Executive Assistant

You solve problems before anyone knows that a problem exists.

 

We are looking for a dynamic, driven Executive Assistant (EA) who can work with little direction to support several of our most senior consultants, Partners and Principals, at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consulting firm ranked the #3 Best Company to Work For by Fortune Magazine. At BCG, EAs are an essential part of the office and are expected to grow throughout their careers, building and improving their skills to match the evolving needs of BCG and our clients. 

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

A successful EA manages and assumes responsibility for the Partners' agendas, effectively and proactively prioritizing on behalf of the Partners in appropriate situations. We need you to identify and manage the right priorities and processes to ensure that the consultants we support have what they need to seamlessly serve the needs of our clients. You make decisions and give guidance to others based on knowledge of the client and Partner preferences.

 

This position involves booking (and unbooking) travel, scheduling (and rescheduling) meetings, keeping track of time and expenses, supporting the case team process, and generally keeping up with the fast pace of our most senior consulting staff. 

 

While the consultants spend most of their time at the client site, back here at home base (aka the TBD office) you will be surrounded by an Administrative Team that consists of a group of really smart, team-oriented people.  EAs actively participate in office life, are flexible and willing to help fellow Business Services Team (BST) members, and collaborate across functions. They serve as mentors to more junior members of the Admin team.  We work hard together, and we go out of our way to support each other – we want everyone to be successful, individually and as a team.   

 

We won't define a career path for you – some of the EAs we've hired in this role have gone on to have long and successful careers as Senior Executive Assistants at BCG; others have gone into work in one of our many Practice Areas; some have managed teams or rotated through a number of other functions.  Your career growth opportunity will only be limited by your investment.

 

KEY COMPETENCIES:

There are a few key things we look for – do you have what it takes to step into these shoes?

• High customer service orientation – highly responsive, strong interpersonal and communication skills, wants to deliver great results at all times

• Sweats the small stuff – strong attention to detail and accuracy, particularly when under pressure

• Dedicated to the work we do – committed to making our consultants and our clients successful

• Proactive – looking ahead at what needs to be done on all dimensions; creates own to do list

• Organized – excellent at time and project management, has clear systems and composure to deal with multiple tasks at once and ensures everything gets done in a timely manner

• Relationship-oriented – extremely people focused with a certain 'joie de vivre' and the ability to develop effective working relationships with the Consulting Team, clients, and the wider Business Services Team (BST)

• Good judgment – highly professional and diplomatic (dealing with consultants who can be very demanding at times can be a challenge, but a challenge you're up to), knows when to ask for help or advice; is perceptive and practical

• Trustworthy – discreet (you will be privy to confidential information)

• Flexible – must be able to perform successfully in a fast-paced environment; doesn't get frustrated by priorities changing; open to feedback

• Team player – proactively seeks opportunities to help others, will go above and beyond in order to get the job done

• Committed to improving the status quo – we respect and hire people who are willing to ask questions, people who will say what's on their minds and are willing to make a suggestion, even if it is turned down

• Strong intellectual curiosity – a creative thinker, interested in the big picture

• Self-motivated – a "can-do" attitude with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to take on an increasing level of responsibility

 

As you grow in the role we expect that you will:

• Be increasingly proactive

• Demonstrate a high level of ownership of tasks and sound business judgment

• Be seen as a key contributor to the case team process

• Assist with all the behind-the-scenes magic while providing creative solutions, driving our high-level customer service, and positively impacting our client work

 

 

BASIC JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide high-level executive support for Partners, Principals, and other senior executives in a fast-paced and changing client service environment:

  • Organize and schedule client and internal meetings and events with an understanding of business priorities – proactively manages extremely complex calendars

  • Proactively manages and drives case team logistics

  • Effectively prioritize client needs (both within and across different client teams)

• Anticipate and coordinate point-to-point travel needs as necessary including booking all travel and hotels, directions, commuting time and ground transportation

• Process timesheets and expenses on a timely basis

• Prepare proposals, letters, slide decks, client invoices, etc.

• Proactively support business development efforts

• Assist with preparation of case team materials and basic PowerPoint/Excel tasks – prepare slides, proposals, and other documents, including proofreading, editing, copying, and binding when requires

• Draft and archive correspondence

• Conduct research and gather information from public sources across multiple industries; synthesize and package results

• Provide backup support to other executives on a regular basis

• Maintain high levels of confidentiality

• Support administrative aspects of executives' internal commitments: practice area activities, BCG leadership committees, recruiting, etc.

• Act as thought partner and trusted advisor to Partners and others at BCG

• Make sure they know what they need to know

• Guide them toward making right decisions about use of time

• Loop in all relevant parties when needed

• Build effective working relationships with key stakeholders:

  • BCG executives – understand preferences relating to travel, calendar, etc.

  • Clients and their Assistants – facilitate the scheduling process and relevant communications

  • EA and AA peers – work together to support other Project Leaders/Principals/Os on the case team; provide back-up assistance as needed

  • BST peers and internal resources – obtain and share information with wider team as needed; help case team navigate internal resources

• Perform other duties as assigned or required; responsibilities will vary

 

BASIC JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree, strongly preferred

• Demonstrated leadership and/or customer service experience

• Minimum of 3 years experience in a fast paced environment (really fast paced!) supporting senior executives, strongly preferred