The Executive Assistant provides dedicated one-to-one support to the Deputy Director General of EMBL who is also the Director of EMBL-EBI. This role is located in our Directors’ Office at EMBL-EBI, based at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton.
You will be working alongside the other Directors’ Office PA, the Executive Assistant to the EMBL-EBI Deputy-Director, and the Team Administrator to provide comprehensive cover for the whole of the Directors’ Office.
If you're an experienced and proactive Executive Assistant, excited to contribute to a dynamic environment, we invite you to apply.
Your Role
EMBL and EMBL-EBI are seeking a highly adaptable and proactive individual to join our Directors' Office during an exciting period of change. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive support to the Deputy Director General, ensuring the efficient management of schedules, correspondence, and meeting actions.
Executive Assistance
- Manage the EMBL Deputy Director General’s schedule, including anticipating and resolving conflicts.
- Handle incoming and outgoing communications, using judgement to act independently, delegate, or escalate as necessary.
- Track and ensure follow-up on all actions for the Deputy Director General.
- Draft and prepare high-quality documents and correspondence.
- Maintain organised filing systems and ensure confidentiality of all records.
Meeting & Event Coordination
- Secretariat duties for EMBL-EBI Senior Management Team meetings
- Oversee EMBL-EBI Distinguished Lecturer Seminar series
- Assist in planning and organising EMBL-EBI meetings, events, and reviews
- Support EMBL-EBI and EMBL event and meeting participation, including high-profile VIP visits.
- Coordinate closely with various EMBL offices to ensure seamless operations.
- Take and follow up on minutes for meetings involving the Deputy Director General.
Travel Management
- Plan and coordinate complex travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, transfers and detailed itineraries.
- Process and manage expenses, ensuring timely reimbursement.
Directors’ Office Management
- Supervisory responsibility for Directors' Office PA and Team Admin, including performance reviews, annual assessments
- Provide coverage for colleagues in the Directors' Office.
You Have
The role requires flexibility to adapt to evolving priorities and the ability to maintain high standards in a dynamic environment.
- Degree level or equivalent professional experience
- A proven track record of relevant executive/ director-level support in a large organisation or C suite management
- Good knowledge of Windows, MS Office, email and web applications
- Excellent spoken and written English
- Excellent rapport and communication skills
- Persuasive interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain constructive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Experience in dealing with an international staff and an awareness and understanding of cultural differences
- Flexibility to respond to changing priorities, often at very short notice
- Self-motivation and resilience
- Ability to proactively seek solutions to scheduling conflicts
- Excellent organisational skills, managing a variety of tasks simultaneously
- Experience in managing/supervisory responsibility for colleagues
- Tact, diplomacy and discretion in handling sensitive or highly confidential material appropriately
- Ability to work both independently with minimum supervision and as part of a wider support team, to tight or shifting deadlines
- Willingness to get involved in other project work as necessary
- This role is supporting a senior Director and international scientist with a varied and busy schedule therefore there may be occasions to pick up work outside normal business hours
- Ability to travel to other locations if required
You might also have
- Experience of working in an academic, scientific and/or international environment
- Knowledge of other European languages, such as German, French, Italian or Spanish
- An interest in scientific and academic work
Why join us
Do something meaningful
At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges. EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. We provide the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools which are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security, and biodiversity.
Join a culture of innovation
We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, and surrounded by beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. This is a highly collaborative and inclusive community where our employees enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential.
Enjoy Lots Of Benefits
- Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
- Flexible working arrangements
- Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
- Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to eight bank holidays
- Relocation package including installation grant (if required)
- Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
- Family benefits: On-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
- Benefits for non-UK residents: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.
For more details please see our employee benefits page.
What Else You Need To Know
- Contract duration: This position is a 3 year contract, renewable to a maximum of 9 years.
- International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Read more on our page for international applicants.
- Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL-EBI, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ and individuals from all nationalities.
- EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we implement best practices in research assessment in our recruitment processes here.
- Job location: This role is based in Hinxton, near Cambridge, UK. You will be required to relocate if you are based overseas and you will receive a generous relocation package to support you.
- How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system.
- Interviews: We plan to hold interviews on Campus, in September 2024
