Executive Secretary

Roles and responsibilities

1. Administrative Support

• Calendar Management: Manage and maintain executives’ schedules, including arranging meetings, appointments, and travel itineraries.
• Meeting Coordination: Organize meetings, including sending invitations, preparing agendas, and taking minutes. Ensure all necessary materials are available for meetings.

2. Communication Management

• Correspondence Handling: Draft, review, and edit emails, reports, and other documents. Manage incoming and outgoing correspondence on behalf of the executive.
• Phone Management: Answer and screen phone calls, taking messages and directing calls as appropriate.

3. Document Management

• File Organization: Maintain electronic and paper filing systems, ensuring that documents are organized, up-to-date, and easily accessible.
• Report Preparation: Compile data and prepare reports, presentations, and other materials for meetings and executive decision-making.

4. Research and Information Gathering

• Data Collection: Conduct research and gather information needed for projects or decision-making. This may include market analysis, competitor research, or internal data gathering.
• Report Generation: Create and distribute reports as required, summarizing findings and presenting information clearly and concisely.

5. Project Coordination

• Task Management: Assist with the planning and execution of projects by coordinating schedules, resources, and communications among team members.
• Follow-Up: Monitor the progress of projects and tasks assigned to the executive, ensuring deadlines are met.

6. Travel Arrangements

• Travel Planning: Coordinate travel arrangements, including booking flights, hotels, and transportation for the executive and other staff members as needed.
• Expense Reporting: Prepare travel itineraries and manage expense reports related to travel.

7. Confidentiality and Discretion

• Handling Sensitive Information: Maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when dealing with sensitive information and documents related to the executive or organization.

8. Liaison Role

• Interdepartmental Communication: Act as a liaison between the executive and other departments or external stakeholders, facilitating communication and collaboration.
• Client Relations: Manage relationships with clients, vendors, and other external parties, ensuring professional interactions.

9. Office Management

• Supply Management: Oversee office supplies and equipment, ensuring that the office runs smoothly and efficiently. This includes ordering supplies and managing inventory.
• Facility Coordination: Coordinate with facilities management to ensure the executive’s office and meeting rooms are well-maintained.

10. Event Planning

• Organizing Events: Assist in planning and organizing corporate events, conferences, and meetings, including logistics, catering, and participant coordination.

11. Other Duties as Assigned

• Supporting Other Staff: Provide administrative support to other team members or departments as needed.
• Ad-hoc Projects: Assist with special projects or tasks as assigned by the executive or management team.

Desired candidate profile

1. Education and Experience

• Education: A bachelor's degree in business administration, office management, or a related field is often preferred, although some roles may only require a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience: Significant experience (3-5 years) in administrative or secretarial roles, with a preference for experience working directly with senior executives. Experience in corporate environments or industries like finance, law, or healthcare can be an added advantage.

2. Key Skills

• Exceptional Organizational Skills: Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks efficiently, including scheduling, correspondence, and document management.
• Strong Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for drafting documents, handling correspondence, and facilitating communication between executives and other stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Office Technology: High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and familiarity with office management software, video conferencing tools, and other technology used for communication and scheduling.
• Time Management and Multitasking: Ability to manage tight deadlines and handle several tasks or projects simultaneously with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Capable of independently resolving administrative or operational issues and making sound decisions when needed.
• Discretion and Confidentiality: Trustworthy in handling sensitive information and maintaining confidentiality in all executive-level communications and documents.

3. Personal Attributes

• Professionalism and Poise: Maintains a polished and professional demeanor, especially when interacting with senior management, clients, and stakeholders. Able to represent the executive office with discretion and tact.
• Proactive and Self-Motivated: Demonstrates initiative, anticipating the needs of the executive and taking action without being prompted.
• Attention to Detail: Highly detail-oriented, ensuring that documents, reports, and schedules are accurate and well-organized.
• Adaptability and Flexibility: Comfortable adapting to changes in priorities or tasks, and capable of working in a fast-paced, often high-pressure environment.
• Reliable and Punctual: Extremely dependable, with a track record of reliability in managing schedules, deadlines, and appointments.