Executive Assistant - Environment Directorate

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.

The OECD Environment Directorate (ENV), in line with the strategic objectives of the Secretary General, provides relevant and timely information, analysis and advice to support governments in identifying and implementing the environmental policies needed to support a cleaner, more resource-efficient, low-carbon, resilient and green growth path. The Directorate currently comprises approximately 220 staff members working across a broad range of issues such as: green growth, climate change, biodiversity, water, eco-innovation, resource productivity and waste, environmental policy tools and evaluation, safety of chemicals, biotechnology and nanomaterials, sustainable finance and linkages between environment and tax, agriculture, energy, transport, development assistance, trade and investment policies. For more information, please refer to www.oecd.org/env.

ENV is looking for an Executive Assistant in its Directors’ Office to carry out a wide range of personal assistant and administrative duties to support the Director and his team.  The selected candidate will be in charge of ensuring the smooth running of the Directors’ Office and will work under the supervision of the Director.

Main Responsibilities

Executive Assistance and Office Management

• Provide high-level executive and administrative support to the Director and Director’s Office, ensuring smooth daily operations.
• Manage and optimise the Director’s calendar: appointments, internal/external meetings, work commitments, social functions, and international engagements.
• Draft, proofread, format and finalise routine correspondence, official letters, memos and documents; process official documents via eCouncil/ONE and manage translations when required.
• Maintain an accessible electronic and physical filing system and ensure proper management of confidential material.
• Welcome and assist visitors, including high level officials, ensuring discretion and protocol are respected.
• Foster and maintain strong working relations with counterparts across the Organisation (e.g., SG/DSG offices), national delegations, governments, the private sector and international organisations.

Communication and Information Flow

• Screen, prioritise and manage emails for the Director: draft responses, redirect tasks, handle items not requiring the Director’s personal attention, and flag urgent issues.
• Prioritise, track and follow up on incoming requests, projects and correspondence—ensuring deadlines are met, including those from the Office of the Secretary General.
• Coordinate daily workflow in the Director’s Office and ensure effective information flow with internal divisions, delegations, and external partners.
• In the absence of the Director or Deputy Directors, assess and escalate issues requiring immediate attention and liaise with Advisors accordingly.
• Ensure that information is clearly and timely relayed to relevant staff and stakeholders.

• Maintain professional, courteous communication on behalf of the Director’s Office with internal and external interlocutors.

Missions and Events Coordination

• Organise and manage logistical and administrative aspects of meetings led by the Director’s Office: room bookings, catering, technical requirements, document formatting, invitations, and coordination with internal support units.
• Identify and assemble information for the Director prior to important meetings based on the information and programme.
• Organise missions for the Director and Director’s Office staff: flights, hotels, registrations, visas, Concur mission orders, expense claims and reimbursement follow-up.
• Prepare and assemble background documents, briefing files and relevant information for meetings and missions.
• Liaise with government officials, local authorities and co organisers to ensure protocol, security and logistical arrangements for meetings or missions abroad.

Other

• Work collaboratively and constructively with ENV assistants and across the organisation.
• Contribute to directorate wide initiatives to improve team spirit and well-being.
• Carry out other related tasks as required.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Academic Background

• Very good secondary level education and relevant post-secondary education or experience, preferably within an international organisation.

Professional Background

• Proven experience as a personal assistant to a high-level national or international civil servant, and experience in the environment domain would be an advantage.
• Knowldege of the administrative rules, procedures and systems of the Organisation would be an advantage, or the ability to learn and assimilate them quickly.

Tools

• Excellent knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, in particular Word and Outlook.  Experience using PowerPoint would be an advantage.
• Experience with the software packages used in the Organisation (eCouncil, Concur, Conference Room Reservations, SRP, ONE Author, SRM, etc.).
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new tools.

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 1); Innovate and Embrace Change (Level 1).
• 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.

Closing Date

• This vacancy should be filled as soon as possible, and applications should reach us no later than 15 March at 23h59 (Paris time).

Contract Duration

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

Please note that our Rules and Regulations stipulate that the mandatory retirement age is 67.

What the OECD offers

• Monthly salary starts at 4 502.33 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.