Executive Assistant to the CEO

About Think of Us

Think of Us (TOU) is transforming the child welfare system into one where young people and families can heal, develop, and thrive. We drive purpose-driven work aligned with meaningful systems change, powered by data and the insights of lived experience. Our focus is on prevention, keeping families strong before crisis, and on building kinship-first systems so children grow up with people they know and trust. Through bold collaborations with leaders and innovators across the public and private sectors — from Presidential Administrations to local providers — we identify leverage points and co-create solutions that re-architect child welfare for the future.

Here’s what this looks like:

Built the Lived Experience Engine into the largest dataset of its kind (51,000+ voices), powering AI tools and shaping reforms

Partnered with California to launch the Kinship Accelerator in 8 counties, backed by $150M and a budget increase from $317M → $896M

Drove a national kin-first shift: 39 states (plus 5 tribes) adopting kinship standards, unlocking $3B for families

Operate one of the largest direct resource networks, connecting 1,827 families to $28M+ in support

Our team members share a commitment to driving systems change through creative problem-solving, obsessive curiosity, and a love of quickly driving innovative, measurable, and impactful results.

Position Overview

Department: CEO Office - CEO Office Operations

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Direct Reports: N/A

Location: Hybrid; Washington, DC (min. 3 days in the office)

Category: Full-Time, Exempt

Think of Us is seeking an exceptional and proven Executive Assistant to provide high-level executive, operational, and relationship support to the CEO. Sixto Cancel is a visionary, energetic, and relational leader who moves quickly across multiple priorities, and this role exists to create structure, calm, and clarity around that pace and high energy without limiting his creativity or leadership style.

This is more than a scheduling role. The ideal candidate will operate as both an exceptional Executive Assistant and a trusted operational thought partner — someone who understands when to step forward, when to build structure, when to offer perspective, and when to quietly execute. The role is grounded, above all, in one responsibility: helping the CEO operate effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Executive & Calendar Management

Own and manage a highly dynamic executive calendar, coordinating internal and external meetings across multiple priorities and time zones — including regular collaboration with colleagues in Ghana and across the US.

Anticipate scheduling conflicts, preparation needs, and follow-up actions before they become problems.

Protect the CEO’s time while maintaining appropriate accessibility to staff, board members, and external stakeholders.

Assess which meetings require the CEO’s direct involvement and which can be delegated, shortened, combined, or declined.

Adjust quickly and calmly as priorities and plans shift throughout the day.

Meeting Preparation & Follow-Through

Ensure the CEO is prepared for meetings, conversations, and major decisions with relevant background information, briefing materials, agendas, and participant context.

Synthesize complex information into clear, actionable summaries the CEO can quickly absorb before high-stakes conversations.

Help clarify the intended purpose and desired outcome of meetings in advance, flagging when an agenda is missing or unclear.

Capture commitments, decisions, and follow-up items in real time, and track them to completion to ensure important actions do not get lost.

Have a bias for action. Proactively follow up with the CEO or other stakeholders when action items are at risk of slipping.

Travel & Logistics

Coordinate frequent domestic and international professional travel, including detailed itineraries, logistics, and contingency plans.

Anticipate disruptions, preferences, and timing needs, including visa/entry and exit requirements for international travel, and remain responsive when plans change unexpectedly.

Prepare a daily or day-ahead briefing that consolidates the CEO's schedule, key logistics, meeting prep needs, and any pending decisions or follow-ups, so he starts each day with a clear picture rather than piecing it together himself.

Thought Partnership & Prioritization

Help translate ideas and conversations into clear, actionable next steps.

Support the CEO in organizing his personal priorities and calendar demands, flagging what needs attention now, later, or can be delegated.

Ask thoughtful questions that create clarity, and flag scheduling conflicts, missing follow-ups, or unresolved action items from meetings before they become urgent or critical.

Offer perspective on how a decision or commitment might affect the CEO’s schedule, bandwidth, or existing priorities, while respecting that final decisions remain with him.

Serve as a sounding board the CEO can think out loud with, helping shape rough ideas into workable plans.

Relationship & Stakeholder Management

Build strong working relationships with Think of Us staff, board members, funders, partners, government leaders, and external stakeholders.

Represent the CEO and the organization with warmth, professionalism, and discretion. Confidentiality is non-negotiable.

Maintain composure in high-pressure or ambiguous situations.

Navigate sensitive relationships and competing requests with diplomacy, and communicate clearly with individuals at all levels.

Extend the same respect for lived experience that guides the CEO’s work to every interaction with all internal and external stakeholders.

Executive Experience & White-Glove Support

Notice and address needs before they become requests.

Be reachable outside standard business hours when travel disruptions, board meetings, fundraising priorities, or intense preparation for external engagements (including but not limited to policymakers and government officials) require real-time problem-solving.

Manage the CEO’s expenses, credit card reconciliation, and reimbursements with accuracy, timeliness, and financial acumen, exercising sound judgment around budget and spend.

Create systems that reduce administrative burden and decision fatigue for the CEO.

Maintain a high standard of service without becoming overly formal or rigid.

Bring a sense of calm and steadiness that helps the CEO stay focused on what matters most.

Act as a stabilizing, trusted presence — someone the CEO and organization can rely on regardless of what’s happening around them.

Technology, Creativity & AI

Use and experiment confidently with technology, including Asana and AI tools, to improve executive workflows.

Identify opportunities to introduce automation or new systems that reduce administrative burden for the CEO.

Support a CEO who enjoys ideating and exploring new possibilities by helping move creative ideas toward practical execution.

Stay curious about emerging tools and approaches, bringing new ideas to the CEO rather than waiting to be asked.

About You

We recognize that candidates may not meet every listed qualification. Research shows that individuals from underrepresented groups are more likely to opt out of applying if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria. If you believe you meet many of the criteria and can succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply — we want to learn about your unique strengths and experiences.

Qualifications:

A minimum of 5 years supporting a senior executive, with 7-8+ years desired, ideally with a founder, CEO, or entrepreneurial leader in a fast-paced, high-growth, or high-visibility environment.

Advanced executive calendar management and complex, multi-time-zone travel coordination.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Exceptional organ