PA to Director of Resources

Introduction

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is the world’s leading marine ecolabelling and certification program for wild fisheries. The organization's mission is to reverse the decline in global fish stocks, to deliver quantifiable improvements in marine conservation and thereby help to secure the livelihoods of those involved in the global fishing industry. The MSC is recognized internationally as a groundbreaking and credible solution to the serious environmental problem of overfishing.

Further Information

The post holder will provide full PA support to the Director of Resources, including diary management and planning, making travel arrangements and bookings for overseas visits, managing papers for meetings, correspondence, invoices and expenses, along with other day-to-day operations. The post holder will also assist with making arrangements and organising logistics for events and meetings on behalf of the Director. S/he will also be asked to undertake research and from time to time, to work on special projects with the Director, preparing papers and presentations for or on behalf of the Director. 

In the absence of the Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive, the post holder will provide PA support to the Chief Executive, and will therefore need to build a close and effective working relationship with the Executive Assistant.

The post holder will be privy to a wide range of confidential information, and absolute discretion is a must in this role.

In addition, this post will also play a role in providing some administrative and logistical support to teams within the Resources Directorate. This will vary and may range from organisation meetings to helping with administrative tasks.

The post holder will become aware of the latest thinking, issues and priorities facing the organisation and will play a key role in ensuring all actions related to activities and projects led by the Director are followed through. This will require interaction with Board members, the MSC’s senior management team and broad range of stakeholders from around the world.

This unique position will place the post holder at the heart of the organisation and provides an exciting opportunity for a professional and experienced PA and administrator to make a significant contribution in enabling the MSC to deliver its mission.

Skills and Experience

Skills and Experience Required

• A proven and demonstrable track record with prior experience at a senior PA level essential
• Educated to degree level or equivalent essential
• Excellent organisational skills are essential, as is an ability to forward plan with meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities essential
• Excellent communication skills (English – both written and spoken); a second language would be an advantage, but is not essential
• Evidence of ability to manage relationships both internally and externally and at all levels e.g. with colleagues, stakeholders and Board members
• Experience of arranging international travel and logistics
• High level of proficiency with IT, in particular using Microsoft Office applications, Adobe acrobat; an advanced knowledge of MS Outlook is essential
• Confidence in dealing with financial information, in processing invoices and completing expense claims
• Capable of drafting board-standard briefing papers and associated presentations on a wide variety of formats
• Experience of undertaking research and managing and delivering projects desirable.

Personal attributes

• Evidence of ability to prioritise workloads effectively
• High level of discretion, tact and diplomacy
• Strong attention to detail
• Initiative, particularly the ability to anticipate the needs of senior staff
• Ability to combine self-management when working alone with productive team membership and leadership
• Friendly, calm and patient with a helpful nature – and a good sense of perspective and judgement
• Enthusiasm about contributing to MSC-wide activities and delivery of the MSC’s mission and objectives
• An interest in, and a personal commitment to, sustainability would be an advantage.

Download the full 'PA to Director of Resources' Job Description here — (PDF, 222 kB )

Application process

Please email the following material to recruitment@msc.org:

• A copy of your current CV.
• A cover letter and any other supporting materials outlining how your skills, experience and knowledge directly address the roles, responsibilities, and requirements detailed in the respective job specification (see web link above), which constitute the position selection criteria.
• Please note that the deadline is on the 14th October 2013.

Please include in your cover letter your current salary and the media (website, advertisement, newsletter etc) in which you first became aware of this vacancy. The subject of your email should read: PA to Director of Resources.

While email is the preferred application route, alternatively you may send or FAX a hard copy of your application to MSC's London office, to:

Mona Chergui (SCM)
Marine Stewardship Council
1-3 Snow Hill
London EC1A 2DH
United Kingdom
Office: + 44 (0) 20 7246 8900  
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7246 8901