The line between admin and operations has all but disappeared. What companies assume to be purely administrative tasks have quietly morphed into more strategic operational functions that directly impact your bottom line and growth trajectory.

Here's what matters: Determining fit is about whether you need someone who can think strategically, push back when necessary, make recommendations, and execute alongside you, versus someone focused purely on administrative tasks.

Most companies are still using traditional titles for what have evolved into strategic roles. This creates confusion in hiring - you end up interviewing Executive Assistants when you actually need a Chief of Staff, or posting for Operations Managers when you really need strategic operators.

I built this guide because leaders often struggle to articulate exactly what kind of support they need. They just know their current setup isn't working - things are falling through the cracks, decisions are slow, the team isn't coordinated.

Below, I've mapped out the terminology to describe different types of support and where each role actually adds value. Use this to clarify what you're actually hiring for - or to understand which fractional services might solve your immediate problem without a full-time hire.

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The key to hiring the right talent is identifying whether you need tactical support, strategic partnership, or both—and finding someone who can scale with your needs as they evolve. I created this diagnostic to help you determine what titles you may want to consider.

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Ordered from least to most strategic:

Administrative Assistant: General office support, filing, correspondence, scheduling, basic task coordination

Personal Assistant: Individual-focused support including personal tasks, travel arrangements, household coordination

Executive Assistant: Calendar management, travel coordination, meeting preparation, executive-level administrative support

Office Manager: Facility operations, vendor management, administrative team oversight, workplace coordination

Executive Business Partner: EA responsibilities elevated with strategic input, project ownership, stakeholder communication

Operations Coordinator: Workflow coordination, process documentation, cross-departmental communication, project tracking