Executive Assistant - Office of the CEO

Upwork Inc.’s (Nasdaq: UPWK) family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work. From Fortune 100 enterprises to entrepreneurs, businesses rely on Upwork Inc. to find and hire expert talent, leverage AI-powered work solutions, and drive business transformation. With access to professionals spanning more than 10,000 skills across AI & machine learning, software development, sales & marketing, customer support, finance & accounting, and more, the Upwork family of companies enables businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and transform their workforces for the age of AI and beyond.

Since its founding, Upwork Inc. has facilitated more than $30 billion in total transactions and services as it fulfills its purpose to create opportunity in every era of work. Learn more about the Upwork Marketplace at Upwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X; and learn more about Lifted at Go-Lifted and follow on LinkedIn.

We are seeking a proactive, highly organized Executive Assistant to support the Office of the CEO. In this in-person role based in Palo Alto, you will work closely with the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Chief of Staff to the CEO, and CEO to ensure seamless day-to-day operations, thoughtful coordination, and exceptional execution.

This is an opportunity to work at the center of Upwork's leadership team, where your ability to anticipate needs, navigate shifting priorities, and solve problems independently will make a meaningful impact. You will serve as a trusted partner, managing complex logistics, supporting executive workflows, and creating an exceptional experience for internal and external stakeholders.

Success in this role requires ultimate discretion, sound judgment, attention to detail, and a collaborative mindset. You will have the autonomy to own key operational responsibilities, identify opportunities to improve processes, and help the Office of the CEO operate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide in-office support to the Office of the CEO (CEO, Chief of Staff and EA to CEO) through extensive calendar management, including multi-channeled work streams.
• Partner with the CoS and EA. You will work in concert to manage CEO and CoS calendars and implement the executive team's operating model.
• Own day-to-day in-office operations for the Office of the CEO, including meeting preparation, daily lunches, catering, refreshments, support executive visits and guests, and other hospitality needs to create a welcoming, well-organized environment.
• Coordinate executive travel and logistics in partnership with the EA to the CEO. This includes domestic and international itineraries, aviation, ground transportation, accommodations, and real-time adjustments, ensuring a seamless experience.
• Plan and execute executive meetings, leadership offsites, and special events, managing scheduling, venues, vendors, materials, and logistics while ensuring a high-quality experience for participants, in partnership with the EA to the CEO.
• Support the CoS and EA to the CEO in tracking timelines, coordinating cross-functional stakeholders, and following up to keep time-sensitive work on track.
• Source and manage venues and vendors, partnering with cross-functional teams to facilitate contract renewals and onboard new vendors.
• Manage administrative and operational workflows, including expense reporting, invoice processing, calendar analysis, and contract tracking, with extreme attention to detail.
• Collaborate across teams to improve execution and efficiency, proactively identifying operational gaps, streamlining processes, and leveraging approved AI and productivity tools to improve coordination and administrative workflows.
• Be a visible leader and culture carrier within the admin team at Upwork. You will help build and maintain a great culture in a distributed, diverse environment by connecting with admin partners across locations, sharing best practices, and modeling the collaboration and care we want to see.
• Build trusted relationships and safeguard confidential information, partnering with executive stakeholders, administrative partners, and both internal and external contacts, while exercising discretion, sound judgment, and responsiveness to time-sensitive needs. You will have access to sensitive information and must handle delicate situations with thoughtfulness and maturity.

What it takes to catch our eye

• Executive support experience: Proven experience as an Executive Assistant, with demonstrated success providing executive-level support, including complex calendar management, travel coordination, meeting logistics, and managing multiple priorities with minimal day-to-day direction. 
• Proactive ownership and sound judgment: Ability to anticipate needs, independently troubleshoot and resolve operational challenges, maintain exceptional attention to detail, and follow up in a timely way. You handle sensitive or confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Composure in a fast-paced environment: Demonstrated ability to balance workload under short deadlines, pivot to changing priorities, and respond calmly and proactively under pressure.
• Collaborative communication and culture-building: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build an atmosphere of trust and collaboration with everyone you work with, internally and externally, and to be comfortable interacting at all levels of the organization. You bring the warmth and credibility to be a positive presence for your admin peers.
• Technology proficiency and continuous improvement: Experience with Google Workspace (Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Sheets), Slack, and productivity tools, along with curiosity and practical experience using AI to improve workflows, draft communications, or organize information. Ability to evaluate AI-generated outputs for accuracy and protect confidential information.
• In-person presence and availability: Ability to work on-site in Palo Alto to provide hands-on executive support. Willingness to be available outside standard business hours is essential, given packed schedules and inevitable movement in calendars.

Come change how the world works.

Our culture is built on trust, risk-taking, customer focus, and excellence, all in service of our core mission: to create economic opportunities so people have better lives. We embrace authenticity and inclusion, encouraging everyone to bring their whole selves to work. Personal and professional growth is a priority here, supported through development programs, mentorship, and our Upwork Belonging Communities.

We’re proud to offer benefits that go beyond the basics, including comprehensive medical coverage for you and your family, unlimited PTO, a 401(k) plan with matching, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Visit our Life at Upwork page to learn more about our values, working principles, and the overall employee experience.

Ready to help shape the future of work? Check out our Careers page and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X to learn more about life at Upwork.

Upwork is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics under federal, state, or local law.

Please note that a criminal background check may be required once a conditional job offer is made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act and local Fair Chance ordinances. The Company is committed to conducting an individualized assessment and giving all individuals a fair opportunity to provide relevant information or context before making any final employment decision.

We use BrightHire, an AI-enabled tool, to record interviews and summarize interview transcripts. The tool allows the interviewer to focus on the discussion and does not score or evaluate candidates or make recommendations. The interview transcripts are reviewed, and decisions are only made by humans. Candidates who prefer not to have their interview recorded through BrightHire can opt out when the interview is scheduled.

Annual Base Compensation 116750 - 166250 USD