The role of a PA is to free an executive’s time from organising and administrative tasks so that they can spend maximum time on strategic tasks. Responsibilities typically include:
acting as a first point of contact: dealing with correspondence and phone calls. managing diaries and organising meetings and appointments, often controlling access to the manager/executive. booking and arranging travel, transport and accommodation
organising events and conferences, reminding the manager/executive of important tasks and deadlines, typing, compiling and preparing reports, presentations and correspondence managing databases and filing system implementing and maintaining procedures/administrative systems liaising with staff, suppliers and clients collating and filing expenses miscellaneous tasks to support their manager, which will vary according to the sector and to the manager’s remit, eg completing some corporate governance reporting (to ensure that the business is being run properly and complying with legislation and regulations) or conducting research.
It is also possible for a PA to work for a wealthy family or individual, instead of for a corporation. If this is the case, the work of the PA may also cover home or personal life maintenance tasks, such as ensuring MOTs are up to date or hiring cleaners.
The job title for this kind of role, and its seniority, will vary according to the employer. In some organisations, the job titles ‘personal assistant’ and ‘executive assistant’ are interchangeable. In others, an executive assistant is more senior than a personal assistant and will take on more responsibility, such as some corporate governance or team organisation work. In some organisations, a PA role is an entry-level job; in others, it requires a great deal of experience and is paid accordingly. Depending on the employer, too, a personal assistant role may be combined with that of an administrator or it may be a more senior position to which administrat