PA to Chief Financial Officer

This is a critical role for an experienced PA who has previous experience of supporting at CFO or as a minimum, executive C-suite or equivalent level, interacting across global leadership teams and managing both internal and external stakeholders. This is a role for a highly trusted professional who supports the CFO in all matters relating to ULE and Board meetings and Corporate Governance Committees and engagements.

The role is accountable for managing relationships with leaders, advisors and external networks appropriate for the role of CFO and also supporting the CFO's meetings internally in Finance. It supports diary management, meeting scheduling and travel itineraries and arrangements, to enhance efficiency and optimise the CFO’s time in line with priorities. This role requires the utmost discretion, high levels of integrity, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to manage complex tasks and communications effectively and sensitively with colleagues at all levels of the organisation.

This role is often the first point of contact with external organisations and contacts and therefore representing the CFO office and Unilever with professionalism, discretion and confidentiality always is key.

• Providing administrative support to the CFO including managing a complex diary, travel arrangements, visa applications and itineraries and tracking action items through to completion.
• Preparing and collating all papers and pre-reads for meetings, collaborating with other PAs supporting the ULE, Office of the CEO, and Board members to ensure full alignment on timings, scheduling, pre-reads and agendas in good time.
• At all times being proactive, anticipating and reminding as to what is needed, from whom and by when.
• Managing the setup of sensitive meetings and 1-2-1 connects with discretion and care.
• Organising and maintaining rhythm and frequency of key meetings and ensuring pre-read and agendas are clear and shared in advance where necessary.
• Ensuring CFO has access to relevant data and information on the team as needed, to ensure timely completions of reviews and ad hoc tasks as they arise throughout the year.
• Working with IT and facilities teams to ensure right level of support both individually and for meetings for CEO and teams as needed.
• Managing queries and internal and external requests, often on behalf of the CFO, connecting with relevant colleagues and departments as needed to minimise traffic and volumes of correspondence.
• Using judgement and discretion as to when CFO needs to be involved.
• It is important to build a strong network, leveraging knowledge of how the organisation works and who is the best source to pick up tasks, data, and information requests, demonstrating a deep level of organisational and business understanding to ensure things are done efficiently and effectively.
• Leveraging tools and technology available, investing time to learn and get up to speed on systems and processes that can make their own and the lives of those around them easier.
• Processing expenses and invoices using relevant systems, flagging any issues re budgeting and process to CFO as necessary.

Need for absolute trust, confidentiality, and discretion in everything you do. Enthusiasm and curiosity, investing time in learning new things. You can adapt quickly in demanding situations and are keen to search for ways to make your own work and work of team better and more efficient. You stay connected to what is happening across the business and externally, showing a curiosity to learn more about the background of the needs of the team. This involves connecting the dots and translating this into finding the best way to support the team.

Being resourceful, instinctively knowing how to get things done, being tenacious in getting to a solution or answers. Having confidence in own judgement and being able to advise and coach others. You will have the ability to cope calmly and authoritatively under pressure, responding to changing demands and priorities, knowing when to make judgement calls and when escalation is needed. You will be used to working independently, being resourceful in approaching problems and challenges and enjoy building relationships, collaborating across stakeholders and their teams, and supporting others when needed. At all times, you will have pride and professionalism in what you do.