What does the job of executive secretary involve?
An executive secretary has many and varied functions. I would highlight coordination. Coordinating meetings, events, planning, etc., with all that this entails such as communication with other areas, negotiation, dealing with suppliers, carrying out administrative tasks, etc., so that all the pieces fit together and everything goes as planned or even better.
Another of the fundamental tasks is communication. We are in contact with many people, from the management team, to the entire workforce, other departments, suppliers, clients, IT staff, cleaning staff, delivery people, etc.
For an executive secretary, everyone around us is important, essential and visible, and we always try to create good connections, facilitating a good atmosphere. We are the first ‘door’ to be accessed from both inside and outside, therefore, we must take care of communication and kindness.
The management of administrative tasks is another important role in this position: making expense reports, processing access, organising trips, and all those jobs and applications that involve an administrative function.
We are also the company’s library. We always know where all the documentation is, which we usually organise in the simplest and most efficient way for everyone, keeping it up to date. We share and classify, always ensuring its security.
We tend to be involved in the management of a good working environment.
Why is this profession important?
This profession is important because the executive secretary is a facilitator for the manager and their team. With their management, they ensure that many tasks are simplified or hardly present at all, and thus others have time to focus on other tasks that are much more strategic.
Executive secretaries are essential because they connect the different areas of the company efficiently, helping to create good synergies. In addition, they are the interlocutors between the people in the team and the manager, facilitating closer relationships between them and improving the working environment.
They always find a solution to those little obstacles that arise in day-to-day life, as they tend to have resources for everything. They adapt to each situation, and are resilient by nature.
They are very organised people and this is essential for managing documentation, creating templates, reports, etc. In addition, they handle sensitive information and this is a key factor for the security of the company, as it is better protected.
Due to their relationship with other areas, they have a good knowledge of the company’s organisation, which can be a great help.
What is the profile for this profession?
If we talk about skills, I would highlight empathy, resilience, stress management, emotional intelligence, and the ability to adapt to change and new technologies.
They are great time managers as they have to know how to differentiate between priority tasks and those that are not, in order to meet the deadlines for each one.
They are very proactive people, always ahead of the game, especially with experience, in terms of what is going to happen or what is going to be needed, so they are great planners and organisers, paying attention to every detail.
They must have great communication skills, always within the parameters of discretion and confidentiality.
I think that in this profile it is very important to have a well-furnished head.
This professional has to be very empathetic because they deal with many people with different profiles and it is essential to put oneself in the other person’s shoes, to be an active listener in order to facilitate communication and to understand the other person well. This is also very useful for resolving conflicts, which are often so common in offices.
In the technological field, they must have an advanced command of computer tools and management software and be in a constant state of learning so as not to be left behind and to be able to teach or help the team when they need it.
What specific knowledge should they have?
For me, it is essential to have good communication skills, both written and verbal. Although there are proofreaders, it is essential to have good language skills, as you will probably spend a lot of time writing emails, talking to other people, negotiating, or chatting through the applications designed for this purpose.
It is important to know how to express oneself clearly and directly, avoiding confusion, in order to create good connections with both people inside and outside the company. Kindness and active listening are the keys to all doors.
Without a doubt, digital knowledge is very important. A good command of Office 365, at an advanced level, is necessary, Word, Excel, etc. In addition, she must be an expert in the use of e-mail.
In this profession it is very common to manage more than two email accounts and it is necessary to manage them well, creating rules, folders, marking important tasks, etc., because often the volume of emails is so large that it is necessary to simplify and organise them in an orderly way so as not to get stressed and leave anything undone.
It is essential to be able to use the office applications where information is shared, such as Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc. I recommend having a basic knowledge of Power Automate as it makes repetitive tasks much easier and is a great ally for notifications, keeping you up to date at all times.
It is important to know other languages, especially English at an advanced level.
In terms of other skills, it is always a plus to know something about finance, document organisation, office administration, time management, and soft skills such as assertiveness, conflict resolution, proactivity, etc.
How does the development of new technologies affect the role of an executive secretary?
Executive secretaries must be familiar with new technologies and use them to automate repetitive tasks and have time to focus on more strategic tasks or those that require greater concentration.
It is essential to be able to handle all the applications to which they have access and to get the most out of them in their daily work. They have to set an example of good use of these to the people on the team because it will make everyone’s daily work much easier.
With the arrival of artificial intelligence, it is necessary to learn how it can be used, always for the benefit of all and making good use of the company’s ethics and regulations. There is a lot of basic training on this subject that we should be aware of, especially to get rid of the prejudices and fears that exist on this issue and see it as an ally rather than an enemy.
What does a purchasing manager do?
They are the person in charge of managing a company’s purchases. Their functions can vary greatly from one company to another, as the processes and tools are not always the same.
A purchasing manager must be familiar with the regulations governing their company’s goods and services, as well as the tools available for this purpose, because depending on the type of purchase, its taxonomy, amount, etc., it will be processed in one way or another.
They must manage and review all the documentation necessary to carry out the purchase.
What is the objective of purchasing management?
The main objective is that when you want to contract a service or buy a certain material, the whole process follows its order correctly, always within the regulations, so that everything is done in the best possible way and within the established times.
What are the main tasks of a purchasing management department?
Managing orders, negotiating with suppliers, evaluating offers, checking that the purchasing process complies with established regulations, and that what needs to be purchased is in accordance and aligned with what the supplier offers, and finally ensuring that the conditions of the purchase are formalised and fulfilled, always within the established deadline.
In addition to all this, they are responsible for reviewing, checking and filing all documentation related to the purchase.
What benefits does purchasing management bring to companies?
I believe that purchasing management is essential for a company. By keeping exhaustive control of suppliers and what is contracted with them, it is ensured that the products or services acquired meet the needs of the company.
If all regulations are complied with and the procedures are carried out in a transparent and ethical manner, malpractice and sanctions for the company will be avoided, improving the company’s image, quality and expenses.
Furthermore, negotiating conditions and prices also allows for cost reduction.
Many purchases are repeated year after year and if they are well managed, relationships with suppliers, documentation, etc. will be improved, and this will help to maintain optimal levels of supplies and inventory.
How do new technologies influence purchasing management?
New technologies are helping to automate and standardise many processes that, years ago, required a lot of time and effort to manage manually, and they make the control of all phases much more efficient as they reduce human error.
They can be very useful when analysing large volumes of purchases and be more predictive in terms of future product demand.
Another benefit is that by centralising all relationships (suppliers, managers, etc.) on the same platform, the process is completely visible and transparent, improving the quality of purchasing and the company’s reputation.
This is effective for the future since the documentation is collected in the same place, nothing is lost, and it is useful for future audits.
And finally, let’s not forget that new technologies help improve the sustainability and responsibility of the company.
