Management assistant

An executive secretary is a management assistant but a management assistant is not an executive secretary. The role of management assistant (or assistant in short) combines several functions and is found in every corporate and authority sector. The task package is adapted to the circumstances: sector, size, company, management style, etc., and is, therefore, not standardised.

Role description

A possible competence profile for the role has been defined by the Sociaal-Economische Raad van Vlaanderen (Belgium) for management assistants, as follows:

“The management assistant is attached to one or several people for whom he/she fulfils a package of tasks dependent on a specific situation.He/she works for this hierarchical group in the preparation and support of their activities. Administratively and organisationally, the manager depends on the assistant: he/she deals with the organisation of activities, manages information and correspondence and with the time and priority management of the manager. The management assistant has insight to the core activities and strategies of the organisation and handles confidential information discreetly.”

The description says a lot about the role but far from everything. Commitment, flexibility and language ability are qualities that are highly appreciated. The management assistant is the right hand of a manager, supports a group of managers or a whole department. One assistant can form a team with other assistants, if not temporarily lead or co-ordinate projects. The possibilities are as diverse as the life of the company itself. Initiative and responsibility are facets of the job from which management assistants often get the greatest pleasure. That also indicates the evolution from classic secretary to co-manager that the role has undergone.

Training

Education in Europe according to the Bologna process

In Belgium, most management assistants have a bachelor's degree. The level of bachelor in office management is ideal for management assistants. The choice of studies would also suit students of courses such as economics-modern languages, commercial languages, secretarial languages or office administration. Other possible studies are those of bachelor of secretarial languages, bachelor in commercial communication or communication management.

Types of management assistant

The various function titles of management assistants can be sub-divided into top assistants (with considerable autonomy and responsibility), department assistants (specific expertise) and all-round assistants (often starters).

*Possible functions as top management assistant:

**Personal Assistant
**Executive Assistant
**Customer Relations Officer
**Management Assistant
**Office Manager...

*Possible functions as department assistant:

**Legal Secretary
**Marketing Assistant
**PR/Communication Assistant
**Payroll Assistant
**Human Resources Assistant
**Internal Sales/Sales/After-sales Assistant
**Purchasing Assistant
**Logistics Assistant...

*Possible functions as all-round assistant:

**Project Assistant
**Operations Assistant
**Administrative Assistant
**Junior Assistant...

External links

* [http://www.answers.com/topic/assistant Internet definitions for assistant jobs]

See also

Secretary

Source:

"Role: Management Assistant (Brussels, 2007) published by Secretary Plus in collaboration with CRMFactory and Mentally Fit Institute), provides a detailed description of the role."