Executive Assistant
What the role owns
Time, priorities, communication flow and the operating rhythm around a leader.
When to hire
A founder is losing hours every week to coordination, inbox and calendar.
Strategic scope1 / 3
Operational depth3 / 3
Talent Partnerships & Role Architecture
Design the executive office before you hire into it.
Hiring an Executive Assistant, Chief of Staff or Founder's Office lead fails when the role is copied from a generic template. We partner with founders, hiring managers and talent teams to architect the role around how the leader actually works — then shortlist practising operators from our community.
Start with a discovery callBook a conversation
See shortlisted rolesBrowse the job board
Three distinct tracks around the leader
Where each role creates leverage
The executive office is not a single job description. Each track solves a different constraint on a leader's time and execution.
Executive AssistantA founder is losing hours every week to coordination, inbox and calendar.
Chief of StaffStrategy is set but follow-through across teams is slipping.
Founder's OfficeThe founder needs a builder who can take an idea from zero to running.
Role architecture
Executive Assistant, Chief of Staff or Founder's Office?
Compare what each role owns, the signal that tells you it is time to hire, and the balance between operational depth and cross-company strategic scope.
Chief of Staff
What the role owns
Cross-functional execution, leadership cadence, special projects and decision support.
When to hire
Strategy is set but follow-through across teams is slipping.
Strategic scope3 / 3
Operational depth2 / 3
Founder's Office
What the role owns
High-priority initiatives straight from the founder's desk: launches, partnerships, new markets.
When to hire
The founder needs a builder who can take an idea from zero to running.
Strategic scope2.5 / 3
Operational depth1.5 / 3
Search sequence
How a search runs with COvia.
Every partnership follows a five-station route from initial discovery to your new operator's first 90 days in the seat.
Process overviewExact stage deliverables are tailored with each client.
Discovery conversation
We learn how you work, what is slowing you down and what the role must change.
Role architecture
Together we define the role: scope, reporting line, success measures and the right title.
Shortlist
We shortlist from our operator community and wider network, assessed for judgement, not just experience.
Interviews and decision
We run the process with you and help you compare candidates against the role you designed.
First 90 days
We check in with both sides through onboarding so the hire lands well.
Biotech & Healthcare Advisor
Prof. Upendra Nongthomba
Professor and former Chair, Department of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science. 28+ years in biomedical research, 90+ publications, and adviser to biotech and healthcare startups and BIRAC selection boards.
Open across sectors · Dedicated scientific talent route
Built for high-velocity teams across technology, biotech, healthcare and startups.
Our search practice is open across industries. Where a founder or executive team is scaling fast or navigating technical complexity, we bring domain-literate assessment.
TechnologyBiotechHealthcareStartupsEnterprise & Venture-backed teams
Healthcare & biotech executive office pipeline
Scientific founders and healthcare leaders often need Chief of Staff and Founder's Office talent who understand both laboratory realities and commercial execution.
Guided by Prof. Upendra Nongthomba (28+ years at the Indian Institute of Science, 90+ publications, BIRAC selection boards) and co-founder Geetika S Nongthomba (biotech startup co-founder), COvia connects biotech and healthcare organisations with science-trained graduates and researchers from IISc, the IITs and similar institutions transitioning into strategic operating roles.
Why COvia
35+ combined years inside the executive office — not on the sidelines.
Traditional recruiters screen for keywords on a CV. Because our co-founders have spent their careers running C-suite offices and business operations, we assess for the traits that actually decide whether an executive office hire succeeds: anticipation, composure, sound governance and operational judgement.
Training and coaching: Practical training and one-to-one coaching for executive office professionals, delivered with a specialist collaborator. Collaborator TBC
Shweta Malekar
Co-founderSenior administrative business partner with 15+ years supporting C-suite leaders at Google, Citi, Credit Suisse, Nomura and DuPont. Writes The EA Edge and co-founded Giftwork Solutions.
Geetika S Nongthomba
Co-founder20+ years across strategy, executive office operations, PMO and business operations at Aviva, IBM, Quintiles, Philips, Publicis Sapient, Flipkart and Pine Labs. Co-founded a biotech startup and founded an ed-tech venture.
Common questions from employers
What to know before we talk.
Straight answers on how searches work, timelines, locations and how we scope roles together.
How do fees and engagement terms work?
To be confirmedEvery search begins with role architecture so we agree on scope, reporting line and success measures before candidate outreach starts. Commercial fee structures and retainer terms are tailored to the role and are to be confirmed during your discovery conversation.
How long does a typical executive office search take?
To be confirmedTimelines depend on whether the role specification is already settled or needs architecture first, as well as candidate notice periods. Target milestones are mapped with you at kick-off (typical timelines to be confirmed per mandate) and include structured check-ins through the first 90 days.
Which locations do you cover?
COvia operates from Bengaluru, India and Auckland, New Zealand, partnering with founders and leadership teams globally across in-office, hybrid and remote executive office roles.
What if we are unsure whether we need an Executive Assistant, a Chief of Staff or a Founder's Office lead?
That is the exact problem our Role Architecture stage solves. We audit where the founder or executive is losing leverage, map the workflows and decision bottlenecks, and recommend the right structure before you interview anyone.