For the COO
Run the company, not the calendar.
A dedicated EA who holds the company cadence: QBRs prepped, escalations chased, board ops handled, vendor reviews on rhythm. Matched in 24 hours, fully managed.
“Vivi has totally changed how we work. I cannot imagine getting through the day without her.”
The problem
The COO becomes the bottleneck.
A COO holds the company to its own operating rhythm. Without support, QBR prep bleeds into weekends and escalations sit in channels nobody owns. You end up hand-cranking a machine you were hired to tune.
The role
What does an executive assistant for a COO do?
An executive assistant for a COO runs the operating cadence itself: QBRs and OKR check-ins scheduled and prepped, escalations routed and chased, board ops handled, vendor QBRs on rhythm. Your Viva EA is dedicated, top 1%, and fully managed. Deciding what to hand off? Start with how to delegate to an executive assistant.
In depth
What a Viva EA runs for a COO
The company’s rhythm is the job. Here is what your EA owns so the cadence holds without you in every thread.
- QBRs scheduled a quarter out, pre-reads chased
- Monthly OKR check-ins held with every function
- Operating scorecards updated before each review
- Decisions logged and tracked to the next checkpoint
- Board and committee sessions calendared with the CEO’s office
- Ops sections of the board deck assembled early
- Minutes and follow-ups tracked between sessions
- Reporting deadlines held on the company calendar
- Escalations logged with a named owner, always
- Blocked threads chased daily until they move
- Recurring issues surfaced ahead of the next QBR
- Summaries in your inbox, not more meetings
- Vendor QBRs scheduled and briefs prepped
- Renewals surfaced a quarter before they hit
- SOWs and invoices logged and routed
- Key partner threads tracked through to response
- Weekly exec staff agenda built and circulated
- Follow-ups from every session chased to close
- Leadership offsites planned venue to agenda
- 1:1 cadence with your directs protected
- Week anchored around QBRs and board cycles
- Inbox triaged with escalations pulled out first
- Requests declined in your voice, politely
- Site visits and multi-city travel kept live
The bar
Only the top 1% ever reach you
Every Viva EA clears the same pipeline before they get near a company’s operating cadence. See how we vet and train EAs.
In practice
A week with your Viva EA
The rhythm your EA holds so the operating cadence stops depending on you.
Before Monday
QBR and OKR trackers updated, exec staff agenda drafted.
Monday morning
Open escalations and the week’s checkpoints in your inbox first.
Every day
Inbox triaged. Escalations chased to owners, board threads flagged.
Friday
Follow-ups closed out, next week’s reviews prepped. Expenses filed.
Common question
Executive assistant vs Chief of Staff
COOs often end up with both seats filled. The EA comes first, because the cadence has to hold before anyone can improve the plan.
Runs the day
- QBR, OKR and exec staff scheduling
- Escalation tracking and chased follow-ups
- Board ops and vendor QBR logistics
- Calendar, inbox and travel
Runs the plan
- Owns cross-functional initiatives end to end
- Designs the planning cycles you run
- Strategy memos and decision prep
- Usually has an EA of their own
Adding both eventually? Start with the EA vs Chief of Staff guide, then see how we support a Chief of Staff.
Get started
Ready to get out of the weeds?
Tell us how your operating cadence runs and meet two vetted EAs within 24 hours, no commitment.
Viva Match
Great executive support starts with the right candidate.
Four steps built around fit. 300+ executives matched, and re-matches inside 30 days stay under 4%.
Understand your need
30 minutes with your executive to map work style, pace, and what they actually need delegated.
Identify the strongest fit
2 pre-vetted EAs surfaced from our bench. Each one is tested against your specific brief.
Meet your candidates
Your executive picks. CSM joins the kickoff. Full access provisioned within 24 hours.
Managed support
30-day check-ins, ongoing coaching, and re-matches at no cost if there isn’t a strong fit.
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?
A flat program fee, typically around half the fully-loaded cost of a US-based in-house hire, with no recruiting markups and a one-time onboarding fee. Every plan includes a dedicated EA and a Customer Success Manager. Put your numbers into 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 program fee, around half the $120k to $140k an in-house EA costs fully loaded, with no payroll and no recruiting fees on your side. See the Viva vs in-house EA comparison.
Dedicated and US-aligned, not pooled offshore
One EA who learns how your company runs, fluent in English and on your hours from Pacific to Eastern. Never a rotating pool.
Continuity you can count on
Our EAs average 2+ years with their executive. PTO backfill, a dedicated Customer Success Manager and a replacement guarantee keep the cadence from skipping a quarter. Gross retention: 92%.
Proof
Leaders who chose Viva
Real words from operators, including the COO of Owner.
“Sophia has been welcoming, helpful, and proactive. Working with her has been a better experience than a number of in-person EAs I have worked with in the past.”
“I have been blown away by her contributions. I am no longer concerned about missing things, because I know she is looking out ahead in a way I am not.”
“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 our QBR and OKR cadence?+
Yes. QBRs get scheduled a quarter out, pre-reads chased from every function, monthly OKR check-ins held, and decisions tracked to the next review.
Can an EA support board operations for a COO?+
They run the logistics. Board and committee sessions go on the calendar early, the ops sections of the deck get assembled with your team, and minutes and follow-ups are tracked between meetings.
Can an EA manage cross-org escalations?+
Yes. Each escalation is logged with a named owner, chased daily until it moves, and summarized before your next exec staff meeting.
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.
How do you handle confidential operating data?+
Every EA works under a confidentiality agreement on an ISO 27001-aligned process, with VPN, secure password sharing and regular data wipes.
What is the difference between EA support for a COO and for a VP of Operations?+
Scope. The COO version runs the company cadence: QBRs, OKRs, board ops and escalations. The VP of Operations version runs SOPs, project milestones, day-to-day vendors and dashboards.
How much does an executive assistant for a COO cost?+
One flat program fee, around half the $120k to $140k fully-loaded cost of an in-house hire, with a dedicated Customer Success Manager included. Plans start at $3,999/mo.
Keep exploring
More ways to work with Viva
How Viva works
See how matching and onboarding actually run.
Executive assistants for VPs and directors
Support built for VP-level operators.
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 how your company runs, surface 2 pre-vetted EAs, and get you live in a day. Re-match anytime at no cost if the fit isn’t right.