View Vacancy - Executive Assistant to Deputy Trade Commissioner, Latin America and the Caribbean
Main purpose of job:
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the Trade and Investment Promotion and Negotiation organisation for the UK. We promote British trade and investment across the world, and we support UK businesses overseas and attract foreign investment to our shores. We have 3,000 staff across the globe in over 100 countries.
DIT divides the world into 9 regions, each led by Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner. The Latin American and the Caribbean Region (LATAC) is led from Sao Paulo by Jonathan Knott. His Deputy is located in Mexico City. The Network is represented in 20 Posts with a team of over 140.
DIT LATAC is looking for a full-time Executive Assistant to work for the DIT LATAC team, based in the British Embassy, Mexico City.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced candidate to work in a fast-paced fascinating environment in an important central role. The position reports directly to the Head of the LATAC Executive Office, providing a range of executive support.
The role will suit a team player who is open to new ideas and ways of working, is discreet and capable of working with constantly changing priorities and managing a full workload. Experience of working in secretarial duties and/or administration is essential and experience in events management is desirable.
Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:
• Diary Management for the Deputy Trade Commissioner: Provide administrative support for the Deputy Trade Commissioner, working with wider teams to ensure he can discharge his role effectively. This will include, but not limited to: Receive internal/external meeting requests and schedule – providing clear advice on priorities, flagging deadlines, providing/chasing updates as required, plan and deliver on his visits and travel 40% of the job
• Mexico Executive Office Support: Provide administrative support, as part of the Mexico Executive Office team, for the senior leadership as required – including diary and finance management, as needed. Work closely with the Mexican team to ensure the effective delivery of the administrative operation. 40% of the job
• Operations: You will work as part of a seven person operations team, based around Latin America and the Caribbean, which includes finance, staff engagement, strategic projects and administrative support. As part of this team, you will be expected to provide ad hoc support to colleagues at busy times, as they will be expected to support you to deliver the team’s objectives together. This will include covering as PA to HMTC as and when needed. In Mexico this will include supporting different colleagues, supporting the delivery of Ministerial Visits, and dealing with ad hoc projects as required. 20% of the job
The job holder should be quick, precise and discreet. They should be a good planner and be able to juggle competing demands, switch between different functions and be comfortable working at speed with a lot of different customers. They should also be a friendly and approachable face of the Mexico Executive Office to senior outsiders and to staff and comfortable solving problems and coming up with innovative solutions. They need to be keen to be part of a culture of excellence, respect and working together. This person also needs to be comfortable with the responsibilities of this role shifting and changing depending on emerging priorities and the needs of the Embassy.
• University degree in Secretarial Sciences or Business Administration OR the equivalent in relevant work experience
• An excellent standard of written and spoken English and Spanish;
• Excellent computer keyboard skills, including familiarity with the MS Office suite of programs;
• The ability to work quickly and reliably and to deliver at pace with limited supervision;
• Excellent attention to detail and level of diligence.
• Excellent self-management, time-management and organisational skills;
• At least 2 years previous experience of EA, PA or administrative work;
• Ability to work in a high pressure, high workload environment;
• Flexible and positive approach to working in a forward thinking, modern and motivated organisation.
• Ability to upward manage; excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills
• Ability to efficiently manage budget and forecast.
Candidates must be able to live and work in Mexico in their own right. The successful candidate will be subject to a security clearance and professional reference checks.
Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, eg some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.
The Department for International Trade is committed to supporting all of its employees to grow professionally. Each member of our team works with their line manager to develop a personalised development plan, which identifies areas for growth and sets out formal and informal learning to be completed to achieve that growth. The successful candidate will be given a thorough induction and will be expected to complete a range of mandatory training.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
