Senior Executive Assistant

Senior Executive Assistant Job #: req32857 Organization: World Bank Sector: Administration/Office Support Grade: GD Term Duration: 2 years 0 months Recruitment Type: International Recruitment Location: Washington, DC,United States Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Closing Date: 5/2/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

 Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges.  For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
The 25 Executive Directors of the WBG Board, assisted by their Alternates, Senior Advisors, Advisors and Administrative staff represent the interests of the 189-member countries who nominated or elected them. They also ensure the oversight of the general operations of the Bank Group and the group’s results on the ground. The institutions under their purview are: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. The Board, working closely with Management, approves several policies, financial commitments, and knowledge products that ensure the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge results for its clients in developing countries.
The Office of the Executive Director for United Kingdom (EDS03) is looking for a motivated and proactive Senior Executive Assistant with excellent administrative, organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills to join the team.
The Executive Director’s (ED) Office represents the United Kingdom in the Bank and deals with all aspects of the Bank's work, interacts with Senior Bank Management, staff in other departments in the Bank, IFC, MIGA, as well as ministries, governments, embassies, high-level officials, representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, academia, and others from the UK. In addition to the Executive Director, the office consists of an Alternate Executive Director (AED), five Advisors, and a Research Assistant.
The UK office is seeking to recruit a Senior Executive Assistant. S/he will support the office work as a core member of the team and provide support on administrative related issues to the ED, AED, and all the Advisors. S/he will interact with a wide range of stakeholders within and outside the World Bank and will be expected to handle all tasks necessary for the efficient functioning of the office. Candidates should be prepared to work under pressure and in a high-pace and supportive environment. Candidates should be ready to take initiative and responsibility, demonstrating a high level of proactivity and organization. 
The successful candidate will report to the Executive Director.
Note:
Administrative support staff hired into the Executive Directors’ offices will be offered an initial 2-year Term appointment.  Staff on open-ended appointments who are selected into the EDs’ offices are strongly advised to obtain a re-entry guarantee from their releasing units to be able to return to open-ended status.  An open-ended staff who does not have a re-entry to his/her releasing unit acknowledges that by applying to this position, s/he is entering a Term position, if selected, and will not be able to maintain his/her open-ended status. Executive Directors must conduct an annual overall performance review for their administrative support staff consistent with WBG annual performance review processes.
If an already open-ended candidate in an ED office gets selected, s/he will retain his/her open-ended status based on already meeting the eligibility and prior conversion decision per the ED ACS conversion policy.  Such candidate may be subject to rotation as required by Corporate Secretary.
Roles & Responsibility:
•   Provides a full range of executive assistance, including high-level administrative and organizational support to the Executive Director’s office and works seamlessly as a team with the Research Assistant.•   Foster an inclusive and collaborative work environment in a multicultural setting, promoting respect and open communication among diverse team members to ensure the achievement of collective goals. •   Serves as the main point of contact for the Executive Director for internal and external contacts.•   Coordinate Executive Director’s calendar and diary, regularly assess incoming requests, identify critical issues and clashes, prioritize tasks effectively to respond promptly to ensure timely and efficient decision-making, based on the ED’s preferences.•   Support the Executive Director’s office with logistical preparations, including Webex video and audio conferencing for meetings or other events. Prepare materials for meetings, events, forums, and missions, and print materials (as needed) for meetings, events, forums and missions. Manage digital versions along with other digital materials in the electronic folders to ensure timely and complete record keeping and knowledge management•   Ensures the highest level of discretion, judgment, and diplomacy in providing a wide range of executive assistant support, sets priorities, manages the workflow in an efficient and organized manner.•   Prepares, processes, and handles information of a sensitive and confidential nature.•   Prepares the documentation needed by the Executive Director for the various Board Meetings, Board Committee Meetings, retreats, and operational travel.•   Provides research support and gathers information as instructed by the Executive Director, synthesizing data from various sources, and prepare high-quality PowerPoint presentations that effectively communicate.•   Prepare clear, prompt and concise communication to the ED and colleagues, ensuring alignment with the Executive Director's style and preferences and tailoring messages to effectively engage and inform stakeholders.•   Keeps informed on new procedures as introduced by the World Bank, specifically those related with the Corporate Secretariat; making sure all staff in the ED’s office are informed and, if necessary, trained in using new tools; attends learning sessions when necessary and convenient with regards to the schedule of the Executive Director.•   Works jointly with the World Bank Group Corporate Secretariat to ensure efficient functioning of the Executive Director’s office, as well as colleagues in Bank IT, HR and others. •   Keeps track of the tenure dates of staff in the Executive Director's office and assists the Executive Director with the administrative side of recruitment and the advisors’ rotation process, including assisting staff with arrival into the office and their departures.•   Plans and organizes operational travel itineraries, visa arrangements, and hotel bookings on behalf of the Executive Director’s office and processes the trip reports and representational expenses.•   Gives independent follow-up on extensive and diverse inquiries and can make appropriate decisions.•   Monitors office budget for the office, proving regular updates to the ED and AED on spending and trends in the budget.•   Works proactively with the AED and Advisors in planning and setting up a forward-looking agenda for the Executive Director and the office.•   Delegates work and assignments where appropriate to the Research Assistant, and supports their work program and development.•   Support the coordination of the program of meetings for the Executive Director and High Government officials at Ministerial Level during the Spring Meetings and Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.•   Accompanies the Executive Director’s office to the Annual Meetings when held in member countries (once in three years); gives administrative and logistical support to the Executive Director and to the delegations of the participating constituency countries.•   Takes care of the proper dissemination of documentation and relevant information to the UK Governor/Alternate Governor and the UK’s authorities.•   Arranges meetings with Senior Bank Management for visiting high-level Government officials and high-level Representatives of the private sector.•   Undertakes and effectively organizes all manner of events related to the work of the Executive Director (working lunches and dinners, office retreats, networking events, cultural events, receptions, etc.)•   Drafts letters and memoranda for final approval and signature by the Executive Director.•   Serves as the Office Leave Coordinator.•   Maintains and updates contact lists, the digital filing system, and ensures the efficient functioning of the Executive Director's Office.•   Maintains an extensive network of contacts at the most senior levels, internally as well as externally. This includes a wide variety of high-level contacts with the respective authorities of the constituency countries represented by the Executive Director's Office, other international organizations, NGOs and the public sector. This particularly includes building and maintaining a close relationship with the UK office in the IMF and with other ED offices in the World Bank. •   Ensures an efficient knowledge management, filing and back-up system is in place.•   Undertake other ad hoc duties that may be assigned to ensure the smooth operation of all aspects of ED’s office.

Selection Criteria

Minimum Education/Experience: 
•   Must have a high school diploma (bachelor’s degree preferred) and at least ten years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.•   Extensive and diverse experience within the World Bank Group or similar large organization, with an in-depth knowledge of the full range of Bank Group or large institution processes, technologies, policies, and procedures, particularly with regards to institution-wide decision-making functions.•   Knowledge of the UK government and/or development issues would also be an asset. 
Required Competencies:
•   Very strong executive assistant skills and knowledge, including of running  a senior official’s diary.  •   Reliability, resourcefulness, and flexibility. A committed team player with high team spirit and commitment to work in a team-oriented and multi-cultural environment.•   High proficiency in MS Outlook and Excel, plus experience with other programs such as PowerPoint, Word, and Access, with the ability to use tools to maintain a very high standard of service and office management to  support decision-making and strategic planning.•   Project and task management - Able to organize, coordinate, monitor and implement tasks and projects, especially on behalf of the ED and wider team. Demonstrates ownership and accountability for results. Demonstrates innovation and creativity in promoting effectiveness.•   Technology and systems knowledge - Has advanced proficiency of latest technology relevant to assigned responsibilities. Demonstrates initiative in learning and/or supporting implementation of emerging technology and systems relevant to effective work of the unit.•   Experience working in diverse portfolio of activities and tasks. It is very important that the candidate has a positive attitude and demonstrates ability to multitask and judge priorities under tight deadlines, and to highlight clashes and workload risks to enable effective delegation.•   Demonstrated ability to work independently with a high level of discretion, with ability to delegate where necessary and flexibility to take on tasks for others. Proven track record in managing confidentiality.  Strong personal ethics and sound judgment. Willingness and ability to resolve conflicts constructively.•   Institutional policies, processes, and procedures - Demonstrates in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of administrative and policy guidelines, practices, products, and services in area of assigned functional responsibility; can guide others in complex situations.•   Versatility and adaptability - able to anticipate, facilitate, and catalyze change in the business environment and accurately assess the need for new skills and knowledge. Demonstrates continued learning attitude, supporting others in their learning and change management efforts.•   Team Leadership (Administrative Staff) - Provides direction to the team, making changes to processes as needed to support progress. Encourages others to grow by providing guidance, stretch assignments, and learning opportunities. Plays an active role in the unit-wide leadership teams.•   Deliver Results for Clients - Takes full ownership to address client needs.•   Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Contributes to wider collaborative efforts.•   Create, Apply, and Share Knowledge - Actively promotes knowledge-sharing.•   Make Smart Decisions - Analyzes data to support and enable decision-making.•   Office Administration - Able to take responsibility for all aspects of planning, organization, coordination, and improvement of the unit's administrative work distribution in support of the implementation of the units work program. 
Other Selection Criteria:
•   Ability to lead, supervise, and coach administrative staff and address motivation, training and development issues relevant to support staff.