For the VP of Design
Give design reviews their time back.
A dedicated EA who runs critique scheduling and hiring loops for a VP of Design, and guards maker time around both. Paired with you in under 24 hours, fully managed.
She really gets my rhythm of work and we are always in sync.
The problem
The VP of Design becomes the bottleneck.
A VP of Design sits between the team and every other function. With no support, critiques slip and handoffs stall. Hiring drags while the calendar fills with meetings someone else could have screened.
The role
What does an executive assistant for a VP of Design do?
An executive assistant for a VP of Design keeps the product design team’s rituals running: critiques with agendas set, design-eng handoffs tracked in Jira or Linear, hiring loops moving in Greenhouse or Ashby, and research sessions on the calendar. Your Viva EA is dedicated, top 1%, and fully managed. New to handing work off? Read how to delegate to an executive assistant first.
In depth
What a Viva EA runs for a VP of Design
A VP of Design’s EA keeps the team’s rituals on schedule. Here is the work they take off your plate.
- Weekly critiques scheduled with agendas in Notion
- Figma links and pre-reads collected before each session
- Action items tracked to the next critique
- Handoff reviews scheduled at sprint boundaries
- Open questions tracked in Jira or Linear
- Eng follow-ups chased so specs never sit
- Panels and portfolio reviews booked in Greenhouse or Ashby
- Candidates moved between stages the same day
- Debriefs scheduled within 24 hours
- Participant recruiting and scheduling handled
- Incentives and consent forms processed
- Findings readouts booked with product
- Seats, licenses and access requests handled
- Project spaces kept organized
- Renewals flagged before they lapse
- Maker time blocked around critique days
- Inbox triaged, replies drafted in your voice
- Offsite and conference travel booked
The bar
Only the top 1% ever reach you
Every Viva EA clears one pipeline before a match. See how we vet and train EAs step by step.
In practice
A week with your Viva EA
The cadence your EA holds so critique day arrives prepped, every single week.
Before Monday
Critique agenda drafted, with Figma pre-reads collected from the team.
Monday morning
Handoff reviews and hiring panels confirmed for the sprint.
Every day
Inbox triaged. Candidates moved in Greenhouse or Ashby the same day.
Friday
Research sessions booked and critique actions closed out. Maker time held for next week.
Common question
Executive assistant or design ops first?
Design ops builds the practice. An EA buys back your hours. Teams that cannot fund both usually start with the EA, because it pays off from week one.
Runs your day
- Critique scheduling and maker time
- Hiring loops in Greenhouse or Ashby
- Inbox, travel and expenses
- Research session scheduling
Runs the practice
- Tooling strategy and the design system
- Rituals and process design
- Team health and budget
- Usually a full-time senior hire
Weighing a chief of staff instead? Read the EA vs Chief of Staff guide, or see how we support one.
Get started
Ready to get your time back?
Tell us how your design team works and get matched with a vetted EA within 24 hours, no commitment.
Viva Match
Great executive support starts with the right match.
A four-step process built around fit, not throughput. We’ve matched 300+ executives. Re-match rate inside 30 days: under 4%.
Understand your needs
30 minutes to map the executive’s work style, pace, and what they need delegated.
Get matched
We’ll carefully consider your preferences, working style, and support needs to find the best EA for you.
Get onboarded
We provision full access and your CSM joins the kickoff, so you’re up and running within 24 hours.
Delegate & see value
Customers see value within about 2 weeks, thanks to our managed service and high-quality support.
96%
Executives keep their first matched EA past the 30-day mark. The other 4% are re-matched at no cost.
Cost
How much does a Viva executive assistant cost?
One flat monthly fee, around half what a US-based in-house hire costs fully loaded. No recruiting markups, just a one-time onboarding fee, with a dedicated EA and a Customer Success Manager in every plan. Compare scenarios in the executive assistant cost calculator.
Why Viva
Is a managed EA better than hiring in-house or going offshore?
Half the cost, none of the overhead
A flat fee, about half the $120k to $140k all-in cost of hiring in-house, with no payroll or management load on your side. Compare Viva vs an in-house EA line by line.
Dedicated and US-aligned, not pooled offshore
One EA who learns your world, fluent in English and working your hours from Pacific to Eastern. Not a rotating offshore pool.
Continuity you can count on
Our EAs average more than two years with their executive. PTO backfill, a dedicated Customer Success Manager and a replacement guarantee keep support from going dark. Gross retention runs 92%.
Proof
Design leaders who chose Viva
Real words from the leaders our EAs support.
“My inbox and systems have been completely turned over to make me more efficient and organized. My calendar now creates blocks of working time I previously did not have.”
“Sofia takes cognitive load off of me and is proactive in the way that I would be if I did not have an EA. She represents me well and holds the high bar I have even for myself.”
“She has never let me down. Estefania is responsive and competent with a high attention to detail.”
“Viva provides exactly the calendar and operational support that I need without any of the career management overhead.”
“Erika has helped me manage an incredibly high meeting load with more priorities than I could otherwise support. I definitely could not get as much done without her.”
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a Viva EA run designer hiring loops?+
Yes. Panels and portfolio reviews get booked in Greenhouse or Ashby, candidates move between stages the same day, and debriefs land on the calendar within 24 hours.
Can an EA support research operations?+
They handle the logistics: participant scheduling, incentive payments, consent paperwork, and readouts booked with product. Your researchers keep the method and the analysis.
Can an EA administer Figma and our design tooling?+
Yes. Seat requests, license renewals and access cleanups are routine EA work. Project spaces stay organized, so new designers find what they need on day one.
How are Viva EAs vetted?+
Through a five-stage recruitment process that hires the top 1% of applicants, followed by four weeks of Viva University, our hands-on training program.
Where is the talent based?+
Across 15 countries in Latin America, fluent in English and aligned to US business hours, from Pacific to Eastern.
What if the fit is not right?+
We rematch you quickly, backed by a replacement guarantee. Our oversight does not end at placement.
Can an EA actually protect maker time?+
That is most of the job. Your EA anchors the week around critique days and declines conflicts in your voice. Focus blocks survive reschedules because someone guards them.
How much does an executive assistant for a VP of Design cost?+
One flat program fee, typically around half the fully-loaded cost of a US-based in-house hire, with no recruiting markups and a dedicated Customer Success Manager included.
Keep exploring
More ways to work with Viva
Executive assistants for the C-suite
CEO, CFO, COO and the rest of the leadership team.
How Viva works
See how matching and onboarding actually run.
Support by industry
How EA support changes by sector.
Replace a departed EA
Covered in 24 hours, not three months.
Scale your team
Add a dedicated EA as you grow.
Standardize org-wide
One managed program across every leader.
Get started
Match in under 24 hours.
One discovery call. We map your executive’s needs, surface 2 pre-vetted EAs, and get you live in a day.