Senior Executive Assistant

Canonical

Home based - EMEA

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1100+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder led, profitable and growing.

We are hiring a Senior Executive Assistant who will be responsible for crucial projects and at least one senior executive and their leadership team. The ideal candidate is passionate about organising, taking ownership to make sure that the business runs smoothly and that travel, expenses and events are efficiently and correctly managed. They have a drive to continually improve themselves, the team and the organisation. The EA team is integral to the overall operation of our unique global business. The team runs significant business operations and processes, supporting various department leads as well as being centrally responsible for logistics, expenses, travel and scheduling. Executive assistants are the secret to our success!

The ideal candidate possesses integrity and accountability and embraces change. They can operate at a very senior level and are confident, effective and have good judgement and the self-assurance to hold firm on a point of policy regardless of the seniority of people on the other side of a discussion. They have a focus on quality and make sure that all jobs are done properly and efficiently.

Location: This role is open to candidates based in EMEA time zones - Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The role entails

Support operations for one or more departments in the company
Coordinate monthly reports and schedule meetings and interviews
Organise and run international company events including logistics
Manage quarterly and annual executive meetings
Collaborate across teams on activities and initiatives
Manage stakeholders across all levels of the organisation

What we are looking for in you

Excellent academic results at school and university
A degree in a business or technical subject
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
Previous experience providing comprehensive support to senior leadership
Ability to quickly build rapport with key stakeholders
Excellent organisational and problem solving skills
Ability to travel up to four times a year for company events of up to two weeks duration
Ability to learn new technology and software quickly
Diligence, confidence, self-awareness and thoughtfulness

Nice to have skills

Experience in operations and executive support
Project management experience
Event management experience
Travel industry experience

What we offer colleagues

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus. We provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
Annual compensation review
Recognition rewards
Annual holiday leave
Maternity and paternity leave
Employee Assistance Programme
Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm that is at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world on a daily basis. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence - in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do.

Work at Canonical is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game. Canonical provides a unique window into the world of 21st-century digital business.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.

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