Executive Assistant to the Executive Director (London, U.K.) job with PANDEMIC ACTION NETWORK

About Pandemic Action Network

Pandemic Action Network drives collective action to ensure the world is prepared to respond to outbreaks and prevent the next pandemic. The Network consists of more than 400 partners across sectors and geographies working to build and sustain political will, enact policies, and mobilize the resources necessary to ensure that the lessons from the COVID-19 crisis translate into a future where humanity is better prepared to deal with emerging infectious disease outbreaks and stop a deadly and costly pandemic from happening again.

Position Information

Job Title: Executive Assistant to the Executive Director

Job Location: London, U.K. (remote work)

Contract Term & Time Allocation: FTE

Contract Duration: Indefinite 

Supervisor Name & Title: Eloise Todd, Executive Director and Co-founder, Pandemic Action Network

Position Summary

Pandemic Action Network (PAN) is seeking an experienced Executive Assistant to provide comprehensive support to our Executive Director, based in Brussels. 

This is a role for a well-organized, detail and relationship-oriented person with a passion for managing complexity in a highly dynamic political advocacy environment. This role will manage the Executive Director’s day-to-day activities, ensuring efficiency, and fostering effective communication with key stakeholders and partners as well as across all levels of our global remote team. This rolle will be the gatekeeper of the Executive Director’s schedule, managing calendars across competing priorities, scheduling meetings and time to complete tasks, managing communication and confirming appointments with stakeholders, drafting itineraries and background memos for engagements, managing logistics of events, and arranging travel when necessary.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced international environment, someone who is a natural problem-solver and doer with an aptitude for managing up and laterally to ensure that “balls do not drop”. No coaching necessary on the basics — the ideal candidate will have already mastered them, but will be hungry for exposure and experience in all aspects of the organization. This role will have the opportunity to work on a variety of exciting projects and initiatives in support of the Executive Director.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership Support (80%)

• Administrative support for the Executive Director, including but not limited to managing calendars and scheduling a high volume of meetings in a dynamic environment, making travel arrangements, and submitting expense reports 
• Managing and balancing workload for the Executive Director across a diversity of priorities and helping her make informed trade-off decisions
• Tracking tasks, deliverables and project deadlines and scheduling time to meet them 
• Leading with solutions, identifying options, and providing relevant information when engaging with the Executive Director to help her make informed decisions quickly and with confidence 
• Engaging with and coordinating among stakeholders (internal and external) who meet with the Executive Director
• Supporting meeting and event preparation including agenda setting, internal communication and relevant coordination, tracking action items and follow-up and taking meeting notes when appropriate
• Providing administrative support for meetings, convenings or events and assisting with logistics, preparation, research, and material preparation/dissemination based on PAN style and standards
• Being a prudent/professional, yet affable/approachable gatekeeper — always operating with the utmost discretion
• Having an ear to the ground to surface successes and challenges faced by staff
• Approaching new tasks and responsibilities with care and enthusiasm

Team Priorities Support (20%)

• Helping with meeting administration such as note-taking, monitoring chats, sharing presentations or links to ancillary information 
• Supporting the team to ensure timely and accurate record-keeping via PAN’s CRM system
• Administrative and research support for advocacy letters, campaigns, and helping gather contact information 
• Contributing to the development, improvement, and implementation of organizational processes
• Be ready to pitch in to fill gaps within our small, committed team to serve PAN priorities

Desired Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a fast-paced office environment including high-level administrative support with experience managing scheduling and executive priorities 
• Proven experience balancing competing priorities and identifying when to escalate an issue
• Proven experience in developing and editing professional communications including emails, briefs, PowerPoint presentations, reports. etc.
• Proficiency with common office tools including Zoom, Microsoft Office, Google docs, Airtable (CRM), and project management tools and/or aptitude and willingness to master new platforms
• Experience working in a global organization across multiple time zones highly advantageous
• Fluency in English — additional language fluency a plus
• Experience working in the NGO sector and/or political advocacy a plus
• Project management skills a plus
• Must have the right to work in the U.K. and be U.K-based, located in the London area, a plus

Competencies

• Deep commitment to Pandemic Action Network’s mission and knowledge/interest in global health policy and advocacy
• Organized, detail-oriented with strong logistics, planning, and coordination skills
• Excellent writing, proofreading, project-management and research skills
• Excellent interpersonal communications skills to engage with high-level and global stakeholders with sensitivity to cultural differences
• Ability to work diplomatically and effectively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, often with ambiguity — capacity to embrace change at a moment’s notice, shifting priorities instantly, having a “no task is too big or too small” attitude
• Adept at working remotely and across time zones, utilizing global communication tools
• Ability to work proactively and without oversight, demonstrating an entrepreneurial and problem-solving mindset
• Professional maturity, strong interpersonal and group skills, and a sense of humor

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation and benefits will depend on the experience, education, and location of the candidate and team equity. Benefits include unlimited paid time off with pre-approval of the manager.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit both a resume and cover letter. Applications received by March 29, 2024 will receive priority review. 

About Panorama

Pandemic Action Network is a fiscally sponsored project of Panorama Global, a 501(c)(3) social impact non-profit that empowers changemakers through radical collaboration.

Panorama is committed to creating a diverse team and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We know that representation matters in the workplace and with our partners; to that end we are committed to a hiring process grounded in equity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, caste, citizenship or immigration status, national origin, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, political ideology, the presence of any physical, mental, or sensory disability, age, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Panorama complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. 

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work. The final offer will be contingent on the completion of a successful background check.