The ultimate guide to building the executive support function at your org

If you’re in charge of building the executive support function at your organization but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Recently,  our co-CEOs, Adnan Khan and Fineas Tatar, sat down with some of the most influential executive support leaders in the U.S.: Ava Thompson, director of executive support at MongoDB; Marcia Díaz, manager of executive support at Datadog; and Latoya Freeman, executive ops partner at Notion. 

At Viva we specialize in pairing executives in the U.S. with top-performing executive assistants in Latin America. That’s why we wanted to understand how these leaders are setting up the executive support function in their orgs. We asked them who receives support, why they get it, what kind of support they get, and much more.

If you’re looking to build a sustainable function that offers consistent support instead of simply adding one more EA to your headcount, keep reading to learn everything these three remarkable women have to say.

Table of contents

1. How would you describe the executive support function?
2. What’s the structure of the executive support function?
3. What are the main responsibilities of an executive support leader?
4. How do you determine which executives are eligible for EA support?
5. How can an executive support leader educate executives about what to delegate?
6. How do you build trust among executive support leaders, EAs, and the execs they serve?

1. How would you describe the executive support function?

At its core, executive support is about partnership: collaboration that is deep, flexible, and strategic. It’s not just about managing calendars and booking travel; executive support is about anticipating needs, creating space for leaders to focus on what matters most, and catching things before they fall through the cracks.

As Ava puts it, the best executive assistants are adaptable. Sometimes, this might mean process optimization; other times, it’s about helping build team culture, or even stepping in during a personal crisis. Of course, adaptability also applies to traditional tasks like calendar and travel management, but the relationship ideally runs much deeper. 

“At MongoDB, being a public company, we operate with more structure and foresight. EAs here have a high standard and a clear sense of what we’re doing now and what we aspire to become. There’s a strong sense of partnership between EAs and executives, and the goals can differ significantly depending on who each EA supports.”

Marcia echoes this emphasis on flexibility and trust. “When I joined, I spoke with execs who wanted very different things: some needed transactional help, others a true partner.” Datadog uses a shared support model rather than one-to-one alignment. “Sometimes execs hesitate to fully delegate if they know their EA isn’t solely theirs. But I always encourage our EAs to speak up, take initiative, and show where they can add value. That’s often the moment everything changes.”

Latoya agrees. The role is deeply shaped by the executive’s needs. “Some EAs function almost like chiefs of staff. Others are purely administrative,” she says. “Our CEO, for example, has both: a technical chief of staff who joins most of his meetings, and an EA who owns the administrative side.” For Latoya, the executive support function is about making life easier for both leaders and their teams, whatever it takes. “That can mean travel planning, events, offsites, you name it.”

2. What’s the structure of the executive support function?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to structuring an executive support function, but the most effective teams tend to organize around a few key principles: alignment to business needs, regional considerations, and adaptability to scale.

Ava built a structure that mirrors the organization itself. “We organize primarily by function and region. So we have EA managers who support teams aligned to Sales, R&D, or G&A. Within that, we try to assign EAs by region. So ideally, a London-based EA supports a London-based leader. But when some regions scale faster than others, we end up with EAs supporting across functions, which requires strong cross-functional awareness.”

When Marcia joined Datadog, she noticed that the structure needed a reset. “There was a big disconnect. Some senior leaders had great support, while others had almost none,” she says. “My first priority was optimizing executive time.” That meant helping EAs shift from order-takers to proactive partners. “One of our senior admins started tracking new hires in her exec’s org using Workday data. She identified the gap, proposed a solution, and got the right access to implement it. That kind of initiative has transformed how our team is perceived.”

Marcia also moved to align EAs by function, engineering, product, and so on, to give assistants a clearer sense of ownership and purpose. “That focus helps them go deeper into the business, and executives start to rely on them in more strategic ways.”

At Notion, Latoya took a different path, one shaped by a startup in flux. “When I first joined, it was kind of a free-for-all,” she says. “Different execs wanted different things, and there wasn’t a lot of consistency.” Over time, Latoya helped implement a dual structure: every C-level executive has an onsite EA, while department heads get virtual support through Viva EAs. Typically, the C-suite is staffed at a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio, while department leaders share a virtual EA at a 3:1 ratio.

The distinction isn’t about the importance of the roles, Latoya emphasizes; it’s about logistics. “Some leaders are very externally facing, Sales, Marketing, etc., and they want someone physically present for guests, meetings, and in-office needs. Others can function perfectly well with virtual support.”

To bridge any gaps, Notion added a floating onsite EA to handle in-person logistics that virtual EAs can’t cover, such as physically setting up happy hours, managing visitors, or coordinating onsite events.

3. What are the main responsibilities of an executive support leader?

Leading executive support is part strategy, part operations, and part matchmaker. It requires both a bird’s-eye view of the organization and a boots-on-the-ground understanding of what makes each executive tick.

For Ava, one of the most critical steps was centralizing the function. “At the time that I joined, EAs reported to the executives they supported, which came with challenges. Things like PTO approvals or writing performance reviews weren’t always best suited to be handled by executives. So I helped centralize the function. Now, all EA managers report to me, and we have a unified vision, consistent processes, and standardized expectations for EAs. It brought clarity to what had previously been a fragmented experience across the company.”

That kind of clarity is what allows executive support to scale thoughtfully, something Marcia has prioritized at Datadog. “I focus on strategy: How do we grow the team in a way that actually meets the needs of our executives?” Marcia runs all EA intake conversations herself, making sure to bring context to the table. “I review org charts, look at calendar patterns, and talk to any EAs who know the team. Then I match each exec with the right EA based on skill set, bandwidth, and personality.”

Marcia’s team provides full-spectrum support for SVPs and above, covering everything from scheduling and travel to strategic initiatives and project coordination. VPs get focused support, with flexibility to scale up depending on the scope of their work. It’s not about hierarchy; it’s about helping each leader operate at their best.

Latoya, who supports a C-level executive at Notion while also overseeing their broader EA program, sees her role as part executive gatekeeper, part program director. “My top priority is making sure my executive is set up for success, calendar tight, pre-reads in, travel booked, all of it handled,” she says. “Once that’s solid, I turn my focus to the Viva EA program.”

Latoya leads 1:1s with all 10  Viva EAs at Notion, stays in regular contact with the 30+ executives they support, and oversees budgets, expenses, and staffing. “There’s always something happening, fires to put out, events to plan, legal questions to navigate, and I’m right in the thick of it,” she says. Even with onsite support handling logistics, Latoya makes a point to check in directly with execs to ensure the relationships are working.

4. How do you determine which executives are eligible for EA support?

Determining who qualifies for executive support is one of the trickiest and most political parts of running the function. Seniority might be the starting point, but more context is needed.

At MongoDB, Ava Thompson explains that eligibility is based on the executive’s level and was defined before the executive support function existed. “Eligibility is based on the employee reaching a certain level of seniority and was defined before the executive support function existed. We’ve explored exception policies because sometimes leaders below a specific level carry complex workloads, but it’s tricky. Metrics like org size or travel needs don’t always reflect the executive’s need for an EA. So we’ve kept a hard line. At MongoDB, receiving EA support is for executives at a specific level and is seen as an investment in their expanding leadership.”

Marcia at Datadog takes a more flexible approach, rooted in workload and capacity. “Some execs have a heavier workload than others,” she explains. “I’ve created a rubric to track EA bandwidth, and I meet biweekly with the team to understand their load.” Some assistants support two execs, while others handle up to six, depending on how much support each one actually requires.

But the real friction, Marcia says, isn’t about who gets support; it’s about how they use it. “One of the biggest challenges is when an executive says they need help but won’t delegate. That creates inefficiency, not because the EA can’t handle the work, but because they’re not given the chance.” For Marcia, much of the job is coaching both sides: encouraging EAs to take initiative, and helping executives let go. “It often comes down to control or fear of things slipping through the cracks. But trust builds with time, and the best EAs find ways to show their value, even when the door isn’t fully open.”

At Notion, Latoya developed a structured framework to make eligibility decisions more transparent and equitable. “Outside of the C-suite and department heads, no one automatically gets EA support,” she says, but it is possible for other team members to get EA support. They can access it if they meet these criteria:  

• C-level recommendation
• Manager of managers
• 8+ direct reports or 20+ total FTEs
• Frequent travel (at least once a month)
• A distributed team across offices or time zones
• Responsibility for events, offsites, or complex projects
• High calendar volume or customer-facing work
• Executive buy-in and budget alignment

Allocating EA support is not just about the title; it’s about impact, complexity, and the ability to create leverage. When in doubt, place EAs where they’ll have the most value and be truly set up to succeed.

5. How can an executive support leader educate executives about what to delegate?

One of the most common challenges executive support leaders face is helping executives understand not just that they should delegate, but what to delegate, and how to do it effectively. Without clear guidance, some leaders hesitate to offload tasks, while others may overreach. The solution lies in structured education and intentional onboarding.

Ava tackled this head-on: “We rolled out a structured onboarding program for executives last year, including an on-demand course that outlines roles and responsibilities. It clarifies what kind of EA support they have, whether it’s an EA, Senior EA, a shared resource, or someone in a manager role. We also draw boundaries: no personal tasks, no inbox management, and no team-wide support. It’s all about supporting the executive, not their broader org. We check in 30 days after onboarding to address any questions or gray areas.”

What if some execs under- or overutilize their EA? We asked, and for Ava, the answer is clear: “Some leaders tend to dive right in and use their EA to the fullest, sometimes even too much, whereas others are more reserved or unsure of how to leverage the support. The onboarding program helps both extremes: It energizes those who aren’t sure where to start and helps set healthy boundaries for those who are already enthusiastic.”

At Datadog, Marcia has taken a complementary approach. “We created a support doc that outlines what EAs can handle, differentiating between SVP-level support and VP-level support,” she says. “The doc is expandable depending on the EA’s capacity,” giving executives and assistants the flexibility to evolve the partnership over time.

Real-world examples can be the most convincing form of education. “One of our EAs supports an SVP and four of his VPs,” Marcia notes. “The way she engages with those VPs is next-level: she’s integrated into the team and understands the business. Delegation gets easier once execs see that level of capability.”

6. How do you build trust among executive support leaders, EAs, and the execs they serve?

Trust is the foundation of any high-functioning executive support team, but it doesn’t materialize on its own. It has to be built intentionally, through transparency, clear communication, and consistent follow-through.

Ava acts as the bridge between the executive leadership team and executive assistants, so she focuses on building trust with both parties. “As a former EA, I’m naturally more behind-the-scenes. But in order to build trust with the ELT, I’ve learned to schedule intentional time with executives – 15 or 30-minute check-ins to create space for honest feedback. I also try to be open and non-defensive when executives share concerns about their EA. Sometimes they’re hesitant to give feedback because they value the relationship so much, and I try to bridge that gap and validate their insights.”

“As for my EA team, I learned that transparency was key, especially at the start. I made it clear that the structure we implemented wasn’t about hierarchy; it was about addressing real process gaps to benefit everyone. Some EAs were skeptical at first, especially if they had great relationships with their execs and felt like this added a layer of separation. But over time, they saw that the structure enables EAs more. I’m also big on admitting mistakes, asking for help, and celebrating wins together. For example, every promotion in the organization, I remind the entire team that this is a continued investment in our organization because of your work.”

Marcia focuses on early follow-through as a core trust-building tactic. “Open communication and always closing the loop,” she says. “In the beginning, an exec doesn’t yet know how much they can trust you. I tell EAs: ‘Report back when something’s done.’ Eventually, the exec assumes it’s handled, but that early trust-building is crucial.” She also encourages EAs to think ahead. “Another tactic is setting your exec up for a few weeks out: if they’re prepared, they won’t need to come back with constant asks. For my own exec, I lock in the schedule a month out and only deal with day-of changes.”

Latoya agrees that clarity and confidence go hand-in-hand. “Listen. Be transparent. Push back when needed,” she advises. “Execs often think they need something specific, but with experience, you can offer smarter solutions.” That proactive mindset, she says, is essential. “Build proactively, not reactively. I’m an open book, and that kind of transparency builds trust quickly.”

Whether it’s between executives and their assistants, or within the executive support function itself, trust comes down to communication, clarity, and showing, consistently, that you’re one step ahead.

TL;DR

• What is executive support? It’s a deep, flexible partnership, not just admin work. The best EAs are adaptable, proactive, and aligned with executive priorities, often blending operational, strategic, and even cultural responsibilities.
• How is the function structured? Structures vary by company, but the most effective models align with business functions, geography, and scale. Executive support leaders emphasize flexibility, clarity, and the use of shared or hybrid models to match evolving organizational needs.
• What does an executive support leader do? They act as strategists, operators, and matchmakers, centralizing the function, standardizing expectations, and ensuring EAs are paired thoughtfully with executives based on role complexity and personality fit.
• Who gets EA support and why? Eligibility depends on seniority, scope, and complexity of the role. While some orgs use strict criteria, others use flexible rubrics tied to workload and impact. Executive support leaders use clear frameworks to avoid bias and ensure EAs are deployed where they create the most leverage.
• How do executive support leaders teach execs to delegate? Through onboarding, education, and documentation. Executive support leaders help execs understand what EAs can (and should) do, setting boundaries, giving real examples, and guiding execs toward healthy, efficient delegation habits.
• How is trust built across the function? Trust requires intentionality. Executive support leaders build it through transparency, consistent communication, follow-through, and by empowering EAs to act with foresight. Listening and proactivity are key traits that foster long-term confidence on all sides.
  

Thinking about creating or scaling your executive support function? At Viva, we specialize in helping startup leaders get the support they need to grow. Book a call today and provide your leaders with the support they need.

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Fadua Caicedo Díaz del Castillo

Fadua is a bilingual advertiser and holds a master’s degree in creative writing. With over ten years of experience, she has written countless advertising and social media campaigns, blogs, interviews, and everything in between. She writes about startups, the impact of executive assistants, and the stories behind their work. When she’s not writing, she is spending quality time with her husband and son, hiking, reading, or discovering new cafés.