Summary

A qualified and experienced Personal Assistant will report to the Chief Executive Director (CED), responsible with providing high-quality support to the CED, while providing administrative support to the Chief Operation Officer, and the Director of Science, responsible for supporting preparation of all Board Meetings, Committees of the Board and Management Committee.

Responsibilities

• Manage diaries and exercise judgment in arranging meetings on behalf of the CED to ensure that urgent and important matters are prioritized.
• Checking diaries against each other, checking minutes of meetings on receipt to identify dates of future meetings, maintaining an awareness of dates of relevant conferences, and organizing appropriate cover for meetings in the case of absence.
• Understanding the Director’s commitments and prioritizing scheduled events or meetings
• To provide support for the CED ‘s meetings, ensure timely availability of the meeting minutes, matters arising and report on status of follow up actions
• Deal with highly confidential issues, recognizing the sensitivity and possible reputational implications of such matters and ensuring appropriate liaison with managers and other internal and external colleagues. This will include human resources related issues concerning staff.
• Maintain Management meetings minutes and files confidentially.
• Ensure CED is fully prepared and briefed for meetings and travel, reviewing background information and producing drafts of documents and/or briefing papers.
• Make arrangements for the frequent travel by the ED, including all logistical and substantive aspects.
• Maintain Board meeting minutes and sub-committee minutes
• Pre – travel arrangements for CED including sourcing tickets, hotel booking.
• Manage internal and external contacts for the CED including making, receiving and screening telephone calls, processing incoming mail and e-mails, highlighting urgent and important items, and drafting replies or replying directly when required.
• Manage the filing system of correspondence and other papers as well as reviewing existing files and organizing long term storage as required.
• At all times when communicating, be responsive, polite, friendly, and efficient; the image of the Office of the CED represents the image of the organization.
• Organize financial arrangements including payment and reimbursement of funds on behalf of the CED, liaising with the finance office and external organizations as necessary.
• Perform any other tasks as may be assigned by a supervisor

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in secretarial studies; business administration; or management.

Requirements

• Proven and extensive experience 4- 6 years of experience of supporting a senior executive, including experience of organizing and streamlining the workload and timetable of a busy professional

Characteristics

• Excellent written English and good presentation skills, with a proven ability to draft and proof-read documentation, including correspondence and briefing documents.
• Efficient record keeping and records management.
• Good oral communication skills, including confident presentation during meetings and the ability to communicate clearly with visitors from all parts of the world.
• Excellent organizational abilities, able to work under pressure, and ability to assess priorities, organize own workload without supervision, meeting deadlines and initiating action, where appropriate
• Ability to maintain complete confidentiality.
• Experience of servicing committees and/or meetings, including taking minutes

Reporting To

Chief Executive Director