Executive Assistant

Purpose of the Job 

The Executive Assistant to the Managing Director, Policy Strategy and Delivery provides high quality secretarial and administrative support; together with any ad-hoc assistance that may be required. The Executive Assistant may also assist with a variety of administrative tasks for PSD group including group level meetings and events. The role will interact with all levels within PSD, VP3 and Bank wide, to include Banking Department Budget Officers, HR, Board Secretariat, President’s Office as well external clients and institutions.

Accountabilities and Responsibilities 

The Executive Assistant is responsible for providing comprehensive high quality secretarial and administrative support to the Managing Director; together with any ad-hoc assistance that may be required to the Managing Director ensuring that day-to-day operations run smoothly which may include, but is not limited to the following:

• Efficient diary management.
• Monitoring e-mails; screening and prioritising messages and replying on behalf of the Managing Director where appropriate; prioritising communications and re-routing as necessary and taking comprehensive messages.
• Drafting correspondence for the Managing Director signature/review; taking minutes; proof-reading and checking documents to for the Managing Director ensure quality management and control. Coordinate team submissions acting as quality control & ensuring all deadlines are met.
• Arrange all elements of travel according to EBRD travel policy including arranging visas, accommodation, ordering currency and preparing itineraries. Check travel expense reports and other expenditure for the relevant cost centre(s) to ensure adherence to the Bank's policy; monitor and assist the MD in claiming expenses in a timely manner.

• Maintain comprehensive filing in various hard copy and electronic systems and archiving for Managers’/team to ensure instant retrieval of documents.

• Liaise with the relevant Committee Secretariats regarding the scheduling of PSD items at Bank committee and Board of Directors’ meetings 

• Produce and/or prepare team related documents such as Power Point presentations, business correspondence, factsheets, briefing notes, reports ensuring all deadlines are met and contents are accurate in accordance with the requirements of the relevant Bank Committee procedures.
• Conduct ad-hoc or specific tasks assigned by Line Manager which may be related amongst others to pipeline or reporting.
• Support RO visitors to HQ (e.g. finding office space / arranging printing/other HQ-based assistance, etc.) to extent not provided by their own Team within PSD.

Dependant on team, the role may also include:

• Conduct budget officer duties with routine budgetary functions for the Team / Department (Purchase Orders, checking re-charge, departmental accruals and various housekeeping reports) to ensure costs are as pre-approved and deliver reports as requested.
• Timely monitoring and reporting of the department’s self-managed costs to ensure these are in line with annual projected budget; raise purchase requisitions; enter goods receipts and process expenses relating to travel and hospitality, ensuring these adhere to the Bank’s purchasing and expense policies and procedures.
• Departmental Co-ordinator, IT co-ordinator, HR co-ordinator, work with Teams within PSD to ensure all administrative procedures surrounding on-boarding, moving and leaving of staff/consultants. Maintain PSD Front Office shared calendar.
• Maintain an up-to-date disaster recovery and business continuity call out cascade to refer to in the event of an emergency.
• Assist in the recruitment, interview process, training and management of other Assistants, including monitoring workload, setting their objectives to maintain an effective workplace capable of meeting its demands; may act as a secondary reviewer on Assistants’ performance appraisal; and ensuring team cover at all times.
• Organise Departmental events: e.g. Team Meetings, Conferences, Presentations, Seminars, Team Retreats and Off sites.
• To act as a key person in preparation for the regular senior level events with participation of the President, Board members and other senior managers.
• Work with the Manging Director’s Advisor to anticipate the need for background briefing material and ensuring it is available in advance of meetings with the President, the Banks senior management, Board Directors, members of the Group and other internal/external officials as required.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications 

Academic Qualifications

• Degree and/or equivalent relevant business experience
• A recognised secretarial qualification would be useful but is not essential.
• Fluent English, with excellent written and oral communications skills
• Knowledge of another language (e.g. French or Arabic) both written and spoken would be desirable

Experience/Knowledge

• Proven experience at working at a senior level within a multi-disciplined and multi-cultural organisation
• Excellent organisational and effective planning skills with a demonstrated ability to prioritise and independently co-ordinate workload to comply with deadlines.
• Ability to keep calm under pressure and be flexible; also, be able to anticipate needs/issues, drawing on a high degree of initiative and judgement in reliably executing or coordinating a range of tasks independently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; including tact and diplomacy.
• A proactive and can-do attitude, approach and team ethic.
• Good level of numeracy and ability to work with numbers.
• Internal candidates to have a thorough knowledge of the Bank’s procedures, policies and of institutional working practices.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Good material presentation skills with attention to detail and the ability to judge required accuracy.
• Willingness to take on additional responsibilities.
• Excellent timekeeper.
• Due to the complex nature of the role the Executive Assistant should be comfortable interacting with staff at a very senior level both within their own department and Vice-Presidency as well as Bank wide
• EBRD experience and/or knowledge of the Bank’s policies and systems desirable (e.g. SAP, Project Link, Live-link, Bold-net, DTM; and Data Warehouse Reports etc).

Technical Skills

• At least 55 wpm typing
• Intermediate/advanced computer literacy (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) as well as the ability to format large documents, charts and tables to publication quality is essential
• Knowledge of SAP desirable but not essential.

While the role is initially advertised on a fixed-term basis, there may be the potential for extension or transition into a longer-term or permanent position

What is it like to work at the EBRD?

Our agile and innovative approach is what makes life at the EBRD a unique experience! You will be part of a pioneering and diverse international organisation, and use your talents to make a real difference to people's lives and help shape the future of the regions we invest in. 

The EBRD environment provides you with:

• Varied, stimulating and engaging work that gives you an opportunity to interact with a wide range of experts in the financial, political, public and private sectors across the regions we invest in;
• A working culture that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity;
• An environment that places sustainability, equality and digital  transformation at the heart of what we do.

Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does.  A diverse workforce with the right knowledge and skills enables connection with our clients, brings pioneering ideas, energy and innovation. The EBRD staff is characterised by its rich diversity of nationalities, cultures and opinions and we aim to sustain and build on this strength. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.  As an inclusive employer, we promote flexible working and expecting our employee to attend the office 50% of their working time.

Please note, that due to the high volume of applications received, we regret to inform you that we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates who have not been shortlisted (for further consideration).