Occupation executive secretary

Executive secretaries provide high-level administrative support to executives by handling information requests and performing clerical functions, such as preparing correspondence, receiving visitors, arranging meetings and managing schedules. May also supervise lower-level clerical staff.

Tasks

• Answer, screen and direct telephone calls, take messages and handle enquiries and requests.
• Greet visitors and direct them to the appropriate persons.
• Open, sort and distribute incoming correspondence, including faxes and email, and prepare responses to correspondence containing routine enquiries.
• Read and analyse incoming memos, submissions and reports to determine their significance and plan their distribution.
• Produce correspondence, memos, reports, presentations and other documents from drafts, handwritten copies, machine dictation, etc., e.g. using computers with a variety of software packages.
• File and retrieve documents, correspondence, records and reports, and set up filing systems.
• Manage and maintain executives' schedules.
• Organise travel arrangements, business itineraries, conferences and social functions for executives.
• Prepare agendas and make arrangements for meetings (e.g. committee and board meetings), attend meetings and take minutes.
• Make information searches and compile information for executives.
• Perform general office duties such as ordering supplies, serving refreshments and reporting about non-functioning office equipment.
• Supervise other office workers and delegate work to them.

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