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
- 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.
- Maintains a workable agenda for the Director-General regardless of unpredictable demands from unanticipated events that may affect his schedule or priorities.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ensures all background/briefing information is available to the Director-General prior to meetings or appointments.
- 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.
- 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.
- Responds, on behalf of Director-General, to invitations to social events.
- Schedules and co-ordinates meetings and social events hosted by the Director-General and provides administrative support as required.
- Informs the Director-General's Driver of his movements and maintains close contact to ensure provision of transport whenever required.
- Co-ordinates the distribution of social invitations and information related to events organised by the Director-General.
- Liaises with the Political Affairs and Protocol Branch regarding appropriate gifts for visiting dignitaries.
- 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
- Ensures the smooth and constant flow of information between the Director-General and other offices within the OPCW.
- 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.
- Ensures that relevant background material is prepared for the Director-General’s use on official trips or special meetings.
- Screens the Director-General's e-mails and alerts him to urgent messages. Provides hard copies of e-mail attachments as required.
- Informs the Director-General of issues requiring immediate attention
Receives, places and screens telephone calls to/from High Ranking Officials, Delegates, staff members etc.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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
- Uses tact and persuasion when making calls to obtain information and answers queries and requests for information with discretion.
- Provides information and assistance to general enquiries or requests for information
Co-ordinates travel
- 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.
- Requests visa requirement information from Protocol and Visa Branch and supplies necessary information and documentation to obtain visas for the Director-General’s travel.
- Ensures that the Director-General receives in a timely manner the background papers and statements for such official visits from the External Relations Division.
- Provides liaison with the airport VIP lounge to ensure the Director-General travels with minimum inconvenience.
- Maintains a spreadsheet on the Director-General’s engagements, including travel.
General Administrative Duties
- Provides secretarial assistance for the Director-General by preparing drafts and correspondence as instructed. Takes minutes during meetings as necessary. Takes dictation as required
- Processes the Director-Generals entitlements under the Staff Rules. Liaise with Administration Division to resolve issues related to these entitlements.
- Claims VAT and fuel tax reimbursement on behalf of the Director-General.
- Ensures that instructions contained in OPCW Staff Administrative Directives and Information Circulars are adhered to.
- Ensures appearance of the Office of the Director-General is optimum by alerting Infrastructure Services to any repairs etc. required.
- 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:
- Experience in conducting independent searches for information;
- Experience in preparing background material;
- Experience in dealing with Ambassadors, Heads of Diplomatic missions ,senior management and other high level/government officials;
- Experience in procurement processes and systems;
- Prior experience in an international organisation.
- Experience in using computerised administration systems (ERP).
Skills and Abilities (key competencies):
- Solid computer skills, including ability to produce reports and a variety of correspondence;
- Proven ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to communicate effectively, including engaging with executive diplomatic level personnel and visitors;
- Ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and follow up on the work of the Branch;
- Good organisational skills, proactive mentality, with a strong sense of urgency;
- Ability to work in a focussed and precise manner;
- 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;
- Good eye for detail and strong on follow up;
- Open minded and willing to take on additional duties in a spirit of continuous learning and development;
- 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:
- Tact, discretion and accuracy;
- Effective organisational skills and ability to handle a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner;
- Initiative and willingness to learn new skills;
- Flexibility.