Executive Assistant

What success looks like in this role:

We are excited to announce an opportunity for an Executive Assistant to join our team at our Milton Keynes office. 

The Executive Assistant is accountable for providing high level administrative and professional support to an executive and/or 5 or more professionals within a medium to large size business group on activities that generally span up to a 6-month time-frame. Monitors and ensures that all established administrative and operational processes and control standards are followed and makes recommendations on process improvement. In addition, establishes a deep knowledge of the Executive’s quarterly and annual business cycles and proactively manages calendar and events in advance preparation. This role performs intermediate to advanced analytical functions for purposes of contributing to the effective and efficient operation of the business group. The Executive Assistant is accountable for performing financial and business/situational analysis and support in order to identify and recommend appropriate business alternatives. This position coordinates and manages programs, events, conferences and other internal or client functions, often requiring the Senior Administrative Assistant to be available after hours in consideration of multiple time-zones.

Key Accountability

• Professional Support (60%)
• Financial Analysis and Support (20%)
• General Office Administration (10%)
• Human Resources Administration (10%)

Specific Accountability

Professional Support Accountabilities:

• Develops and leverages relationships across business units, senior leadership, colleagues and external clients to foster and support cross-functional and international coordination while carrying out accountabilities.
• Writes, edits and manages organization centric materials such as communications, correspondence, presentations, reports, including deciding on or recommending content. Accountable for disseminating communications to facilitate timely and effective communications.
• Full discretion and management of professional’s calendars, email, contacts. Manages and coordinates logistics for client events, conferences. Manages complex international multi-leg travel, often requiring continuous changes, and rescheduling.
• Manages complex Executive calendars considerate of numerous scheduling and professional requirements. Understands that schedules change and must remain flexible and supportive in coordination efforts.
• Compiles weekly/regular information reports that summarize key insights and trends that are available through a wide variety of vehicles, highlighting key points for senior members of the group. May be required to conduct extensive research relevant to professionals’ function, and compiles research package, and briefing notes for Executive.
• Represents and Liaises for the Executive when appropriate with the Executive team members.
• Interfaces with internal and external executives on behalf on business leaders in coordination of meetings, events, presentations, conferences, client entertainment, etc.
• Performs business/situational analysis and develops recommendations such as identifying and developing business process improvements opportunities, or identifying and developing alternatives to support business decisions. Participates in recommending the most appropriate alternative to achieve business goals and business needs more efficiently and effectively. Participates in planning and coordination through to implementation.
• May be required to manage databases or specialized software programs on behalf of business group. Works with Business Analysts to develop and produce customized reports, and ensure data quality is maintained on behalf of the business. Runs various regular weekly and monthly reports.
• Develops and edits high quality Power-Point presentations leveraging past material and current brand guidelines.

Financial Analysis & Support Accountabilities:

• Manages and processes project expenses including reallocations to the appropriate expense/project code.
• Reviews and verifies invoices for processing and payment in adherence with department processes, guidelines and vendor agreements.
• Identifies, develops, recommends and implements cost saving opportunities whenever possible for the benefit of the group and for the department as a whole. Seeks approval for recommendations according to organizational or local policy. Performs some financial analysis of billing and costing, and to support developing of alternatives to support business decision-making.
• Accountable for all department expenses and reallocations.
• Processes, verifies, and monitors expenses and develops and maintains an efficient filing system to ensure reports, correspondence and financial documentation are maintained and readily available. Establishes and maintains organized electronic filing systems to ensure that business and operational reports, forms, and other business documentation are readily available.

General Office Administration Accountabilities:

• Supports a specific Executive(s) and is a member of the broader Administration team providing back-up and support to peers including other Executive Assistants, Administrative Assistants and Office Management staff. Vacation and out of office time to be considerate of back-up availability.
• Assists with insuring department visitors have reserved workstations, are equipped with necessary equipment and are provided information on the local area.
• Provides input to Senior Manager, Administration on the development of Best Practices, Desk Notes and maintains the standards set forth
• Coordinates and executes initiatives across Support & Professional teams, such as integrity of employee information, standardization of processes and roll out of new programs.
• Partners with peer group to ensure accurate representation of internal information is displayed on the Intranet Site

Human Resources Administration Accountabilities:

• Maintains and tracks staff vacations and absences in accordance with divisional guidelines to ensure consistency in entitlement and to determine staff availability. Participates in resolution of issues.
• May coordinate a smooth onboarding for department new hires requiring coordination with various support groups, including but not limited to: Information technology, HR and Administration to insure peripherals are provided and access is granted.
• Provides coaching and mentoring to more junior colleagues to assist them in developing capability to carry out current job accountabilities and to expand the types and levels of work they perform in the future. Performs back-up function for other administrative staff during vacation or other absences to ensure that administrative support is provided on an ongoing basis.
• Coordinates training requirements for staff (research, booking, cancellations, confirmations, etc).

Authorities: 

• Auditing- Ensures that tracking meets established standards. Resolves moderately complex issues and escalates high-complexity issues for resolution.
• Advisory- Provides advice or suggests how to follow standard processes. Provides resolution on all administrative or operational matters of a non-controversial nature. Recommends process improvements and recommends appropriate content for reports and presentations to senior managers. Makes recommendations for alternatives to support business objectives and needs.
• Autonomy- Works independently to accomplish most tasks. Is expected to develop and foster client relationships and bring forward process improvement ideas to the Business Head.
• Decision Making- Makes moderate to high-complexity decisions in fielding phone calls, coordinating meetings, managing calendars, managing travel, and in responding to non-controversial inquiries. Makes moderately complex decisions in performing business/situational analysis, in preparing reports/presentations, and in developing and implementing process improvements. When relevant established processes or procedures do not exist, the incumbent is participates in determining and recommending the best process/procedure to achieve the desired outcome.

Cross -Functional Relationships

• Interacts regularly with senior managers, and with cross-functional business units to collect information to prepare research, presentations or reports, and to accomplish administrative and operational tasks. Develops relationships to achieve outcomes and to improve cross-group relationships.
• Interacts with colleagues and clients globally, dealing with multiple time-zones and cultural implications depending on unique requirements of the business unit.

Job Dimensions:

• Performs financial and business/situational analysis in order to recommend alternatives for purposes of contributing to the effective and efficient operation of the business group, and for purposes of achieving business objectives. Manages or participates in the leadership of a variety of administrative/operational related projects
• Provides high level administrative and professional support to an executive and 5 or more professionals within a medium to large size business group on activities that generally span up to a 6-month timeframe.
• Overtime work is required with little notice including weekend work. Phone and internet home access is required.
• May be seconded or reassigned within the broader business group if business requirements change

You will be successful in this role if you have:

• Typically, 5-7 years’ experience within senior administrative/ professional support function in a fast paced environment, dealing with moderately complex issues and managing conflicting priorities.
• Knowledge of financial processing standards, and key business processes. Some knowledge of technical services industry preferred. Very good working knowledge of project management methodologies, and human resources policy.
• Seasoned broad business knowledge and deep understanding of the organisational unit, its functions and products, and customer groups.
• Very good understanding of the processes, policies and procedures required for supporting the business unit.
• Strong analytical and mathematical capabilities.

Skills

• Ability to organise high complexity and high-volume business information and develop it into cohesive, professional reports and presentations, with little guidance and ability to recognise and respond to business related issues within the scope of the material.
• Ability to analyse relevant alternatives and create a rational recommendation to support business decision-making. Ability to plan and coordinate implementation of the selected alternative.
• Detail oriented, extremely well organised, and able to manage time and multi-task to accomplish a multitude of tasks, with conflicting priorities and timelines.
• Very proficient at administrative tasks, and ability to coach and mentor more junior staff.
• Expert level MS Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Good project management skills to coordinate and lead a variety of initiatives.
• Exceptionally strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to deal with clients in a professional and courteous manner, and to develop and leverage professional working relationships.
• Ability to leverage knowledge of the organisation and the supported business unit’s uniqueness, to carry out accountabilities.
• Ability to work both independently, as well as to play a leadership role in building a cohesive team.
• Ability to deal with confidential materials in an appropriate manner.

Working Conditions

This is office-based role. 

WE ARE PROUD OF:

• Unisys was named a Leader in the 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Managed Workplace Services, North America.
• Unisys won the 2020 Microsoft Global Partner of the Year Award in the Modern Workplace – Modern Endpoint Management category.
• Unisys won the 2020 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards in the categories of Innovation in Technology Management, Planning & Implementation and Innovation in Business-to-Business Products & Services.
• Unisys was recognized as a Top 100 Global Outsourcing Company by IAOP for the 15th consecutive year.
• Unisys was named to the Forbes America’s Best Employers for Diversity 2021 list.
• Unisys won the 2021 Artificial Intelligence Breakthrough Award for Best Chatbot Solution.
• Unisys was named a Leader in the NelsonHall 2020 Next Generation End-User Computing Services report.
• Unisys was named one of America’s Best Employers for Women by Forbes in 2023.

WHY UNISYS:

Competitive compensation and benefits: Unisys offers competitive compensation packages and benefits to their employees, including healthcare, retirement plans, paid time off and compensation.

Innovative and challenging work: Unisys is a company that is constantly pushing the boundaries of technology, which means that you will have the opportunity to work on innovative and challenging projects.

Collaborative culture: Unisys has a collaborative and inclusive work culture, which means that you will have the chance to work with people from diverse backgrounds and learn from their expertise.

Employee development: Unisys is committed to investing in their employees’ professional growth and development, offering training and development opportunities, mentorship programs, and leadership development programs.

Industry expertise: Unisys has deep expertise in various industries, including financial services, healthcare, government, and transportation. This means that you will have the opportunity to work on projects in your industry of interest and learn from experienced colleagues who understand the unique challenges and opportunities of your industry.

Social responsibility: Unisys is committed to social responsibility and sustainability, which means that you will have the opportunity to work for a company that is making a positive impact on the world

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Unisys is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that considers all qualified applicants without regard to age, caste, citizenship, color, disability, family medical history, family status, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, parental status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status or any other category protected by law.

This commitment includes our efforts to provide for all those who seek to express interest in employment the opportunity to participate without barriers. If you are a US job seeker unable to review the job opportunities herein, or cannot otherwise complete your expression of interest, without additional assistance and would like to discuss a request for reasonable accommodation, please contact our Global Recruiting organization at GlobalRecruiting@unisys.com or alternatively Toll Free: 888-560-1782 (Prompt 4). US job seekers can find more information about Unisys’ EEO commitment here.

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