Executive Assistant to CEO

Location: Oxford, United Kingdom

A Joint Venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space is a global space manufacturer delivering, for more than 40 years, high-tech solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth Observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Thanks to our diversity of skills, talents and cultures, our customers (governments, institutions, space agencies, telecommunications operators), therefore have Space to Connect, Secure & Defend, Observe & Protect, Explore, Travel & Navigate.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that's why we offer you the flexibility to do what's important to you; whether that's part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Thales Alenia Space (TAS) Joint-venture (JV) is a key player in space activities, in particular in the domains of telecommunication, navigation, Earth Observation, radar, orbital infrastructures for both civil and military applications as well as for institutional or commercial customers and we deliver a wide range of equipment and solutions. TAS in the UK are focused on world-leading propulsion and defence space activities.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. We are a part of Thales Group and we research, develop, and supply technology and services that touch the lives of millions of people each day to make life better and keep us safer. We innovate across four major industries; Space, Aerospace, Defence and Security.

Your health and well-being matters to us and that's why we offer flexibility to, whether that's part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Wherever possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Primary Purpose Of The Job
Executive Assistant to CEO

• Diary Management
• Trusted Access to CEO data
• Support with scheduling and travel
• Expenses Management
• Purchase Order Raising

Office Management duties in Harwell and Bristol Office and support to Thales Alenia Space Leadership team for major projects, regular scheduled meetings and queries.

Champion culture initiatives locally, on-site and maintain and improve administrative processes for the business.

Principal Relationships
Reporting To
: Functionally to Head of Sites and Security – Operationally to TAS UK CEO

Internal Relationships
CEO

Head of Operation and Competitiveness

HR BP

TAS-UK Strategic Leadership Team

Head of Sites and Security

Functional Managers including but not limited too HR, Manufacturing, Engineering and line managers

Company Employees

TAS and Thales UK Executive Assistants

External Relationships
Front of House and Facility Management Provider (MITIE)

Harwell Camus Management

Customers in support of CEO

Key Tasks
The successful candidate will become a key member of the Thales Alenia Space Team. The ideal person for the job will be a proactive problem solver with exceptional communication skills and a meticulous attention to detail, maintaining the highest levels of confidentiality.

Tasks include, but are not solely limited too:
Principal Accountabilities:
EA Support

• To comprehensively and insightfully manage the diary of CEO, coordinating internal and external meetings with due attention to individual preferences and specific requirements.
• Trusted to track activities through to completion, chasing politely with purpose, to ensure smooth running of the organisation.
• To book travel and accommodation logistics as required using Concur online booking tool, ensuring clear communication and timely confirmation of travel itineraries, including arranging visa applications where required working within TAS travel policy.
• To design, produce and collate quality documents in MS Office for review as needed, in order to provide effective support and assistance for ad hoc initiatives.
• To support CEO with expense claims and reconciliation with credit card statements in a timely manner.
• To deal with correspondence efficiently, drafting letters and emails as needed, and proactively dealing with administrative duties.
• To proactively identify ways in which the CEO can work more effectively, agreeing and implementing appropriate systems, together.
• Working collaboratively with other Executive Assistants in TAS and Thales and providing cover during absence.
• Key-holder responsibilities.
• Office management duties for Harwell office duties enabling the smooth running and improving environment and culture of the office this includes developing stakeholder relationships (Mitie), Thales UK, HSE/Real Estate/Insurance.
• Super user and champion for company tools such as but not limited too; Concur / Tribelloo / Rewards and Recognition Portal / E Reception / delegate/editor access for CEO, Sagittarius initiatives, Teams channels.
• Support of management meetings. Managing agendas, documentation, minutes, following up actions. Producing presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint when appropriate. E.g. building the slide deck for the monthly townhalls.
• Identifying and supporting internal and external meetings, arranging meeting rooms, venue hire, ensuring they are well attended and achieve business objectives.
• Management and support of committees such as but not limited too; People forum, events committee, Monthly Management and Company Performance Reviews.
• Manage and support local onboarding of new starters and local site induction pack.
• Promoting peer networking across Thales and TAS.
• Keeping Leadership team leave calendar updated.
• Managing the Admin Public drive.
• Managing Teams and Viva Engage comms channels.
• Communicating updates and reminders of processes and alerts, maintain awareness of documentations, processes & reporting to avoid single-points-of-failure.
• Supporting EA annual leave.
• Supporting ad hoc reasonable requests in support of CEO and team.

Leadership

• Working with stakeholders, to define the core services to be provided and the most efficient structure and working practices to deliver these services effectively.
• To maintain and/or improve department and office efficiency by challenging the effectiveness of established procedures and implementing improved processes.
• To proactively identify and manage administration support for projects as required/ requested by Project Leaders, ensuring the right skills are deployed to meet project needs, and to provide opportunities for team development.

Personal development

• Ensure all ULearn responsibilities are completed in a within the proposed timescale.
• Identify and undertake eLearning, attend selected lunch and learn and Thales learning modules to maintain and improve knowledge.
• Attend development and performance meetings and set objectives for the year in line with business deadlines.

Qualifications/ Experience Required
Advanced MS Office 365

GCSE English, Science and Mathematics qualifications as a minimum (or equivalent).

• Examples of providing exceptional, confidential, and reliable Executive Assistant support.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy (e.g. spelling, punctuation and grammar) of written material.
• Advanced proficiency in MS office (Excel – experienced with formulas, merging & adapting spread sheets, Word, PowerPoint – preparing & formatting presentation materials).
• Must have a proactive approach, initiative, drive and problem solving skills.
• Articulate, with excellent communication skills and ability to adapt communication style for all stakeholders including leadership team members.
• Discreet, diplomatic and able to handle sensitive information in complete confidence.
• Strong relationship building skills, adept at identifying internal stakeholder groups and understanding their needs and expectations.
• Prior experience of leading teams, ideally in multi-sited environments.
• A passion for continuous personal and professional development of self and others.
• Proven experience of proactively identifying and driving improvements.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills, with a strong drive for service excellence.
• Budget management exposure.
• Decisive and assertive.
• Proactive/ objective approach in an intellectually demanding environment.
• Adhere to and promote an inclusive working environment.

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

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