Job Profile: Administrative Assistant

Job Overview

The Administrative Assistant in the cannabis industry functions as the central nervous system for the executive team, providing the structural support necessary to navigate a landscape of high-stakes finance, complex logistics, and intense regulatory scrutiny. This position is the gatekeeper of executive time and the facilitator of critical information flow between finance, legal, compliance, and operations. The role's primary function is to manage the complex administrative machinery that underpins a rapidly scaling cannabis business. This includes everything from coordinating multi-state travel for capital-raising roadshows to preparing documentation for state licensing audits. Success in this position directly enables senior leadership to focus on strategic growth initiatives by ensuring that the foundational, operational details are executed with absolute precision and professionalism. This professional must possess an exceptional ability to solve problems and adapt to the constant flux of a federally restricted, state-legal industry, making it a uniquely challenging and impactful administrative role.

A Day in the Life

The day begins by triaging the Chief Financial Officer’s inbox and calendar. An urgent request from the state cannabis control board requires the immediate submission of a quarterly financial report. This requires rescheduling a planned investor relations call and coordinating with the finance team to ensure the report is finalized, signed, and uploaded to the state’s secure portal before the end-of-day deadline. Simultaneously, the assistant reviews and codes the previous day's expense reports submitted by the executive team. Meticulous attention to detail is required to correctly classify expenses as either plant-touching or non-plant-touching, a critical distinction for compliance with IRS Section 280E that has major tax implications.

Mid-morning focus shifts to logistics. A team of potential investors from a private equity firm is scheduled for a facility tour tomorrow. The Administrative Assistant coordinates their visit by preparing non-disclosure agreements for signature, liaising with the Director of Security to arrange visitor badges and escort protocols, and compiling a briefing packet for the executive team. This packet includes investor bios and key data points from the cultivation and processing departments. The assistant confirms the conference room booking and ensures that all presentation technology is functional, preventing any last-minute technical issues that could reflect poorly on the company's professionalism.

The afternoon is dedicated to preparing for the weekly C-suite strategy meeting. The task involves more than simply creating an agenda. It requires pulling specific reports from the company’s seed-to-sale tracking system, like METRC or BioTrack, to show inventory velocity. It also involves working with the finance department to get updated sales figures to include in the meeting pre-read materials. During the meeting, the assistant takes detailed minutes, capturing complex discussions about supply chain vulnerabilities and potential expansion into a new state market. Absolute accuracy is critical, as these notes will form the basis of actionable directives for department heads.

The operational cycle concludes with complex problem-solving. An executive's flight to a critical industry conference has been canceled. The assistant must quickly find an alternative route, adjust hotel and ground transportation bookings, and ensure the executive's presentation materials are accessible remotely. This requires rapid decision-making and clear communication to resolve the administrative issue without disrupting the executive's strategic objectives. The final task of the day is to draft a summary of action items from the strategy meeting and distribute it, ensuring accountability and maintaining operational momentum for the week ahead.

Core Responsibilities & Operational Impact

The Administrative Assistant’s responsibilities are foundational to the company’s stability and growth, organized into three key domains:

1. Executive & Operational Support

• Strategic Calendar Management: Manages and prioritizes the calendars of multiple C-suite executives, balancing internal operational meetings with external obligations to investors, regulators, and strategic partners.
• Complex Travel & Logistics: Arranges multi-state and international travel, navigating the unique logistical and legal complexities of the cannabis industry, including secure transport and accommodation.
• Information Gatekeeping: Serves as the primary point of contact for the executive office, professionally fielding inquiries and directing communication to the appropriate departments to protect executive focus.

2. Financial & Compliance Administration

• Expense & Invoice Processing: Manages the submission, review, and coding of executive expense reports and departmental invoices, ensuring strict adherence to internal financial controls and 280E tax compliance guidelines.
• Audit & Reporting Support: Compiles and organizes critical financial and operational documents required for state regulatory audits, investor due diligence, and annual financial reporting.
• Record-Keeping & Documentation: Maintains meticulous digital and physical filing systems for highly sensitive documents, including corporate records, contracts, and compliance correspondence.

3. Interdepartmental Project Coordination

• Meeting Preparation & Execution: Prepares and distributes comprehensive meeting agendas, presentations, and pre-read materials for board meetings and executive leadership sessions. Records and circulates accurate meeting minutes and action items.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Acts as a communication bridge between departments such as legal, finance, and operations to ensure alignment on key projects and deadlines.
• Problem Solving & Issue Resolution: Proactively identifies and resolves administrative and logistical issues before they escalate, ensuring smooth daily operations and preventing disruption to business-critical activities.

Strategic Impact Analysis

The Administrative Assistant directly influences key business performance metrics through the following mechanisms:

Chain of Command & Key Stakeholders

Reports To: This position typically reports directly to a C-level executive, such as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), or Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Similar Roles: This role is often titled Executive Assistant, reflecting its direct support of senior leadership. Other related titles include Operations Coordinator or Office Manager, especially in smaller, vertically-integrated cannabis companies where the role encompasses broader facility and operational administration. The core competencies of managing complex schedules, handling sensitive information, and coordinating between departments remain consistent across these titles. This position is a senior administrative role, serving as a strategic partner to the executive it supports.

Works Closely With: This position requires constant collaboration with the General Counsel, the Director of Compliance, and the Head of Investor Relations to manage legal documents, regulatory deadlines, and communications with the financial community.

Technology, Tools & Systems

Success in this role requires mastery of standard office technology and familiarity with industry-specific platforms:

• Microsoft Office Suite: Advanced proficiency in Outlook for complex calendar management, Word for drafting professional correspondence, Excel for tracking expenses and creating reports, and PowerPoint for assembling high-impact investor and board presentations.
• Accounting & ERP Software: Experience with platforms like QuickBooks, NetSuite, or SAP for processing invoices and generating financial reports in coordination with the finance team.
• Seed-to-Sale (S2S) Systems: Familiarity with accessing and pulling reports from state-mandated compliance systems like METRC, BioTrack, or Leaf Logix is a significant advantage, as this data is crucial for executive meetings.
• Communication & Collaboration Tools: Expertise in using platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello) to facilitate seamless interdepartmental communication and track action items.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Transferable Skills

Professionals from other highly regulated and fast-paced industries are exceptionally well-suited for this role:

• Legal Administration: Paralegals or legal assistants possess the requisite attention to detail, confidentiality, and experience in managing complex documents and deadlines.
• Financial Services & Private Equity: Administrative professionals from banking or investment firms are accustomed to a high-pressure environment, handling sensitive financial data, and coordinating with high-level stakeholders.
• Healthcare Administration: Experience in a clinical or hospital setting provides a strong background in navigating complex regulations (like HIPAA), managing patient confidentiality, and coordinating between multiple departments.
• Startup & Tech Environments: Assistants from high-growth tech companies bring valuable experience in adapting to rapid change, managing ambiguity, and supporting executives through funding rounds and scaling challenges.

Critical Competencies

The role demands specific professional attributes for success:

• Unwavering Discretion: The ability to handle highly confidential information related to financials, M&A activity, and legal strategy with the utmost integrity.
• Proactive Problem-Solving: The foresight to anticipate logistical or administrative issues and develop solutions independently before they impact executive workflow.
• Exceptional Adaptability: The capacity to pivot priorities seamlessly in response to shifting regulatory demands, market changes, or urgent executive requests in a dynamic industry.
• High-Level Professionalism: The composure and communication skills to represent the executive office effectively when interacting with board members, investors, government officials, and internal staff.

Top 3 Influential Entities for the Role

These organizations create the frameworks and rules that directly shape the daily tasks and priorities of this position:

• State Cannabis Regulatory Agencies: Entities like California's Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) or Colorado's Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED). They set the deadlines for license renewals, define reporting requirements, and conduct facility audits, all of which create administrative tasks and scheduling priorities managed by this role.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS enforces Section 280E of the tax code, which prohibits standard business deductions for cannabis companies. This rule creates a massive administrative burden for tracking and coding expenses, a process directly overseen or supported by the Administrative Assistant.
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): For publicly traded cannabis companies or those raising significant private capital, the SEC's regulations govern investor communications, financial disclosures, and filing deadlines. The Administrative Assistant is integral to supporting the executive team in meeting these stringent requirements.

Acronyms & Terminology