Company Description

THE OECD

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation comprised of 38 member countries, that works to build better policies for better lives. Our mission is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, we work on establishing evidence-based international standards, and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, we provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.

DIRECTORATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Under the guidance of the Secretary-General, the core mission of the Directorate for Communications (COM) is to maximise the reach and impact of the OECD and its work through clear, evidence-based communications working in collaboration with all directorates. The COM Directorate carries out its functions in accordance with the OECD Communications Strategy and pursuant to Annual Communication Plans for which it is responsible, steering organisational efforts on strategic priorities and supporting policy directorates in their communications to specialised audiences. COM is a centralised communications corporate directorate which provides services, advice and support to a highly decentralised communications environment. Working with communications professionals across the OECD, it drives a coherent communications function, serving as a standard setter for excellence while at the same time measuring communications impact and adjusting efforts as required. It leads on corporate level media, social media, stakeholder and parliamentary engagement; the architecture and implementation of the organisation’s online presence, including multimedia digital content; and the dissemination of OECD publications, while performing an important role in risk identification and management in the public sphere. The Directorate holds as a core value an agile, collaborative and supportive culture marked by positive interaction and accountability among professionals.

DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

The Director’s Office (DO) oversees the strategic objectives of the Directorate and ensure they are delivered within the expected timeframe, in alignment with the Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) and corporate requirements related to human and financial resources management. Under the responsibility of the Secretary-General, it is responsible for the strategic planning, editorial line, governance, and co-ordination of all communications efforts across the Organisation, including the Communications Steering Group (CSG). It will be responsible for liaising with Members, including through regular interactions with Council, Executive Committee, Budget Committee, and other Standing Committees as appropriate.

The Position

COM is seeking a dynamic, innovative and experienced Executive Support Officer to provide strategic managerial guidance, lead the administrative support function of the Director’s Office and support the Director and Senior Counsellor in the effective oversight and coordination of the Directorate. The role encompasses the coordination and supervision of daily operations and general administration support. The successful candidate will work in close partnership with the Director’s office, collaborate proactively with the Heads of Divisions and liaise with the Resource Management Unit (RMU) to ensure the smooth efficient functioning, strategic alignment and operational excellence of COM processes.

Job Description

Co-ordination of the Director’s Office and executive operations

• Manage high volume of complex and sensitive information and advise the Director and Senior Counsellor on a broad range of internal and external issues, including substantive outputs, governance and organisational matters. Proactively Identify priorities, anticipate risks, flag sensitive issues and propose pragmatic solutions.
• Act as a trusted liaison on behalf of the Director with permanent delegations, senior management across the Organisation and external stakeholders, handling confidential and sensitive matters with discretion and ensuring clear, timely and effective communication to foster trust and collaboration.
• Oversee the organisation, integrity and accessibility of information within the Director’s Office, including the management of databases, filing systems and archives. Recommend and implement improvement of workflow, tools and processes to enhance efficiency, reliability and institutional memory.
• Ensure the efficient functioning of the Directors’ front-office operations by providing high level administrative and strategic support, including meeting co-ordination, preparation of executive briefings, calendar management, email correspondence and event planning in both English and French.
• Draft, review and quality-assure a wide range of written material - such as background documents, reports, manuals and memoranda - ensuring that the Director and Senior Counsellor are fully equipped with clear analysis, critical context and decision-making insights.

Horizontal and vertical co-ordination

• Serving as the main point of contact for the directorate, liaise with other directorates and corporate functions, ensuring the delivery of high-quality services
• Play a leading role within the OECD communications function, contributing to an agile, collaborative and high-performing culture marked by trust, constructive engagement and accountability across teams.
• Coordinate and take end-to-end responsibility for communication packages submitted to the Secretary-General, ensuring strategic coherence, accuracy, quality and timeliness across all materials including social media plan, press releases, graphics and executive briefing notes). Provide ad-hoc French translations as required and oversee the incorporation of feedback, corrections and updates across all media material.
• Manage inputs in response to requests originating from the Office of the Secretary-General and other horizontal areas of the Organisation, orchestrating cross-directorate inputs and ensuring efficient execution, clear ownership, timely responses and strict adherence to deadlines.
• Ensure close and effective collaboration between the DO and COM divisions facilitating strategic alignment, timely flow of information and shared clarity on priorities and workload across the Directorate’s management team.
• Manage COM ALL announcements, and organisation of Directorate level meetings, retreats and events.
• Manager and co-ordinate large volumes of complex enquiries and interactions with colleagues across the Secretariat, exercising sound judgement and discretion.
• Support the preparation of documents for OECD official bodies and publications in both English and French, ensuring high standards of formatting, editing, accuracy and presentation.

Administrative and IT support

• Exercise delegated authority on behalf of the Director for the authorisation and approval of expenditure in accordance with OECD financial rules, procedures and internal controls.
• Oversee the planning, organisation and co-ordination travel arrangements, mission orders and related expense claims, ensuring timely liquidation of missions and mission reports in accordance with OECD requirements.
• Support executive-levelecruitment processes, onboarding and related administrative actions in close coordination with the Resource Management Unit ensuring procedural rigour and confidentiality
• Manage a range of administrative tasks and operational activities including the processing of purchase orders, procurement of office supplies, drafting of contracts, and responding to ad hoc requests.
• Act as the IT Correspondent for COM, serving as the primary point of contact for digital and IT related matters, providing guidance and support COM colleagues on OECD systems, tools, software and hardware and liaise with central IT services.

Qualifications

Academic Background

• A university degree in a relevant field such as business administration, public administration, communications or equivalent.

Professional Background

• A minimum of five years’ experience as an office manager and/or personal or executive assistant to a member of senior management, preferably in an international organisation.
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in optimising workflow processes to drive organisational effectiveness and strategic initiatives to improve administrative operations.
• Excellent knowledge of the administrative rules and procedures of the Organisation or proven ability to learn and assimilate new rules and procedures quickly.
• Demonstrate a high degree of integrity, discretion and professional judgement and the ability to work and communicate with tact, diplomacy and cultural sensitivity in a multicultural environment.
• Proven ability to build trusted working relationships with colleagues at all levels, and with delegations and senior-level stakeholders.
• Proven experience in managing competing and conflicting requests under tight deadlines with the ability to deliver high quality results rapidly, accurately under pressure.
• Demonstrated capacity to work independently, exercise sound judgement and to take initiative.

Tools

• Excellent knowledge and experience in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), and the ability to quickly learn the standard range of software packages used in the Organisation (e.g. eOSG, eCouncil, eShare, SAP Missions, Concur, Event Management System, Conference Reservation Management System, ONE Author, SRP, etc).

Core Competencies

• OECD staff are expected to demonstrate behaviours aligned to six core competencies which will be assessed as part of this hiring processes: Vision and Strategy (Level 1); Enable People (Level 1); Ethics and Integrity (Level 1); Collaboration and Horizontality (Level 2); Achieve Results (Level 2); Innovate and Embrace Change (Level 2).
• To learn more about the definitions for each competency for levels 1-3, please refer to OECD Core Competencies.

Languages

• Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level.
• Knowledge of other languages would be an asset.

Additional Information

Closing Date

• This vacancy should be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than midnight 13 January 2025 (Paris time).

Contract Duration

• Open-ended appointment, with no foreseen end date.

Salary Information

• Monthly salary starts at 6 520 EUR, plus allowances based on eligibility, exempt of French income tax.
• Click here to consult the Staff Regulations applicable to officials of the OECD. Please note that from 1 July 2025, all Official appointments will be made under the OECD’s new contractual modalities.
• Click here to learn more about what we offer and why the OECD is a great place to work.
• Click here to browse our People Management Guidebook and learn more about all aspects relating to people at the OECD, our workplace environment and many other policies supporting staff in their daily life.
• Please note that the appointment may be made at one grade lower in the specified job family, based on the qualifications and professional experience of the selected applicant.
• This vacancy may be used to create a pool of candidates for comparable positions, both for open-ended and fixed-term functions.

Selection Process

For retained candidates, the selection process may include a video-recorded interview, job-based assessment and panel interviews.

The OECD is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes the applications of all qualified candidates [who are nationals of OECD member countries], irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, opinions or beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, health or disabilities.

The OECD promotes an optimal use of resources in order to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Staff members are encouraged to actively contribute to this goal.