United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Executive Assistant

Position:Executive Assistant

Reports to:Deputy Executive Director & Director of Policy&Practice

Location: London

Salary: £25,118

Hours: 37.5 hours

BACKGROUND

Over the past 80 years, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has developed unparalleled expertise in responding to emergencies and helping uprooted communities to rebuild. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.

The International Rescue Committee UK is part of the IRC global network, which has its headquarters in New York and London. The IRC is on the ground in more than 40 countries, providing emergency relief, relocating refugees and rebuilding lives in the wake of disaster. Through 22 regional offices in cities across the United States, the IRC also helps refugees resettle in the US and become self-sufficient.

The IRC is committed to a culture of bold leadership, innovation in all aspects of our work, creative partnerships and, most crucially, accountability to those we serve. The IRC is a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable.

IRC-UK

Our European headquarters, IRC-UK, were established in London in 1997 to support the organisation’s global activities and particularly to diversify its donor base and be able to better advocate with European policy-makers on behalf of the people we serve. Since its establishment IRC-UK has grown rapidly and is now acknowledged for its high quality project management, technical expertise in governance and rights and economic recovery, and innovative thinking on early recovery and gender based violence. The IRC also has offices in Brussels and Geneva.

IRC-UK comprises approximately 70 staff across five departments.

The Policy & Practice UK Department

Policy & Practice is a dynamic team combining our communications, policy and advocacy, and technical unit expertise in Europe. Its core purpose is to raise and develop the IRC as a thought leader in Europe and drive transformational change in the humanitarian sector, and specifically to dramatically increase the productivity of humanitarian aid and its ability to achieve outcomes for people living in and displaced by conflict and crisis.

The Purpose of the Role

To provide a high standard of executive and personal assistance to the Deputy Executive Director and the Director of Policy and Practice.

The role will be varied and will suit somebody good at multi-tasking and combining an eye for detail with interest in supporting the both senior leaders in developing the ‘bigger picture’. The right candidate will be efficient and diplomatic, and have the inter-personal skills to deal with senior staff and trustees.

Key Working Relationships

Relationships

• Internal: All staff in the UK office; visitors from other IRC offices, especially senior staff at VP, Country and Regional Director level.


• External: Donors, senior external contacts and private sector.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

1) Policy & Practice Meetings, European Strategic Projects and Policy Events(25%)

• Plan meeting agendas, including compiling and sending papers, taking minutes, ensuring follow-up of action items, handling all logistic arrangements for meetings, including audio-visual and refreshments.


• Plan senior staff field visits, working with country offices to develop an itinerary and information materials; advising board members on travel, visas, immunizations etc; booking travel where required; and ensuring security briefing takes place prior to departure and on arrival.


• Assist as required in all UK Board of Trustees liaison tasks with IRC-UK.

2) Support to Deputy Executive Director (30%)

• Diary management for the Deputy Executive Director, including local and international travel arrangements, pre-meeting briefings and ensuring suitable brand material is prepared for meetings.


• Deal with correspondence on behalf of the Deputy Executive Director.


• Ad-hoc projects as required.

3) Support to Director of Policy & Practice(30%)

• Diary management for Director of Policy & Practice, including local and international travel arrangements, pre-meeting briefings and ensuring suitable brand material is prepared for meetings.


• Deal with correspondence on behalf of the Director of Policy & Practice.


• Organise and take minutes at policy & practice meetings (Policy & Practice UK meetings).


• Provide general support, including international travel arrangements for the team, management of in-coming visitors, and arrangements to support recruitment.


• Ad hoc projects as requied.

4) Administrative Support(15%)

• Liaise between other members of the Senior Management Team as required.


• Support both senior leaders in organisational meetings (Senior Leaders’ Group meeting etc) including taking minutes; disseminate action points and coordination of information packs for dissemination if required.


• Arrange and support all-staff meetings.


• Manage non-department specific in-coming visitors (from the field, IRC New York, and external), arranging meeting schedules, and assisting with travel and hotel bookings.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Degree or equivalent experience.


• Experience as a PA to a senior executive.


• Experience in preparing meeting agendas and minute-taking.


• Excellent administration skills with the ability to plan and prioritise work for self and others.


• Highly computer literate and confident with Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel.


• Excellent time management skills. The post-holder will need to manage their own time well, and the time of senior leaders.


• Excellent communication skills, including a high standard of written and spoken English.


• Self motivated, flexible and able to make judgement calls as to when to take the initiative on the Executive Director’s behalf.


• Good interpersonal skills, and the ability to work with stakeholders at all levels.

Desirable

Experience

• French or German language.


• Interest in overseas aid and development.

How to apply:

To Apply

To apply, please send your CV (two page max) and cover letter (two page max) outlining the reasons for your interest in the post and why you believe yourself to be suitable.

Please send to: applications@rescue-uk.org

The closing date is: 10am Wednesday 7^th October 2015

In order to minimise administrative costs, IRC-UK will only contact short-listed candidates.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

IRC-UK strives to be an equal opportunities employer. IRC-UK is committed to equality of opportunity and to non-discrimination for all job applicants and employees, and we seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce regardless of gender, race, religious beliefs, nationality, ethnic/national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability.