Purpose of the Job

The Assistant is responsible for administrative support and secretarial assistance to senior and/or other allocated managers from the team (in RO’s this can include support to a Director). The role is responsible for the smooth running of the managers’ business activities including travel planning and expenses, diary and internal high level meetings Inc. committee meetings.

For this role to be successful they need to interact across the whole of the EBRD up to and including Managing Directors and where applicable external clients & service providers.

Background

The Assistant provides secretarial and administrative support to Director, Senior Managers, Managers and assists other Assistants/Officers in the team as and when required. In the absence of the manager, ensures routine office support procedures are carried out, covering Assistants’ absence and providing guidance & coaching to junior secretaries when required. This role will entail dealing with colleagues in the Resident Offices as well as in the Headquarters, which in turn also includes various departments.

Facts/Scale

• The Assistant supports Director or a number of Senior Managers, Managers and other allocated team members.
• The main interfaces are with their Managers, Directors and other Assistants/Officers within the same department and throughout the Bank both in HQ and the RO’s.
• No Line Management Responsibility.
• Liaison with external clients & service providers as appropriate.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate hotel/travel arrangements, itineraries and arranging visas, renewing passports as required to ensure travel arrangements run smoothly.
• HQ only – process consultancy contracts/legal documentation and liaising with consultants, and outside lawyers as directed by manager.
• Carry out all secretarial and administrative duties for Director/Manager to enable smooth running of the office.
• Managing diaries, arranging internal and external meetings and conference calls, receiving visitors ensuring that each meeting is seamlessly executed.
• Correspondence – drafting, checking and/or proofreading as needed
• Obtain the appropriate sign off on documents when required ensuring that they are signed or coordinated in a timely manner.
• Take minutes at meetings ensuring all key points are captured, summarised and effectively presented to the manager.
• Prepare Powerpoint presentations and other material for meetings / committees
• Draft routine business correspondence for Director’s signature. Prepare, draft and check team documentation ensuring quality management control.
• Responsible for arranging all elements of travel according to EBRD policy and claiming expenses in a timely manner to ensure the Director/Manager does not incur any unnecessary delays in receiving payment.
• Maintain comprehensive filing in various hard copy and electronic systems and archiving for Managers’/team to ensure instant retrieval of documents.
• Organise and coordinate filing in various electronic systems i.e. Live link including all aspects of safekeeping if applicable. Overall coordination and responsibility for the information added, ensuring quality management and control of the information.
• May manage and coordinate conferences and events by being well organised, paying the utmost attention to detail and trouble shooting on the day to ensure that all runs smoothly and to time.
• May act as departmental co-ordinator, IT co-ordinator, HR co-ordinator, Stationery co-ordinator.
• Organise and coordinate internal departmental events ensuring they are professionally managed to a high standard.
• Conduct ad-hoc or specific tasks assigned by Line Manager which may be related amongst others to pipeline or reporting.
• Maintain Team shared calendar, Weekly Whereabouts, & Contact Database.
• Depending on the Team/location may be responsible for the team’s sick record by updating absences in SAP HR ensuring an accurate and up to date record is available.
• Provide secretarial cover during absences and provide handover notes to ensure a smooth transition.
• Depending on RO to assist two-three lawyers and deal with OGC related issues particularly processing of POAs related to the project; processing of legal documentation, safekeeping; completion of OGC forms
• Depending on RO to deal with pipeline update for the relevant Team

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

• High School Education
• A recognised secretarial qualification would be useful, but is not essential
• Fluent English, with excellent written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of another language (e.g. Russian, German, French, or Arabic) both written and spoken would be useful

Experience/Knowledge

• Secretarial and administrative experience essential.
• Good organisational skills, proactive and flexible attitude to work essential.
• Ability to use initiative to undertake tasks and projects without guidance.
• Good communications skills, including pleasant and efficient telephone manner.
• Attention to detail and eye for accuracy.
• Good knowledge of the Department’s procedures and the EBRD.
• Ability to cope well under pressure.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues in a multicultural environment.
• Conscientious, reliable and flexible with a professional and helpful attitude.
• Strong team player, with the ability to work efficiently and to handle simultaneous assignments involving a wide range of bank-wide contacts.
• Ability to multi-task while remaining calm and professional and a capacity for hard work.
• Excellent interpersonal manner, including tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to exercise judgment on and deal discretely with confidential/sensitive information and data.
• Confidence to put self forward for various projects and responsibilities and quickly understand what is required of the task in hand.

Technical Skills

• Computer literate: Windows XP: Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Knowledge of SAP desirable but not essential
• At least 55 wpm typing

Challenges

• Supporting several managers with conflicting priorities and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Ensure travel arrangements are kept up to date with constantly changing itineraries.
• Communication with Managers based in HQ and RO’s in a busy and challenging environment.

Please be advised internal applicants are only eligible to apply once the probation period in your current role has been passed.

Please note that CCTs and applicants working directly for a Board office can only apply for jobs advertised via the external website.