The Executive Assistant will provide critical support to Alliance executives during this exciting, early phase of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet’s Asia development. This role will support the VP, Asia and enable the Alliance management team in Asia, which is responsible for developing and implementing global strategy in an Asian context.
The successful candidate will be an expert at executing complex and strategic scheduling, administrative support, proactive planning, travel and visa applications and supporting relationship management, including tracking follow up items and keeping contact information up to date.
The successful candidate will likewise manage complex team scheduling, and occasionally working, across various time zones, ensuring critical conversations with internal and external stakeholders are scheduled in a timely manner and at pace. The candidate will also ensure that team travel, external in-person meetings/workshops are organized, streamlined and set up for success.
As such, the candidate will have exemplary organisational skills and be comfortable interacting with executives and their teams, using excellent judgment and discretion.
Accountabilities
Provides executive level administrative support to the VP, Asia plus possibly 1-2 additional leaders on the Asia team from time to time.
- Expertly anticipates their manager’s needs and is highly responsive to direct and expected requests, providing swift, accurate, and thoughtful replies to requests, following up on action items where appropriate.
- Organizes and maintains complex calendar for internal and external engagements, including coordination of meetings which contain multiple participants and locations with a high level of efficiency; prioritizes and coordinates high volume and ever-changing schedules.
- Holistic administrative support including but limited to document preparation, database maintenance, consolidation exercises, basic reporting and coordination for the wider function when required.
- Taking initiative to complete tasks or respond on behalf of manager where possible and seeking to innovate best practice, exercising good judgement on where this is appropriate.
- Coordinates domestic and international travel arrangements ensuring tight schedules and well-articulated itineraries with cost consciousness in mind; coordinates visa applications for the travel with a focus on scheduling the various appointments to ensure passport availability when needed, creates and modifies travel itineraries; informs and plans actions based on the itinerary with appropriate parties, with monitoring throughout and expense report processing after.
- With other internal staff, supports the team in utilizing tools and systems to support relationship management and key project management functions (e.g. Salesforce, Monday.com, Gantt charts) to manage relationships and maintain high quality data and intelligence on key partners, identifying and supporting implementation of process improvements as needed.
- Assist managers in preparing for meetings by creating agendas, outlines, high level presentations, and other documentation required, including on occasion meeting minutes.
- Coordinate and manage partner and stakeholder workshops, meetings and convenings, including meeting logistics, agenda and materials preparation, conference room and AV equipment set up, displaying presentations, etc
- Serves as an inter-department liaison and actively builds relationships across GEAPP and the Alliance.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Prior experience supporting or organizing executive-level meetings and/or events for internal and external stakeholders is required
- Minimum of 5 years in an administrative – intensive fast paced role, ideally experience successfully supporting an executive leader and related projects.
- Previous work experience in a complex, fast-paced and highly professional role in a global organization with multiple offices preferred; experience in a dynamic mission-driven non-profit organization is a plus.
- Strong execution and organizational skills and demonstrated experience prioritizing and executing multiple priorities seamlessly with excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to work effectively both independently, as well as in a team-oriented, collaborative, and collegial environment.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills and effective in developing positive and productive relationships with all levels of staff and management across the organization.
- Experience within a highly collaborative, dynamic organization and in an entrepreneurial environment where building policies, program and processes are necessary.
- Demonstrated technical proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point. Prior Salesforce or similar CRM experience is a plus.
- Must have experience booking and managing international travel and visa requirements. International work experience or proven intercultural competence a plus.
Note: limited and occasional travel may be required.
Behavioural Competencies
- Entrepreneurial Spirit – A self – starter who takes initiative to identify areas of improvement and uses an energetic, pragmatic, and creative approach to optimize practice. Embodying ‘Start – Up Philosophy’ and being excited to get involved and add value wherever possible.
- Relationship Building: In line with the values of the Alliance, providing a strong professional representation of the organization and being pro – active liaison that strengthens allegiances with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Communication: Excellent interpersonal abilities; outstanding listening skills, writing and verbal skills; Awareness of reputation, positioning, and brand management.
- Project Management: Awareness of project management, with high level organization skills and operational mindset.
- Decision-Making: Analytical and strong problem-solving abilities, takes initiative, drives for results, ability to prioritize work, communicates problems and proposes solutions, as appropriate.
- Execution: Incredibly meticulous with strong attention to detail; meets deadlines; ability to multi-task and work under pressure; detail oriented. Sense of urgency and responsibility, flexible work style; a self-started who can work independently as well as in and across teams.
- Integrity: Sound, mature judgment, integrity, and respect for others. Ability to handle sensitive information discreetly.
- Passion and Optimism: Deep enthusiasm for the Alliance’s mission and supporting ideologies, a belief in the work we do and the power of unity to tackle Global Challenges.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Committed to our core values of inclusion, equity and diversity and bring this into every aspect of your work; to challenge conventional wisdom through evidence, reason, and amplifying dissenting, unconventional, and marginalized voices.
Key Relationships
- Asia management team – in a support role, helping to support schedules, convenings, and other events
- Admin staff and operational staff across the organization – to align schedules and coordinate on internal processes
- External partners – interacting to coordinate meetings/engagements, key information and other needs as they emerge
- External service providers such as IT, travel agency, etc.
