Engagement Administrator, LAS Practice

Position Summary

The Engagement Administrator (EA), LAS Practice is an integral member of the Leadership Advisory Services (LAS) team, working closely with consultants, associates, project managers and business development teams to ensure the timely, efficient, and successful completion of each assignment. The EA, LAS understands the scope of all projects; keeps all parts of the process organized and running according to plan, serves as a key contact with clients and executives and ensures all documentation has been administered and collected. They are responsible to produce multiple documents throughout the process, and for ensuring all are best in class.

Successful candidates will be highly adaptable problem-solvers who have a track record of being self-starters in fast-paced environments and have great communication skills.

Key Relationships

Reports to

Administrative Manager, Mexico City (solid line)

Administrative Practice Leader, Americas (dotted line)

Other key relationships

Assigned Mentor(s)

LAS Engagement Administrators, Americas

LAS Consultants, Americas

LAS Project Managers, Global

LAS Associates and Analysts, Americas

Mexico City office team

Key Responsibilities

The EA, LAS Practice’s primary responsibility will be to provide administrative and project support to various LAS consultant(s) and team member(s) by organizing and ensuring all aspects of assignments run smoothly and efficiently and assisting in creating and maintaining relationships with clients.

Understand the scope of all assignments which have been outlined and approved including deliverables, timetables, objectives, key stakeholders and capacity. Maintain and keep the team aligned; communicate with the client by setting times and dates for meetings and relaying next steps, deliverables and concerns.

Responsible for the assignment administration.

Assist in the production of client engagement letters and follow up on receipt of signed documentation from clients and participants as necessary. Open assignments in Quest as required per the terms of the engagement letter and Quest booking guidelines.

Ensure that clients are properly billed in accordance with special terms and adjust throughout the assignment as needed; monitor accounts receivables; review monthly client billing worksheets and consultant corporate card statements for charges to be allocated to relevant assignments.

Close out completed assignments and organize all materials associated with the assignment in accordance with audit and LAS Practice requirements.

Work closely with client organizations to schedule meetings and resources for one-on-one meetings up to large workshops, including assistance with hotel reservations, air travel, directions and any other assignment-related requirements.

In accordance with the firm’s brand standards, prepare, store and manage all production work associated with an assignment from start to finish, including qualifications packages for potential new assignments, proposals and engagement letters, presentations, assessment reports, surveys, closeout letters, and participant and client correspondence across multiple platforms.

Manage and maintain consultant(s) calendar and coordinate travel arrangements.

Prepare monthly expense reports and ensure accuracy of the allocation of client-related expenses.

Provide assistance with additional office responsibilities, including but not limited to supporting multiple consultants, document proofreading and quality assurance, client meeting preparation, EA mentoring, special office projects, social functions and any other tasks identified by the office administrative manager on an ad-hoc basis.

Ideal Experience

Minimum of 5-7 years of experience as an Executive Assistant or comparable position

Experience in a professional services environment is preferable.

Minimum of 1-2 years of experience working within a global organization, ideally in teams across LATAM and Americas

Cultural savviness/openness; ability to adapt to, and collaborate with, multiple country and regional cultures

Strong project coordination/management skills

Experience coordinating complex logistics and projects with multiple stakeholders.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Experience communicating with stakeholders at the board, c-suite, and senior executive levels.

Excellent proofreading skills, including reading for content and messaging

Expert user of Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook)

Experience working with a database is considered a significant asset. Typing speed of 65 WPM or more. Advanced PowerPoint skills are a must.

An undergraduate degree is preferred

Critical Capabilities

As measured by year-end performance appraisal and ongoing client, consultant and peer feedback.

Project Coordination/Management:

Proactively manage projects to ensure smooth and high-quality outcomes while working on multiple assignments with competing priorities and abbreviated timelines that involve team members with varying communication and execution styles. Take the lead in the timely and efficient scheduling of participant and client meetings, ensuring that all parties are kept informed and all details are confirmed and communicated. Identify the varied resources needed and available to deal with multi-dimensional tasks and put together a realistic and achievable work plan. Leverage technology such as Outlook, the Microsoft suite of products, and a relational database to their fullest potential in a fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate will do this by:

Building collaborative relationships externally and internally, including with individuals in other Spencer Stuart offices and practices.

Participating in and guiding teams while fostering an environment of mutual trust.

Identifying and assisting in managing the needs and expectations of the internal and external team.

Communicating appropriately and effectively with all levels and diverse cultures.

Effective high-level written and oral communication skills.

Providing constructive guidance and feedback, and openly receiving the same.

Remaining optimistic and positive – even when under stress – and facing challenges by looking for solutions, offering support to colleagues who are in need and reaching out for support when needed.

Communication and Relationship Management:

Communicate clearly and interact with others in a manner that demonstrates and inspires confidence. Establish and sustain relationships in order to build and strengthen a network of individuals who work cooperatively with each other, including the ability to interact with very senior-level clients and participants with the highest degree of professionalism at all times. Demonstrate a team approach and reinforce collaboration in all internal/external interactions to support work balance among the team and within the office. Exhibit a client-focused attitude in the work environment.

Collaborating and Influencing:

Demonstrate the ability to engage and influence (up; down and across) with others and help navigate complex challenges and create enduring partnerships. Become a strong thought partner to your team members and LAS pod. Persuade or inspire them to put forth their efforts toward the clear objective you have defined.

Quality:

Demonstrate ethical, sound professional practices and personal accountability. Act in a manner that is consistent with the firm’s values. Hold others accountable to standards of performance. Display a curiosity and desire for knowledge and staying current with colleagues, the firm and its systems. Regularly invest time in encouraging the team to innovate, continuously improve processes and share knowledge. Gain an understanding of and follow the firm’s policies, procedures and brand standards. Advocate high-quality work by ensuring that client deliverables are thoroughly reviewed and edited. Embrace and actively participate in training opportunities and proactively seek guidance and coaching from peers or corporate trainers to augment or improve skills. Proactively share best practices with the LAS team by communicating the benefits of improved efficiencies. This could be in the form of informal, on-the-job opportunities or in formal, structured learning opportunities with colleagues.
 

Personal Characteristics:

Strong client orientation; inherent desire to deliver beyond the call of duty.

Very strong organization and prioritization skills.

Discretion and sensitivity in dealing with confidential communications and documentation.

Endurance and the ability to handle multiple conflicting priorities at once.

Solid judgment: the ability to make sound decisions and work autonomously in the absence of constant supervision.

Proactive; takes steps to prevent problems before they occur.

Assertive; confidently push back when necessary while maintaining positive relationships and high standards.