View Vacancy – Executive Assistant to the Consul General

Main purpose of job:

The British Consulate General in Toronto is recruiting for the position of Executive Assistant to the Consul General. The position is vital to the smooth running of the Consulate General in Toronto and the Department for International Trade in Canada. The position being offered will be on a full-time, permanent basis starting in November 2021, subject to receipt of a successful security clearance. The position will be based at the British Consulate General Toronto.

This is a fascinating and busy role allowing someone interested in international affairs and business development to work in an exciting diplomatic mission

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve?:

The Executive Assistant will play a key role in ensuring that the Consul-General, who is also the Deputy Trade Commissioner for North America can carry out her duties for both the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for International Trade effectively.  The selected candidate will provide full office support to the Consul-General and limited support to the Deputy Consul-General. This will include:

• Manage the Consul General’s diary and request and assemble briefing ahead of all external meetings, liaising closely with the relevant team members in the Consulate, the Department for International Trade network in North America and Whitehall Departments.
• Conduct ad-hoc research on topical issues in Toronto and Ontario that are of interest to the UK and Canada. Keep standard briefing up to date, soliciting input from other team members as required.
• Provide administrative support (drafting/formatting letters and memos, scanning documents, booking rooms, preparing expense reports, etc).
• Prepare travel itineraries, both domestic and international. Book hotels and transport.
• Organise official events and entertainment (breakfast, lunches, dinners and receptions) including at the Residence. Deal with external vendors and organisations. In collaboration with the Corporate Services Officer provide access to the Residence for contractors and maintenance staff, supervising them where necessary.
• Cover for the Corporate Services Officer and Press and Public Affairs officer as required.

Resources managed:

No staff resources managed. Responsible for budget planning for non DIT budget activity in Toronto

• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Strong IT skills, including recent use of the full range of MS Office suite including Teams, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word;
• Confident and proactive, able to form effective relationships quickly both within and outside the Consulate team;
• Positive and flexible team player, they will be willing to contribute to the team’s overall objectives;
• Able to deal with a range of competing priorities in a calm, efficient and professional manner, with a keen eye for detail;
• Strong administrative skills, be confident in dealing with a range of contacts at all levels;
• Be organised and efficient in work and time management;
• Must have the legal status to live and work in Canada.