Chief of Staff / Executive Assistant to Founder
Austin, TX (primarily remote; less than 30 percent travel) | Full Time
About the Company
Ad Astra Group is focused on accelerating the rebuild of America’s industrial base. The organization works across capital, workforce, narrative, and supply chain infrastructure, building the systems required for thousands of industrial companies and funds to scale. Current initiatives include national and state-level Industrial Base Hackathons, supply chain mapping and data infrastructure, a financing pilot deploying equity and debt into industrial startups, educational content, and institutional partnerships across manufacturing, energy, defense, aerospace, medical devices, and advanced industries.
The Founder is sharp, detail oriented, and deeply experienced across government, manufacturing, philanthropy, academia, venture, and Wall Street. Her schedule is demanding and high visibility. She needs a high judgment CoS-level EA who brings structure, clarity, and operational control to a fast moving, high stakes environment. Discretion is essential.
About the Role
Your primary responsibility is to protect the Founder’s strategic bandwidth and ensure that the organization’s initiatives operate coherently, repeatably, and with strong execution.
This role is 95% Chief of Staff/Executive Assistant responsibilities and 5% Personal Assistant work. You act as the integration layer that connects decisions, systems, people, and execution. You absorb complexity, drive work to completion, and escalate only when decisions carry strategic, reputational, or regulatory implications.
Core Responsibilities - Chief of Staff and EA) (95%)1. Execution, Sequencing and Operating Rhythm
- Own day to day execution across systems, events, and workflows
- Maintain the operating cadence through weekly reviews and follow through
- Convert commitments into completed work
- Track dependencies and surface blockers early
- Ensure initiatives remain aligned without needing Founder intervention
2. Calendar Architecture and Strategic Time Management
- Manage a complex, multi domain calendar designed around priorities and focus blocks
- Sequence meetings, travel, and prep to maximize leverage
- Build itineraries, maintain buffers, and manage travel documents, reimbursements, credits, and vendors
3. Communication and Decision Flow Management
- Triage inboxes to reduce decision fatigue
- Batch decisions and present organized options
- Draft briefs, agendas, summaries, and meeting materials
- Maintain confidentiality and communication accuracy
4. Cross Sector Stakeholder Coordination
- Coordinate with founders, government officials, investors, policy leaders, corporate partners, and students
- Prepare materials, manage logistics, and maintain accurate CRM records
- Track commitments and ensure clean follow through
- Represent the Founder professionally and discreetly
5. Events as Execution Systems
- Support national and state Industrial Base Hackathons and related events
- Coordinate logistics including tech, catering, run of show, volunteers, and vendors.
- Manage event templates, packing lists, collateral, and CRM data
- Travel for major events, factory visits, and onsite preparation
6. Systems, Tools and Automation
- Build and maintain internal systems such as Attio, Airtable, Asana, and Luma
- Create templates, dashboards, and automated workflows
- Use AI tools to increase speed and quality
- Maintain clean data across Google Workspace, Superhuman, Slack, and related platforms
- Troubleshoot basic technical issues and coordinate with vendors
7. Research and Briefing
- Conduct targeted research for meetings, partners, and initiatives
- Prepare briefing packets, summaries, and one pagers
- Track trends in manufacturing, supply chain, credit, policy, and startups
- Support panels, podcasts, interviews, and educational content
- Maintain organized research libraries and archives
8. Operations and Scaling Support
- Function as the operations lead during the pilot phase
- Partner with a Senior Operations Executive on audits and scaling risk
- Coordinate with an Event Planner and specialized contractors for data, research, and partnerships
Personal Assistant Responsibilities (5%)
- Travel packing lists and dining options
- Scheduling wellness and personal appointments
- Home and pet arrangements connected to business travel
- Light errands and social planning that reduce cognitive load
Must have qualifications
- 10+ years combined COS/EA experience including direct support to a founder, C-level executive
- Experience in the government sector or working at a startup, supporting a founder’s ecosystem.
- Experience working in private equity, venture capital, or other investment firms managing large-scale funds or portfolios
- Experience running complex operations, infrastructure, on large-scale projects
- Hands-on experience managing multi-state or national programs (e.g., Industrial Base Hackathons)
- Experience with data infrastructure, supply chain mapping, or managing operational pilot programs for funding equity/debt deals
- Proven track record in coordinating institutional partnerships, sponsorships, and public-facing initiatives.
- Ability to travel 30% of the time
- High IQ + high EQ: calm, intuitive, anticipatory, tactful.
Tools and Tech Stack
- Core: Google Workspace, Slack, Asana, Notion, Airtable, Attio, Luma, 1Password
- Collaboration: Loom, Google Meet, Zoom, Canva
- AI and Automation: ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Lindy, and additional automation tools as needed
Ideal Candidate
Ownership, Agency and Judgment
- Takes full ownership of projects from start to finish and operates independently once intent is clear
- Anticipates needs, builds systems, and improves them continuously
- Exercises strong judgment, questions assumptions, and understands nuance across multiple industries
- Communicates directly, clearly, and with discretion
Execution, Precision and Problem Solving
- Delivers fast, complete, detail-accurate work under pressure
- Verifies work, closes loops, and self solves before escalating
- Brings structure to complexity and sequences work effectively
- Synthesizes information, identifies root causes, and researches thoroughly
Temperament and Adaptability
- Thrives in ambiguity and stays calm and steady during high pressure periods
- Confident, composed, and continually developing new capabilities
Technology and Leverage
- Learns new tools quickly and uses technology to improve execution
- Strong comfort with AI tools and automation
- Self teaches systems and improves workflows without prompting
Benefits
- Compensation: Starting at $180,000-190,000 with room to grow into $200,000-250,000
- Healthcare benefits
- Eligible for industry-leading performance bonus
- The ability to be a part of something extremely meaningful
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $180,000.00 - $190,000.00 per year
Work Location: Remote
