Elected president starts probing work assistants (8)
I believe the answer is:
deputies
'assistants' is the definition.
(I know this)
'elected president starts probing work' is the wordplay.
'starts' suggests taking the first letters.
'probing' indicates putting letters inside (probe can mean to poke or prod into).
'work' becomes 'duties' (duties are someone's work or job).
The initial letters of 'elected president' is 'ep'.
'ep' placed inside 'duties' is 'DEPUTIES'.
(Other definitions for deputies that I've seen before include "Stand-ins or next-in command officials" , "Persons authorised to act as substitutes for others" , "Political representatives" .)