces, and co-produces performing arts programming in various streams – the NAC Orchestra, Dance, English Theatre, French Theatre, Indigenous Theatre, and Popular Music and Variety – and nurtures the next generation of audiences and artists from across Canada. The NAC is located in the National Capital Region on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin Nation.

At the National Arts Centre, we believe the performing arts are vital to the human experience. A house of dreams for the Canadian performing arts, we work with artists and arts organizations from across this land to revitalize our sector. 

Curious to learn more? Read our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, The Journey Ahead.  

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Accessibility

We are on a journey, committed to ensuring that equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, anti-racism and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples will guide our actions. 

The NAC welcomes applications fromcandidates who can help us meet our vision, and contribute to the diversity oflived experiences, perspectives, and approaches.When you join the NAC, you will be part of an inclusivecommunity working hard to dismantle barriers to employees’well-being, access, potential, and success. The NAC actively seeks candidates who identify as women, Indigenous, Black, Persons of Colour (IBPoC), members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and peoplewith disabilities. We encourage you to self-identify in the recruitment process.

Job Description

Key activities:

Reporting to the Executive Office Manager and Corporate Secretary, the Executive Assistant provides senior-level strategic coordination, executive support and operational management support to the President and CEO of the National Arts Centre and the Executive Office. The role’s primary focus is to support the President and CEO’s ability to focus on the organization’s highest-impact priorities, by proactively leading executive meeting preparation, coordination, information flow, prioritization, and partner management through follow-through on key initiatives and commitments. Scheduling, logistics, preparation, and day-to-day executive operations are key elements of the role. 

Moving beyond traditional administrative support functions, the Executive Assistant operates in a high-trust, high-discretion environment, requiring sound judgment, professionalism, kindness, empathy, and the ability to manage sensitive information. The Executive Assistant coordinates information flow, supports executive readiness, and maintains consistent administrative standards. The role functions within clearly defined priorities and direction set by the Executive Office and Corporate Affairs leadership team. 

This position requires a full-time, on-site presence at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa (five days per week). Given the operational needs of the Office of the President and CEO, consistent in-person presence is essential.

The incumbent must be fully fluent in both official languages, English and French, with advanced oral, reading and written proficiency. They must be able to read, interpret, and synthesize complex documents in both languages and communicate confidently and clearly about complex or sensitive matters. The successful candidate must work seamlessly in French and English in a fast-paced executive environment.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Executive Prioritization and Coordination

• Provide high-level executive administrative support to the President and CEO, including calendar management, meeting coordination, and logistical planning; 

• Support executive readiness by coordinating briefing materials, agendas, and background materials; 
• Guides the day-to-day schedule for the President CEO and is responsible for keeping them informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities and ensures appropriate follow-up actions are taken;
• Anticipate the President and CEO's needs by proactively assessing upcoming meetings, commitments, and priorities, ensuring appropriate preparation, materials, and briefing support are in place.
• Apply forward-thinking calendar management by evaluating meeting objectives, identifying preparation requirements, and coordinating the information, participants, and logistics necessary for successful outcomes.
• Act as a strategic partner to the President and CEO, monitoring emerging priorities, anticipating potential challenges, and recommending adjustments to schedules and commitments as required.
• Review short- and long-term commitments to ensure alignment with organizational priorities, proactively identifying opportunities, risks, scheduling conflicts, and preparation requirements.
• Organize domestic and international travel and logistics, including itineraries, bookings, accommodations, and expense reporting; 
• Maintain an active in-office presence aligned with the President & CEO’s schedule; 
• Handle sensitive information, communications, and scheduling matters with a high degree of professionalism, confidentiality and discretion.

Partner Engagement through Calendar & Scheduling Management 

• Serve as a trusted point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring professional, timely, and effective communication on behalf of the Executive Office;
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the President and CEO's priorities, proactively assessing upcoming engagements and ensuring all required briefing materials, stakeholder information, and preparatory activities are coordinated in advance.
• Support engagement and coordination with executive leadership team, partners and stakeholders;
• Manage and maintain a complex and dynamic executive calendar, balancing competing priorities, internal and external meetings, events, hosting and attending performances;
• Coordinate meeting logistics, including room bookings, virtual platforms, participant coordination, and materials preparation;
• Apply established priorities and protocols when scheduling and adjusting commitments;
• Proactively identify and escalate conflicts or concerns to the Executive Office Manager and Corporate Secretary, as required. 

Information & Correspondence Support 

• Coordinate incoming requests, correspondence, and information flowing to the President and CEO;

• Draft routine correspondence and administrative responses on behalf of the Executive Office, escalating sensitive matters as appropriate;
• Document meeting minutes, records of decision and action items;

• Track follow-ups, confirmations, and administrative actions arising from meetings. 

Executive Office Operations 

• Support the Executive Office and Corporate Affairs team in maintaining consistent administrative workflows, standards, and documentation;

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of administrative systems and processes;

• Support travel reclamations, credit card reporting, and anything finance-related, as needed; 

• May provide administrative and logistical support for Board-related activities in coordination with the Corporate Secretary; 

• Support protocol-sensitive President and CEO engagements involving government, donors, artists, and other contacts, following established NAC practices; 
• Support budget administration within the Executive Office. 

Required qualifications:

• Post-secondary degree in office administration, public administration, business administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience;
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive experience at executive-level support in a complex, fast-paced organizational, political, governance, or public sector environment; 
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate executive needs, exercise sound judgment, and proactively manage competing priorities in a highly dynamic environment;
• Proven ability to think strategically, identify issues before they arise, and implement practical solutions with minimal direction;
• Exceptional planning and coordination skills, with the ability to assess executive priorities and determine appropriate preparation, briefing requirements, and follow-up actions;
• Experience acting as a trusted partner to a senior executive, providing proactive support, advice, and coordination to enable effective decision-making and stakeholder engagement;
• Experience supporting senior executives, public office holders, and/or governance bodies;
• Experience managing calendars, travel, and executive documentation;
• Fluently bilingual in both official languages, English and French, written and spoken;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; 
• Demonstrated outstanding organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize workload, respond to shifting priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment, while meeting deadlines;
• Service and customer-oriented mindset, a genuine collaborative and professional style and highly effective interpersonal skills;
• Strong attention to detail, organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills; 
• High standards of kindness, discretion, professionalism, responsiveness, and judgment;
• Proven ability to manage sensitive information confidentially;
• Strong interpersonal skills and service orientation;
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from different cultural/diverse backgrounds and proven commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion;
• Highly resourceful and solution-focused team player, with ability to work independently and with limited oversight and guidance;
• Strong organizational awareness and political acuity;
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Teams, Excel, Adobe, Teams, SharePoint, PowerPoint); 
• Familiarity with document management and workflow tracking tools is an asset;
• Flexible and available to work within an irregular schedule, including occasional early mornings, lunch hours, evenings, and event-related hours.