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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Team Secretary

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

Administrative SupportSecretarialOffice Coordination

🎯 Role Definition

The Team Secretary is the organizational linchpin and central support hub for a department or project team. This role is a proactive facilitator of daily operations, ensuring that all administrative functions run with precision and efficiency. More than just a support function, the Team Secretary acts as a vital communication conduit, a guardian of team schedules, and a resourceful problem-solver who anticipates needs before they arise. Success in this position is defined by the ability to create a seamless operational environment that empowers team members to focus on their core objectives, fostering productivity and collaboration across the board.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Administrative Assistant
  • Receptionist / Front of House Coordinator
  • Office Assistant

Advancement To:

  • Executive Assistant (EA) to a senior leader or C-Suite executive
  • Office Manager
  • Project Coordinator or Junior Project Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Personal Assistant (PA)
  • Events Coordinator
  • HR or Finance Assistant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage and coordinate complex and ever-changing diaries for multiple team members, proactively resolving scheduling conflicts and prioritizing appointments to optimize their time.
  • Arrange comprehensive and cost-effective international and domestic travel, including booking flights, ground transportation, and accommodations, and preparing detailed travel itineraries.
  • Organize and facilitate internal and external meetings, from simple team huddles to client-facing workshops, by booking conference rooms, arranging catering, and ensuring all necessary AV equipment is operational.
  • Prepare, collate, and distribute essential meeting materials, such as agendas, PowerPoint presentations, and briefing documents, ensuring attendees are well-prepared in advance.
  • Attend key team meetings to capture accurate and concise minutes, tracking action items and following up with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely completion.
  • Act as the primary gatekeeper and central point of contact for the team, professionally fielding internal and external inquiries by phone and email and directing them appropriately.
  • Process and submit team expense reports in a timely and accurate manner, ensuring compliance with company policy and reconciling corporate credit card statements.
  • Create and maintain robust and intuitive filing systems, both physical and digital, to ensure critical documents are well-organized and easily accessible.
  • Provide essential administrative support for the onboarding of new team members, including coordinating with IT for equipment setup, arranging building access, and preparing welcome packs.
  • Manage the procurement and inventory of office supplies and equipment for the team, anticipating needs and processing purchase orders as required.
  • Assist in the creation, formatting, and proofreading of a wide range of documents, including reports, correspondence, and presentations, ensuring a high standard of quality and brand consistency.
  • Handle highly confidential and sensitive information with the utmost discretion and professionalism, maintaining trust and integrity at all times.
  • Provide dedicated administrative support for ongoing team projects, assisting with task tracking, document management, and communication with project members.
  • Liaise effectively with various internal departments, including IT, HR, Facilities, and Finance, to resolve administrative issues and facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
  • Develop and maintain key team resources, such as contact lists, distribution groups, and organizational charts, ensuring they are always current.
  • Manage the team's invoicing process, from raising purchase orders to tracking payments and liaising with the finance department to resolve any discrepancies.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with the planning and coordination of team-building activities, off-site meetings, and social events to foster a positive team culture.
  • Provide ad-hoc backup and administrative coverage for other secretaries or assistants within the business during periods of absence.
  • Conduct basic research and compile information on various topics as requested by the team to support presentations, reports, or projects.
  • Support the maintenance of the team's intranet pages or shared digital workspaces, ensuring content is relevant and up-to-date.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Microsoft Office Suite Mastery: Advanced proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with the ability to manage complex calendars, create professional documents, handle data, and design engaging presentations.
  • Travel & Expense Systems: Demonstrable experience using corporate travel booking platforms (e.g., Concur, Egencia) and expense management software.
  • Fast & Accurate Typing: Excellent keyboard skills with a high words-per-minute (WPM) count and a focus on accuracy for drafting correspondence and taking minutes.
  • Collaboration Tool Fluency: Competence in using modern collaboration and video conferencing tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Slack for scheduling and facilitating virtual meetings.
  • Office Technology Savvy: Confident in operating standard office equipment, including printers, scanners, and video conferencing hardware.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional Organization & Time Management: A natural ability to multitask, prioritize a demanding workload, and manage competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment without sacrificing quality.
  • Proactive & Resourceful: An forward-thinking mindset with the initiative to anticipate needs, identify potential problems, and independently find effective solutions.
  • Impeccable Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with a professional and approachable demeanor for interacting with individuals at all levels.
  • Discretion & Confidentiality: A proven ability to handle sensitive business and personal information with the highest level of integrity and confidentiality.
  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: A commitment to accuracy in all tasks, from scheduling appointments to proofreading documents, ensuring work is delivered to a high standard.
  • Adaptability & Resilience: The flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and a positive, resilient attitude when faced with challenges or last-minute requests.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED equivalent.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's Degree, or a professional certification in secretarial studies or business administration.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Communications
  • Office Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of progressive experience in a secretarial, team assistant, or administrative support role.

Preferred: Experience gained within a dynamic, fast-paced corporate setting, supporting a team of multiple professionals is highly advantageous.

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