OPEN | Executive Assistant to the CEO | On-site in Des Moines, IA
Full-time Executive Assistant to the CEO position with HotSpring Spas in Des Moines, IA.
QUICK FACTS:
Company: HotSpring Spas
Location: Des Moines/Clive, IA
Employment Type: Full-time, onsite M-F with some flexibility
Salary: Benefit package and compensation of $90,000–$99,000 based on experience.
Travel: None
Reports to: CEO
ABOUT THE ROLE
HotSpring Spas is a family-owned wellness company selling and servicing hot tubs, swim spas, and saunas across seven retail locations in Iowa and Minnesota. With approximately 50 employees and more than 30,000 Midwest customers, the company is entering its next stage of growth. Its mission is to create moments that matter, grounded in its values of Family, Friendship, Fairness, and Fun.
This is a high-trust role supporting President Thad Schaben as he works to grow the company, add another location, and spend more time leading the business instead of managing daily details.
This is Thad’s first Executive Assistant. You will not inherit a polished support system—you will help build one. The right person creates structure, establishes boundaries, anticipates needs, drives follow-through, manages up, and teaches an executive how to use a great assistant.
ABOUT THE CEO
Thad is a hardworking, thoughtful, relationship-driven leader who has spent his career growing his family’s business. He values honesty, loyalty, humor, and people who care about the team. He is trusting, generous, positive, achievement-oriented, contextual, and analytical.
He is also highly accessible and has historically been involved in far too many day-to-day decisions. People throughout the organization routinely bring questions, approvals, and operational issues directly to him, leaving too little protected time for strategic thinking, leadership, and long-term planning.
He works best through conversation and values people who bring solutions, not just problems. The right EA will keep him focused on what only the CEO should be doing and be comfortable saying, “I’ve got this,” “You don’t need to be involved,” and occasionally, “No.”
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT, PRIORITY MANAGEMENT & COMMUNICATION
Take ownership of Thad’s high-volume inbox: organize, filter, prioritize, respond where appropriate, and build a sustainable system so nothing important gets lost.
Own his calendar, protecting strategic work, thinking time, and high-value commitments while managing access with sound judgment.
Manage expenses, files, documentation, and administrative details while reducing unnecessary paper and manual work.
Translate Thad’s priorities into clear internal communication across the organization. Attend key meetings, capture decisions and action items, and ensure follow-through.
Liaise with other key members of the company leadership team on an ongoing basis.
TRAVEL & PERSONAL SUPPORT
Manage end-to-end travel both personally and professionally.
Provide personal support when it protects Thad’s time and focus, including appointments, errands, returns, meals, gifts, and logistics.
PROJECT SUPPORT & EXECUTION
Track and advance CEO-level initiatives so deadlines, decisions, commitments, and next steps do not disappear into the day-to-day.
Support employee recognition, gifts, company events, and culture initiatives.
Within the first 6–12 months, help research and develop a plan for external use of the company’s new training/event space, including pricing, partnerships, processes, and operating requirements.
SYSTEMS, TECHNOLOGY & ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP
Build practical and easy executive-office systems and processes that increase consistency, organization, speed, and accountability.
Use AI and technology to reduce repetitive work, improve communication, and create workflows. Encourage smarter tools, automation, and better ways of working.
Become comfortable across the company’s technology ecosystem, including Google, HubSpot, and RingCentral, along with some Microsoft-based tools and industry-specific systems.
Establish administrative standards and cross-training, growing into leadership of the administrative team as the function expands.
WHO WILL SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE:
An owner, not an order-taker. You see what needs to happen and move it forward without waiting for step-by-step direction.
Confident and appropriately assertive. You can enforce boundaries, respectfully push back, and engage in direct, mature conversations when something needs to be addressed.\
An exceptional communicator. You can adapt your style to very different personalities—from direct to analytical—and know when to listen, challenge, clarify, or move.
Highly organized, practical, and flexible. You create systems people will actually use while staying adaptable when priorities, personalities, or circumstances shift.
A teacher and partner. You understand this is Thad’s first EA and can help him learn how to delegate and build an effective partnership.
High character and deeply trustworthy. Thad gives trust quickly, so integrity, discretion, strong judgment, and a clear moral compass are non-negotiable.
A genuine sense of humor. Humor is a major part of how Thad connects with people and navigates pressure; you need to appreciate it, recognize it, and bring some of your own.
Long-term oriented. You want to build something, not simply inherit a task list.
WHO WILL NOT SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE:
Someone who needs constant direction, detailed instructions, or permission to move tasks forward.
Someone expecting a polished corporate environment with established executive-office systems already in place.
Someone rigid, easily rattled by shifting priorities, or uncomfortable with strong personalities.
Someone who sees systems-building, technology, leadership, or practical personal support as “outside the EA role.”
COMPENSATION, REQUIREMENTS & LOGISTICS
7+ years of high-level C-suite Executive Assistant experience including at least three years supporting a CEO, President, Founder, or entrepreneurial leader.
Prior leadership or mentoring of administrative professionals strongly preferred. Event, meeting, or facility-rental experience is a plus.
Benefit package and compensation: $90,000–$99,000 + performance bonus + profit-sharing opportunities.
Company-provided technology and tools.
Comprehensive benefits package including medical plan options (PPO and HSA-eligible HDHP), dental and vision coverage, company-paid life/AD&D, long-term disability and business travel accident insurance, plus wellness incentives, EAP resources, and optional supplemental benefits; coverage begins the first of the month following 60 days of employment.
This is an opportunity for an experienced Executive Assistant who wants more than a task list—to build a true executive partnership and help a successful family business enter its next stage of growth.
Candidates should apply only if their experience reflects the judgment, discretion, precision, and executive-level support required for the role.
Looking for other executive assistant opportunities?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROLE
-
No — this role is onsite in Clive, IA. There may be flexibility as trust is established.
-
Calendar management is an important part of the role, but it is only one piece. This person will also own inbox management, follow-through, communication, travel, systems and process improvement, personal support, and helping the CEO stay focused on the work only he should be doing.
-
Not exactly. The core EA responsibilities are here, but this role also requires someone who can build systems, create structure, improve how work gets done, and help a first-time executive partner learn how to delegate effectively.
-
Relocation expenses are not being considered at this time.
-
Once you’ve applied, you can expect a confirmation email that your application has been received. If your application is selected, you will receive an email from Monique Helstrom to schedule your first interview.
-
Every candidate is personally reviewed by me, Monique Helstrom, former Executive Assistant to Simon Sinek and an executive recruiter specializing in high-trust executive partnerships.
My goal isn’t simply to place candidates. It’s to create partnerships that thrive.
If your application isn’t accepted for this role, don’t take it personally! This role may just not have been the one for you. Feel free to browse other open roles or schedule a resume review with me.
APPLICATION TIP FROM MONIQUE
If I were coaching someone for this interview, I’d tell them…
Come prepared with specific examples of where you built structure, caught what others missed, pushed back appropriately, and made an executive’s life measurably easier. “I’m organized” will not be enough.
P.S. Want more interview tips? Schedule a resume and interview coaching session with me. Or click here to learn more about what I do.