We are currently recruiting an Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer for a Permanent contract.
This role is hybrid, both working from home and in our London hub.
We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly between home and the hub to suit their needs and preferences, in line with our hybrid working policy.
Colleagues are able to work their hours flexibly, in line with core business hours and requirements. We also offer formalised flexible working agreements.
The starting salary is £45,505
To apply, please send a CV and cover letter to HRsupport@actuaries.org.uk by the closing date of 5 January 2025.
Interviews will take place from 13 January 2025.
Main purpose of the job
To support the CEO, Presidents and Board Chair by providing efficient personal and administrative support through managing all aspects of their workload and developing relationships with key stakeholders up to senior Board level, supporting these leaders’ effectiveness.
Key accountabilities
- Manage the CEO’s complex diary effectively.
- Oversee support of the Presidential Team and Board Chair through the CEO Team Assistant.
- Manage and deliver the CEO and Presidents’ extensive schedule of international travel, including meeting arrangements, visas, travel and accommodation, and coordinating itineraries and other trip attendees as required.
- Proactively seek opportunities for the CEO to attend events to raise the profile of the IFoA.
- With the Public Affairs team, develop and maintain the CEO’s program of external stakeholder engagement.
- With relevant colleagues, develop and maintain the CEO’s program of internal engagement and visibility.
- Play a strong gatekeeping role as the primary point of contact for the CEO’s office.
- Manage the CEO’s inbox and workload, prioritising actions and ensuring that s/he is aware of urgent matters and work which needs to be dealt with, and proactively responding to emails or drafting responses where possible.
- Manage and prioritise the flow of work to and from the CEO, ensuring that all matters are dealt with in a timely fashion and delegated to other areas of the organisation where appropriate.
- Plan and organise the CEO‘s meetings, including the commissioning and drafting of briefings in partnership with the relevant business area(s), ensuring the availability of priority attendees and making all arrangements (such as room bookings, refreshments and actions are recorded and followed up).
- As required, take minutes from the CEO’s meetings and ensure debrief notes and actions are captured and shared with relevant staff.
- Manage and provide secretariat support to Executive Leadership Team (ELT) meetings, scheduling them in line with governance deadlines, recording and following up of actions and ensuring papers are produced within the required timescales and to a high standard.
- Assist in the drafting of relevant communications and reports on behalf of the CEO.
- Working with the CEO Team Assistant, ensure that expense claims are completed and submitted, and reconcile business credit card statements on behalf of the CEO, as well ensure appropriate sign-off and adherence to the expense policy by their direct reports.
- Ensure value for money in all endeavours, such as overseas travel, by planning ahead as far as possible.
- With relevant colleagues, manage the organisational calendar, engaging key stakeholders for input and effective governance.
- Manage the IFoA’s Putting Things Right process, stewarding the mailbox, working with the Chief Executive Officer to assign investigators and tracking cases to closure.
- Manage the IFoA’s Speaking Up process, stewarding the mailbox, working with IFoA leadership to assign investigators and tracking cases to closure.
- Manage and/or contribute to other organisational special projects and initiatives, as required.
- Act as a key ambassador for the CEO and the CEO office, providing a vital link to the rest of the organisation, particularly by promoting a strong network amongst the group Business Support Managers.
- Provide effective line management for the CEO Team Assistant.
- Engage on other ad hoc matters within the organisation as required.
Contacts
Internal:
- CEO
- CEO Team Assistant
- IFoA Executive Leadership Team
- Corporate Secretary
- Group Business Support Managers
- Events team
- Public Affairs team
- Employees across the organisation
External:
- CEOs of stakeholder organisations and their offices
- Presidential team and their offices
- IFoA Board Chair
- Senior volunteers/officeholders including members of the IFoA’s Council and Board
Complexity
There is a strong requirement to exercise initiative, anticipate the CEO’s requirements, and take decisions accordingly.
Core skills required include problem solving, prioritising, planning ahead and managing conflicting pressures whilst remaining calm and collected. Relationship building, particularly with the CEO, Presidents, Board Chair, and wider colleagues, is key to the success of this role.
The ability to understand the interactions of the IFoA’s strategic projects while maintaining a high level of attention to detail is critical.
The confidence and ability to interact and influence at all levels, building productive working relationships with staff and key stakeholders as an ambassador for the CEO.
A collaborative and flexible approach to work and the ability to contribute fully as part of a small team.
Due to the sensitive nature of material in the CEO’s office, discretion, honesty and integrity are of utmost importance to the role and a key criteria for hiring and performance management.
Decisions
- Will develop and follow clear procedures, making process improvements as and when such opportunities are identified.
- Will ask for steers from the CEO, Presidents and Board Chair when required, but will be expected to take the initiative and proactively take decisions when matters do not need to be escalated.
- Will be required to flexibly organise workload, and the work of the CEO, to deal with changing priorities, external deadlines or issues arising.
Impact
The job will have a substantive impact on the work and the success of the CEO, Presidents, and Board Chair.
Knowledge and experience
Essential:
- to have executive office experience, particularly executive diary and international travel management, at the CEO level or similar.
- to have a demonstrable ability to manage conflicting deadlines and prioritise work accordingly.
- to have excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to digest complex matters quickly.
- to have good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
- to have a collaborative and positive approach.
Desirable:
- to have experience of drafting speeches, reports, articles and other relevant communications.
- to have experience of working at a professional body or in a professional services environment.
Additional information
The workload within the team may vary and the job holder will need to be contactable and responsive outside of standard working hours.
The job holder may be required from time to time to travel between various office locations in the UK.
IFoA’s values
The role holder must be an ambassador for and demonstrate the IFoA Values in all aspects of their work.
- Member-focused: We put members at the heart of everything we do
- Action-oriented: We work hard, we work smart, and we take pride in getting things done, valuing action over perfection
- Forward- and outward-looking: We’re always looking to be bold and improve, innovate and take the next step
- Team-driven: We work in partnership, advancing together as one IFoA
Alternative format and adjustments
Please email the HR Team if you require:
- any information regarding our vacancies in an alternative format
- any adjustments to support you to fully participate in any part of the application and recruitment process
Any information shared will be used only to enable us to make reasonable adjustments to support candidates to participate in the recruitment process. It will not inform selection decisions.
You can reach us at HRsupport@actuaries.org.uk.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
The IFoA encourages applicants from a variety of backgrounds and experience and welcomes diversity with regard not only to protected characteristics but also diversity of thought. Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than just words for us. That’s why we are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels included and respected, and where no one is unfairly discriminated against. Consequently, we promote diversity, equity and inclusion in all our policies, practices and procedures, and actively encourage applications from a diverse range of potential candidates. All applications for our roles are considered on merit alone, and if you don’t meet all the criteria but believe you have something to offer, we want to hear from you. For more information on our commitments, please see our DEI strategy page.
