If it’s variety that you are looking for from your career then the role of the senior personal assistant (PA) can be very rewarding. From sitting in on various senior management meetings and taking notes to organising the calendar of your boss or several senior executives, each day can be very different to the one before. While the responsibility is great, the rewards are greater.
We take a look at the life of a Senior PA and the sort of things that are expected of them.
Managing calendars.
Perhaps the biggest responsibility is making sure that the boss is where they should be at all times. Ensuring the effective and smooth organisation of their dairy is a key aspect of the role of a Senior PA. Making sure that every meeting, appointment, interview and conference call is not only in the diary but that your boss attends can be a tall order and one which the most experienced PAs have down to a fine art.
Organising meetings.
In theory, how hard can it be? Well when you have lots of senior executives all required to attend the same meeting, ensuring that everyone is able to attend, and does attend, is another matter. Finding a date and time that works for everyone, organising the venue and making sure that the agenda is set are all things that ultimately sit with the PA of the meeting chair. If you love a challenge, then this aspect of the job certainly offers that.
Fielding calls.
The ultimate gatekeeper, it is the job of the senior PA to vet and filter telephone calls. Of course, everyone that calls needs to speak to the boss as a matter of urgency, it is up to the PA to filter out what is a sales tactic, what is deemed important but not essential and what is priority. Prioritising the incoming calls and emails is a vital aspect of the role.
Booking travel and arranging transport.
If the boss has to be in a meeting 200 miles away they need to ensure that 1. they get there and 2. they get there in plenty of time. Arranging transport may include booking accommodation for an early start the next day as well. It could be booking flights or trains or simply arranging a taxi or driver.
Drafting of correspondence.
Often a senior executive will require his or her PA to draft important correspondence on their behalf. While the basic subject matter will be given to the PA on instruction, it is down to them to draft the correspondence and prepare for signature.
Preparing presentations.
Like drafting correspondence, the Senior PA will also need to be equipped with some PowerPoint skills in order to put together presentations for board meetings, sales meetings or strategy sessions.
Personal tasks.
While the majority of your tasks will be business orientated, many senior execs. rely heavily on their PA to ensure that other aspects of their life run just as smoothly as their professional one. This may involve organising a dinner date, weekends away or sorting out elements of the family holiday. At other times, it can be the simple matter of making sure the boss has something to eat at lunchtime. Many Senior PAs fulfil some personal tasks as well as professional.
While the role is demanding and a great deal of responsibility sits with the Senior PA, it can also be a very rewarding career but also one of the more challenging PA jobs in London. In addition to a good remuneration package, there may be other times where you are rewarded with bonuses, gifts or other incentives for your loyalty and hard work. It is safe to say that the role of a Senior PA can be extremely rewarding both financially and personally.
