Personal Executive Assistant to the Director-General (GS-7)

PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS

Under the supervision of the Director-General the Personal Executive Assistant performs the following duties:

Manages the Director-General's official and social event agenda                         

1. Schedules the Director-General’s extensive program of appointments both external and internal.  Receives external requests (high level dignitaries or their representatives) and internal (management) requests to arrange meetings with the Director-General. Prioritises these requests in order to make a workable agenda and recommends changes to agenda to accommodate conflicting requests.
2. Maintains a workable agenda for the Director-General regardless of unpredictable demands from unanticipated events that may affect his schedule or priorities.
3. Keeps the Chief of Cabinet and other members of the Office of the Director-General and Office of the Deputy Director-General informed of the Director-General’s agenda ensuring optimal communication.
4. Keeps the Director-General and Chief of Cabinet abreast of requests for appointments or information and advises when such requests have been re-directed. Ascertains whether requests for meeting/appointment with Director- General are necessary, and recommends alternate course of action.
5. Ensures all background/briefing information is available to the Director-General prior to meetings or appointments.
6. Informs and co-ordinates with the Political Affairs and Protocol Branch official visitors to the Director-General ensuring that procedures for security clearance and protocol are followed.  When appropriate inform other Directors about the visit.  Ensures relevant background material is prepared and delivered to the Director-General in a timely manner.
7. Informs Political Affairs and Protocol Branch of guests to be invited to lunches hosted by Director-General in the Executive Dining Room and provides necessary follow-up and liaison.
8. Responds, on behalf of Director-General, to invitations to social events. 
9. Schedules and co-ordinates meetings and social events hosted by the Director-General and provides administrative support as required.
10. Informs the Director-General's Driver of his movements and maintains close contact to ensure provision of transport whenever required.
11. Co-ordinates the distribution of social invitations and information related to events organised by the Director-General.
12. Liaises with the Political Affairs and Protocol Branch regarding appropriate gifts for visiting dignitaries.
13. Liaises and networks effectively with management, staff members of the Secretariat, delegates and others as necessary to ensure smooth and effective conduct of business.

Manages the Director-General’s correspondence     

1. Ensures the smooth and constant flow of information between the Director-General and other offices within the OPCW.
2. Upon request of the Director-General drafts, types and formats various documents in accordance with the correspondence manual as well as review written correspondence and documents for completeness and grammatical correctness.
3. Ensures that relevant background material is prepared for the Director-General’s use on official trips or special meetings. 
4. Screens the Director-General's e-mails and alerts him to urgent messages. Provides hard copies of e-mail attachments as required.
5. Informs the Director-General of issues requiring immediate attention

Receives, places and screens telephone calls to/from High Ranking Officials, Delegates,  staff members etc.  

1. Receives internal and external telephone calls directed to the Office of the Director-General.  This entails contact with high-rank officials (States Parties, Signatory States, Host Country and other organisations).
2. When appropriate respond on behalf of the Director-General or if necessary direct to another officer of the Office of the Director-General or another Division.  If required, ensure necessary follow-up action is taken.
3. Judges whether Director-General will accept an incoming call and responds to caller tactfully.  Decides which telephone calls to redirect to appropriate action Branch/Division
4. Uses tact and persuasion when making calls to obtain information and answers queries and requests for information with discretion.
5. Provides information and assistance to general enquiries or requests for information
   
   

Co-ordinates travel

1. Co-ordinates with the Prinicpal Executive Assistant the Director-General’s extensive travel (itineraries, travel requests, travel reimbursements) ensuring that all arrangements are undertaken with optimal efficiency.
2. Requests visa requirement information from Protocol and Visa Branch and supplies necessary information and documentation to obtain visas for the Director-General’s travel.
3. Ensures that the Director-General receives in a timely manner the background papers and statements for such official visits from the External Relations Division.
4. Provides liaison with the airport VIP lounge to ensure the Director-General travels with minimum inconvenience.
5. Maintains a spreadsheet on the Director-General’s engagements, including travel.

General Administrative Duties

1. Provides secretarial assistance for the Director-General by preparing drafts and correspondence as instructed.  Takes minutes during meetings as necessary. Takes dictation as required 
2. Processes the Director-Generals entitlements under the Staff Rules. Liaise with Administration Division to resolve issues related to these entitlements.
3. Claims VAT and fuel tax reimbursement on behalf of the Director-General.
4. Ensures that instructions contained in OPCW Staff Administrative Directives and Information Circulars are adhered to.
5. Ensures appearance of the Office of the Director-General is optimum by alerting Infrastructure Services to any repairs etc. required.
6. Informs the Director-General of areas of staff sensitivity or general discontent, possibly to avert an unnecessary incident or situation.

RECRUITING PROFILE 

Education Qualifications:

Essential:  

• High School Diploma or equivalent Diploma of higher Secondary Education;

Desirable: 

• Additional executive secretary/professional administration training highly desirable;
• Additional training in budget control and procurement is desirable.

Required Certification (if applicable):  NA

Experience:

Essential:  

• At least nine (9) years of progressively responsible and related administrative experience. 

Desirable:  

1. Experience in conducting independent searches for information;
2. Experience in preparing background material;
3. Experience in dealing with Ambassadors, Heads of Diplomatic missions ,senior management and other high level/government officials; 
4. Experience in procurement processes and systems; 
5. Prior experience in an international organisation.
6. Experience in using computerised administration systems (ERP).

Skills and Abilities (key competencies):

1. Solid computer skills, including ability to produce reports and a variety of correspondence;
2. Proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively, including engaging with executive diplomatic level personnel and visitors;
3. Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and follow up on the work of the Branch;
4. Good organisational skills, proactive mentality, with a strong sense of urgency;
5. Ability to work in a focussed and precise manner; 
6. Proven interpersonal and diplomatic skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations at all levels with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
7. Good eye for detail and strong on follow up;
8. Open minded and willing to take on additional duties in a spirit of continuous learning and development; 
9. Service/client oriented with a high sense of discretion, maturity and tact to deal with highly sensitive matters.  

Language Requirements:  Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Other Skills:

1. Tact, discretion and accuracy; 
2. Effective organisational skills and ability to handle a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; 
3. Initiative and willingness to learn new skills;
4. Flexibility.