Special Assistant

About Us Guardrails Action is a 501c4 organization aligning the policy and organizing coalition necessary to contend for power and pave the way for a trajectory of AI that protects and benefits everyone–not just the AI industry. Guardrails Action uses a four-pronged approach: Policy: Advancing an AI agenda that puts people in charge of the tech that governs their lives Accountability Campaigning: Holding policymakers accountable to a pro-regulatory agenda Inside-Outside Organizing: Collaborating with and between policy experts, movement leaders, and members of Congress to win Grassroots Mobilization: Ensuring the people most impacted by AI are at the forefront of policy debates We believe AI can be good for people and the world. But a future in which AI serves people requires rules, accountability, and a government that actually represents the public — not just its donors. About the Role Guardrails Action is hiring a Special Assistant to keep our executive team organized and support cross-functional initiatives across our team. The right candidate for this role will have several years of experience owning executive support functions, enjoy creating systems that are fit-for-purpose, and be skilled at balancing strong attention to detail with efficiency. This role reports to the Chief Operating Officer. Key responsibilities Executive Assistance to Two Team Members Calendar Management: Own the executives’ calendars, scheduling and prioritizing meetings, calls, and travel to protect time for strategic work, including: Weighing competing requests, decline or redirect where appropriate, and resolving conflicts quickly Coordinating complex scheduling across time zones, internal teams, board members, and external stakeholders Inbox Management: Monitor and triage the executives’ inboxes daily, flagging urgent and sensitive items Draft and send responses on the executives’ behalf, matching their voice and judgment Route requests to the right people and follow up until they are closed Maintain filing systems so key correspondence and documents are easy to find Serve as a professional first point of contact for internal and external inquiries Coordinate travel logistics as needed Manage expense reimbursements and reporting for both team members Cross-Functional Support Research and Briefings: Prepare concise briefing memos ahead of meetings, events, and speaking engagements, covering attendees, background, objectives, and talking points Tracking organizational priorities: Maintain systems for organizing and tracking executive and organizational, commitments, and deadlines Follow up with staff and partners to keep action items moving and surface risks early Capture decisions and next steps from leadership meetings and confirm they are carried out Event planning: Plan and run internal and external events, such as offsites, retreats, board meetings, donor or partner gatherings, and all-staff sessions, including vendors, budgets, logistics, and day-of coordination Take on other duties as assigned in support of the executive team and organization Qualifications 3-5 years of experience in an executive support, junior chief of staff, operations, or project coordination role Demonstrated experience managing a senior leader's calendar and inbox Ability to consistently maintain a 2-hour response time during regular business hours Comfort with asynchronous work and fielding requests coming in on email and Signal Excellent writing skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information quickly Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion Proficiency with Google Workspace, video conferencing tools Experience working in political organizations is a significant advantage