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Position Overview

The primary responsibility of this post is to provide critical administrative, operational, and project support to the Regional Director, Americas. The Administrative Assistant will also support the Regional Office Manager and other Directors and team members in the MSC Americas region.

Key Responsibilities

Provide administrative support to the Regional Director, Americas which will include operations and project assistance as required. You will also provide additional help to the Regional Office Manager and other Directors and team members in the MSC Americas region.

Responsibilities - Key Results & Outcomes:

• Provide management and logistical support for meetings and appointments for executives and senior staff, which includes working across multiple time zones.
• Organise national and international travel bookings and other travel arrangements.
• Preparation of expense reporting.
• Research and format quarterly and other regular reports, presentations and speaking notes. 
• Arrange meetings and conference calls and their required logistics, including preparation of materials and minute taking.
• Prepare meeting agendas and be responsible for notetaking as well as preparing meeting reports.
• Assist with telephone, email, letters and other communications and correspondence. 
• Upload and organize materials on team SharePoint sites, as well as photocopying, data entry and management, and office administration. 
• Provide back up to the Regional Office Manager who is based in Seattle, WA.
• Work on special projects as assigned by the Regional Director and/or Regional Office Manager. 
• Ad hoc projects for the marketing communications and commercial teams, as assigned.
• Schedule webinars, workshops and events for teams.
• Assist with budgeting and expense report management. 
• Prepare spreadsheets as required, ensuring data is entered accurately.

Note: No job description can be entirely comprehensive and the jobholder will be expected to carry out such other duties as may be required from time to time and are broadly consistent with the job description and status of the post within the organisation.

You will be expected to carry out all duties in the context of and in compliance with the MSC’s Equality & Diversity and Health & Safety policies.

Person Specification

Technical Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Proven role-specific experience in providing successful high-level administrative support to one or more top executives
• Demonstrable experience of meetings and events planning, including knowledge of online events planning, writing minutes and follow up
• Well-developed IT skills, including use of standard software packages (MS SharePoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Adobe Acrobat)
• Experience of using:
  • CRM management and other databases, including basic database entry and management
  • Microsoft Teams and managing virtual meetings across multiple time zones
• Experience and expertise in making executive travel arrangements and in handling expense reporting
• Basic research skills and advance skills in material and presentation preparation using Microsoft office and other formats is required
• Excellent proof reading and copy-editing skills
• Experience in basic database entry and management is preferred
• Ability to use basic office equipment such as printers, copiers, phones, computers, etc.

Stakeholder Oriented:

• Strong focus on delivery of excellent customer service (including expectation management)
• Evidence of ability to cultivate and manage relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, suppliers and collaborators successfully, with a people-centred approach to business and work essential
• Ability to gain credibility with, and the respect of, staff at all levels of the MSC

Organisational:

• Prior experience of working on office projects is mandatory along with excellent organisational skills
• Ability to manage time and prioritise urgent and essential tasks, to ensure meeting tight deadlines
• Evidence of ability to operate and get results in a very busy environment with several tasks competing for priority – willingness to “go the extra mile”

Communications:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Spanish speaking candidates are preferred but not mandatory
• Initiative to engage directly with stakeholders, as appropriate, and judgement to involve relevant senior staff when conversations approach more sensitive issues
• Some experience of preparing and delivering presentations and reports would be an advantage

Personal attributes:

• Strong work ethic, enthusiastic nature, ability to take initiative when appropriate and with excellent attention to detail
• Able to work on own, when necessary, but equally at home working as part of a team; likes using own initiative within agreed boundaries
• Confident, with ability to develop effective working relationships with people at all levels within the MSC, and its external stakeholders
• Able to demonstrate problem-solving skills
• A quick learner, happy to learn by doing with support from more experienced members of the team
• Willingness and enthusiasm to contribute to MSC-wide responsibilities and development, when appropriate, in pursuit of the MSC’s mission and vision
• Empathy and interest in the MSC's mission and objectives
• Demonstrated cultural awareness and sensitivity to the diversity of values, views and approaches to issues relevant to the MSC program
• A proactive team member who enjoys responsibility and is able to work well under pressure, with an ability to multi-task and manage multiple deadlines
• Trustworthy and able to maintain a high degree of confidentiality

Circumstances:

• Weekend work and overtime is rare and some travel may be required