The Role of the Strategic Executive Assistant - CMI Level 5
The main role of an Executive Assistant (EA) and Personal Assistant (PA) is broad and challenging. They play a key role in the organisation providing strategic level guidance to senior executives, organisational leaders, and directors.
The role has evolved and is now ever more critical to ensuring effective leadership and helping to drive and deliver business improvements. So, ensuring they have the required knowledge base and skillset has become increasingly important.
The aim of this course is to equip you with the tools and knowledge to perform this responsible role effectively and efficiently. You will learn how to engage with the wider corporate aims of the organisation, ensuring you deliver against organisational goals.
Course Summary
CMI Level 5 Award in Management and Leadership - Optional
Duration:
2 Day
Delivery Method and Price:
Virtual Classroom:
£1,100
Interested in this Course?
About the Programme
This course is for Executive and Personal Assistants who work for senior managers, leaders, executives, and directors.
The role and responsibilities of the EA & PA continue to grow and so it is crucial to keep up to date with changes and new developments and understand their implications across a wide range of business activities. This is in addition to running a smoothly operating organisation that looks after its directors, staff, shareholders, and investors.
*Please note that some of the materials and objectives may be subject to change depending on discussions, activities and needs of the cohort upon reflection of delegate responses to the pre-programme questionnaires.*
On successful completion of the course, participants will have learned how to:
- Synchronise their role with that of the executive and provide effective support
- Set priorities, managing their role and career to meet executives’ needs
- Gain a greater understanding of the executive mind set and corporate objectives
- Handle stakeholders and their importance to the PA role
- Develop relationships throughout the organisation
- Understand the importance of emotional intelligence at work
- Understand verbal and non-verbal communication and negotiating skills
- Adopt different questioning styles
- Obtain an enhanced ability to influence others
- Delegate, multi-task effectively and take the initiative
- Address management theory and styles of management
- Understand the role of social media in the modern executive arena
- Address process and project management
- Work with key functions such as finance and human resources
Session 1
Characteristics and Qualities of a successful E.A
Key themes include:
- Flexibility & Adaptability - Handle shifting priorities with ease.
- Soft Skills – How & why your behaviour impacts others
- Tact and handling situations in a calm, professional manner
- Conflict and negotiation
- Discretion and confidentiality
- Multitasking and Organisational Skills
- Communication Skills & Relationship-building
- Resilience & Emotional intelligence
- DISC personality assessment
- Managing up & down
- Adopting a proactive mindset
Session 2
The Role of the Executive EA: Technical Skills
Key themes include:
- Data Management, Filing and Organisation: 5S, Retention, backup compliance e.g GDPR use of Metadata
- Knowledge Of Email Systems – Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, IBM Notes
- Report Writing – Status reports.
- Writing Minutes – Utilising technology
- Researching, Preparing Presentations plus Time & Project Management
- Process & continuous improvement
- Measuring performance – Balance scorecard
- Continuous approach to learning
- The World of Leading in a Digital Age
- Approaches to innovation and considering new technologies
- 18 mindsets and practices of excellent CEO’s
Session 3
Working with the Executive
Key themes include:
- Understanding How a Company Operates, From the Board Down
- What Is Good Governance?
- The Roles and Responsibilities of a Director
- The Roles and Responsibilities of An Executive PA
- What Is a Board?
- Understanding leadership vs management
- Building trust with your Exec
- Developing influencing skills
- Professionalism and Motivation
- Leadership Competencies
- Effective 1-2-1’s
Session 4
Understanding Strategy
Key themes include:
- Strategy From a Theoretical Viewpoint
- Working With Your Executive on The Strategy
- Financial Awareness - Financial accounting vs management accounting, financial statements – balance sheets and income statements
- Breaking down and analysing organisational financial statements
- Understanding the key varieties of “leadership” and how you can apply and utilise them in your role
- Helping to deliver corporate strategy
- Managing change through a collaborative approach – Change management cycle
- Corporate social responsibility & risk management
CMI Level 5 Award in Management and Leadership
Following completion of the Role of the Strategic Executive Assistant course, learners can opt to continue their studies by completing a CMI Level 5 Award in Management and Leadership. This qualification is designed for practising middle managers and leaders at operations, division, departmental or specialist level, who are typically accountable to a senior manager or business owner.
Learners are required to complete one 2,500-3,000 word written assignment. Units to be completed include:
- 509: Managing Stakeholder Relationships
Benefits of completing the qualification include:
For learners:
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For organisations:
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Learners also receive:
- Targeted tutorials run by our CMI-qualified tutors, to help learners complete the assignment writing phase.
- Dedicated support from the Quality Assurance Team here at In Professional Development, including regular CMI learner drop-in sessions.
- Access to a wealth of CMI online learning resources through their Management Direct website.
Please take a look at our CMI FAQs to find out more about how the qualification works.
Nicole Ptolomey
Tutor
After supporting executives for over ten years, Nicole created Tailored E.A in 2018 to provide freelance C-Suite support incorporated with project management, process improvement and strategic planning to offer a unique modern take on the traditional Executive Assistant. At Tailored EA they are passionate about raising individuals up through coaching, training and development. Their vision is for everyone to reach their potential with authenticity and achieve a fulfilling career.
Her background was predominantly in finance which developed from a personal banking management position in retail and later as an office coordinator at an international banks premier tier flagship store. Her life as an assistant began when she became the PA to the Head of Commercial Banking for the West of Scotland and then as PA to the Dep. Head of Corporate Banking for Scotland. From there she moved on as a PA to a board of directors of a Fast Track 200 private business and supported a successful MBO. Her last in-house role was as an executive assistant to a CEO with whom she gained experience of supporting private equity owned businesses'. Since becoming self-employed she has secured contracts within the technology sector with internationally leading I.T & business services firms, collaborated with local government, gained experience within PMO, enterprise architecture, financial services transformation programmes, training and education activities and investment banking improvement and remediation projects.
She is also an experienced user of G Suite, Lotus Notes, electronic board pack software, Minitab, Power BI and Agile methodology. She is also adept at evaluating the current situation and offering innovative solutions and business improvements to drive results with creative problem-solving skills. She is Lean Six Sigma and Prince 2 trained and enthusiastic about delivering and supporting projects, and is also a CPD accredited ACEA certified Executive Assistant. ACEA is an international qualification and is endorsed by the Institute of Administrative Management, which is the oldest professional body for administration business management in the U.K.
Our dedicated In-House Training team can work with you to create a tailored training course that creates an optimal learning experience. Our bespoke built training programmes are designed around your needs and allow you to meet the specific requirements of your business.
Click here to view our In-House Training services.
Is this course right for you?
- Learn how to synchronise your role with that of the executive and provide effective support
- Learn how to gain a greater understanding of the executive mind set and corporate objectives
- Learn how to develop relationships throughout the organisation
- Gain an enhanced ability to influence others
- Learn how to delegate, multi-task effectively and take the initiative
Testimonials
The course content was brilliant and more relevant to my role than I expected. The tutors had different teaching styles and were all fantastic. They were very engaging and offered further contact and support after the course. I enjoyed looking at the Disc leadership analysis and how it would benefit my role.
Sophia Jones
Drac Logistics LTD, Finance Director
Directors Development Programme
Juliette Wilson
University of Strathclyde, Deputy Head of Department, Director of Teaching and Learning
Strategic Decision Making
Very professional and relaxed which demonstrates mastery in their respective fields.
Olga Howard
UCB, Content and Advocacy Lead
CMI L5 Coaching and Mentoring
Accommodation Made Easy
On confirmation of your course booking, you'll have the option to book accommodation from the world renowned and trusted Booking.com. Book your course, book your accommodation, expand your skills. Easy as 1 2 3.
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Location:
Virtual and Face to Face
Location:
Virtual and Face to Face
Frequently Asked Questions
If we have the availability on our course, you can book as many places as you need for your organisation. However, if you have a group of seven people or more, you may find it more cost effective to book an in-house training course. The benefits of in-house delivery go beyond cost savings; the course is tailored to your business and industry sector, making the content highly relevant, plus we’ll deliver the training at a time and date to best suit you.
Face to face learning is just one of the two delivery methods available for your learning, but why choose the face to face delivery option? At In Professional Development, we ensure that your learning environment is one where you can get the most out of your study. The benefits of learning in a face to face environment means you have the opportunity to connect with, problem-solve, and network with other delegates from a wide range of backgrounds. In Professional Development deliver the most up to date and relevant solutions, to everyday real world problems for the working professionals.
Follow the link here: https://www.inpd.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions