Executive Personal Assistant/Operations Coordinator
2 days ago
Costa Mesa
Job Description We’re Hiring: Executive Personal Assistant / Operations Coordinator Hybrid | Orange County (Tustin / Irvine / Costa Mesa Preferred) Agathus Studios is a boutique real estate investment and design firm specializing in transforming luxury single-family residences and crafting intentional, elevated living spaces. Our work sits at the intersection of design, real estate, and art, and we take a hands-on, highly collaborative approach. Recent project: Instagram: The Role: We are seeking a highly capable Executive Personal Assistant / Operations Coordinator to support our Founders and serve as a trusted right hand across operations, logistics, projects, people, and personal support. This role is built on trust, integrity, accountability, discretion, and good judgment. You will work closely with the Founders and be exposed to a wide range of personal, financial, HR, and business matters, so confidentiality and professionalism are essential. Information—personal or professional—is shared thoughtfully and should only be communicated when explicitly approved by the Principals. This is not a passive assistant role, but it is a collaborative and leadership-oriented one. The ideal candidate is proactive, emotionally intelligent, highly organized, adaptable, and solutions-oriented—someone who can shift priorities quickly, handle last-minute changes with tact and finesse, and make thoughtful decisions when needed. We are also looking for someone who can be a steady, guiding presence for the team—a person others can rely on for advice, sound judgment, and problem-solving. This role helps address questions, unblock issues, and guide decisions early so work can move forward smoothly before escalation to the Principals or other senior leaders is needed. We value someone who remains even-keeled and steady under pressure, demonstrates sound judgment and strong critical-thinking skills, and feels comfortable proactively sharing ideas for improvement or raising concerns in a respectful and diplomatic way. This is a hybrid, full-time role requiring regular driving throughout Orange County, including consistent on-site presence at our Costa Mesa gallery/showroom and weekly time at the Principals’ residence in Tustin. What You’ll Do: (Responsibilities include, but are not limited to): Executive & Administrative Support • Manage company-wide and Founders’ calendars with care and flexibility, • Coordinate all business and personal travel, including airport drop-offs and pick-ups, • Handle correspondence and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism, • Maintain organized, accurate records and documentation, • Assist with bookkeeping, expense tracking, and ad hoc projects, • Track and proactively flag important personal and business dates, including birthdays, anniversaries, tax deadlines, filing deadlines, and other time-sensitive obligations, ensuring the Principals are well prepared in advance Operations, Inventory, Purchasing & Gallery Support • Proactively identify purchasing needs for the Principals’ residence, office, and Costa Mesa gallery/showroom, • Source, recommend, and coordinate purchases with appropriate approvals, • Track purchases, deliveries, receipts, and inventory with accuracy and accountability, • Assist with and oversee inventory, gallery, and warehouse protocols, • Support day-to-day operations at the Costa Mesa gallery Projects, Vendors & Events • Own projects from concept through execution, even as priorities evolve, • Identify issues early and resolve them calmly and effectively, • Serve as a trusted point of contact for vendors and partners, • Assist in planning and executing company team events seamlessly People Operations / HR Support • Assist with job postings, recruiting coordination, candidate communication, and interview scheduling, • Support onboarding and offboarding processes with professionalism and confidentiality, • Help maintain internal documentation, systems, and processes that protect the company and support the team, • Serve as a resource and mentor to team members, helping guide decisions and problem-solving before escalation when appropriate Personal & Household Support • Run personal and professional errands as needed, • Drive Principals’ vehicles and transport them to/from appointments, meetings, and airports, • Support travel packing and thoughtful gift sourcing, • Plan personal trips and vacations end-to-end, • Be proactive in supporting the care of the Principals’ dog, including helping ensure regular veterinary visits, grooming appointments, and general needs are thoughtfully managed What We’re Looking For • Preferably 5+ years of experience supporting principals, founders, or C-suite executives in a fast-paced, high-trust environment, • Bachelor’s degree required, • Authorized to work in the U.S., • Ability to pass a criminal background and DMV check, • Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and comfort driving Principals’ vehicles, • Highly organized with strong attention to detail, • High integrity, trustworthiness, and personal accountability, • Emotionally intelligent, calm, and adaptable, • Comfortable managing frequent last-minute changes, • Able to communicate ideas or concerns professionally and diplomatically, • Collaborative, solutions-driven, and composed under pressure, • Comfortable working around dogs/pets and the Principals’ family, including children Location Preference • Preference for candidates based in Orange County, ideally in close proximity to Tustin, Irvine, or Costa Mesa, to support the hybrid and on-site nature of the role Tools & Technology • Proficiency with Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, and Canva, • Comfortable using AI tools as supportive resources (editing, formatting, organization), while ensuring work, research, and decisions remain thoughtful, accurate, and human-led Nice to Haves • Prior managerial experience and/or entrepreneurial spirit, • Experience mentoring or guiding team members, • Experience supporting HR, recruiting, or people operations, • Design, real estate, or creative background, • Photography or videography experience, • Spanish, Mandarin, or Korean language skills Availability • Occasional evenings/weekends, • Limited, as-needed travel outside of Southern California Compensation & Benefits • Full-time role, • Paid time off (holidays, sick, accrued PTO), • 401(k) with employer matching, • Discretionary bonuses, • Salary commensurate with experience How to Apply Due to the high volume of interest, we may not be able to respond to every application. Only candidates whose experience most closely aligns with the role will be contacted. We truly appreciate your interest and the time taken to apply.