View Vacancy – Executive Assistant to Director Exports North America and Regional Director

Main purpose of job

The British Consulate General in Chicago is seeking a qualified Executive Assistant (EA) to support both the Regional Director and Director Exports North America at post.   The successful applicant will be a part of the 18 person Department for International Trade team responsible for the Midwest region. The job holder will be responsible for undertaking a team coordination role. This is a fast moving environment that requires an individual to be flexible, organised, efficient and the ability to operate at pace. The role reports to the Regional Director.

This position is an opportunity to join a dynamic team focused on fostering transatlantic business relations between the US and its top economic partner in Europe.

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) has overall responsibility for promoting UK trade across the world and attracting foreign investment to our economy. We are a specialised government body with responsibility for negotiating international trade policy, supporting business, as well as delivering an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy.

DIT USA works closely with DIT headquarters in London, with related agencies in the UK and with representatives of the English Regions and the UK’s Devolved Administrations in the US, to assist US companies looking to invest in the UK and help UK companies identify opportunities to trade with the US (see www.gov.uk/DIT).

Roles and responsibilities

• Provide administrative support including managing schedules, organising travel and providing support on the execution of high level delegations.
• Assist with the organization and execution of networking receptions, events, informational seminars, trade missions, panel discussions, and other initiatives designed to develop business between the North America and the UK (both in person activities and virtual ones).
• Contribute to the organisation and execution of large, North American network wide, bilateral and multilateral events and activities highlighting the region to UK exporters.
• Assist with reporting on team management targets and support to the Regional Director on client relationship management needs. The position supports team-wide monitoring and profiling of local and marketing budgets, trade and invest reporting and research, marketing materials, business planning, and various office duties. Perform support function on wider team initiatives as required.
• Manage and support DIT marketing initiatives for the team.
• Support the Regional Director with monthly budget reporting and forecasting, responsibility for processing the team’s large transactions through the financial system.
• Arranging meetings, writing reports, handling administrative tasks such as booking flights, hotels and scanning business cards and recording interactions in the organisations CRM system.
• Liaise with both internal teams and external contacts at an executive level.
• Build and manage a database of key contacts in the Midwest region.
• Manage and/or support visits by senior UK government officials by securing high-level meetings, organizing activities, and preparing briefing materials.
• Represent DIT and the British Consulate at external functions, occasionally in the evenings or early mornings.
• Undertake occasional travel in North America and to the UK (up to 10% of the time).

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent work experience) in a relevant field.
• 1-3 years relevant work experience in executive assistant role.
• Familiarity with both the US and the UK business environments is highly desirable.
• Ability to be proactive, strategic, organized and able to work to deadlines, prioritize and multi-task independently or in support of senior staff.
• Courteous, professional and experienced in dealing with senior level representatives of various organizations.
• Strong communication (oral and written) skills, including excellent research ability, reading comprehension and topical summary skills.
• Ability to provide clear, concise summaries and to respond to ad hoc requests at short notice using databases and other information sources.
• A self-starter – able to work independently and show initiative with limited day-to-day supervision while operating as part of a wider US/UK team (with wide-ranging objectives).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced team and often under tight deadlines.
• Attention to detail, good follow up discipline, proof reading skills
• Strong numeracy skills /experience tracking budgets
• Computer literacy in standard Microsoft applications.
• Driving license and ability to undertake air travel including overnight stays.
• Ability to undertake occasional travel within the US and the UK and to attend early morning and evening events.

Under US State Department requirements, the UK Government in the US may only employ, as non-diplomatic staff, persons who are US citizens, US Permanent Residents or A visa holders with EAD cards*. If you hold a visa other than an A visa you are not currently eligible to work at our office. Please refer to our website for information on exceptions to this policy at www.gov.uk/government/world/usa. All selected candidates are subject to background checks and will require a security clearance prior to starting work. *A visas are acceptable at the Embassy and Consulates. The UK Mission to the UN (UKMIS) accepts G visas, and British Defense Staff (BDS) outposts accept A or NATO visas.