Executive Assistant to the General Counsel

World Resources Institute • Washington, DC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

This is a hybrid position which requires 8 days per month in the office. You will be based in our office in Washington DC. To be eligible for this position in US, you must be a resident of DC, Maryland or Virginia at the start of employment. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work sponsorship for this position About the Program: The Executive Office consists of the President and CEO, five Managing Directors, the Chief of Institutional Alignment, the Chief People Officer, the Chief Finance Officer, the General Counsel, and their support teams. We ensure smooth running of the Institute, excellence in governance and decision making, and effective interactions with all our partners, internal and external, towards achieving WRI's mission. The Office of the General Counsel, located in the Executive Office, is responsible for managing the Institute’s legal matters and advising on legal risks. In addition, the General Counsel provides legal and strategic advisory to WRI’s Management Team and Board of Directors. Job Highlight: Reporting to General Counsel, you will support the administration and team coordination for the Office of the General Counsel. You will partner with the General Counsel on efficient calendar management and prioritization, travel coordination, legal document management and preparation, research and provision of senior administrative support. You have an administrative and legal background and enjoy working both independently and as part of a team. WRI’s Office of the General Counsel is a growing department , and you will support the design and run the day-to-day decision-making flow of information on behalf of the General Counsel by facilitating meetings, ensuring briefings are fit for purpose, allocating and tracking actions, and coordinating with peers. You will integrate equity into your work. What will you do: Administrative Support (60%): Manage the General Counsel’s calendar, scheduling appointments with internal colleagues and external partners in line with operational priorities Proactively ensure that the Office of the General Counsel team members are informed of and included in internal meetings and external meetings relevant to their respective roles Create agendas for internal and external meetings, capturing detailed meeting minutes, tracking and following up on action items Keep up with General Counsel’s work blocks and monitor important deadlines and due dates Support General Counsel in cadence and tracking recurring meetings and outcomes to ensure timely follow-up and execution Capture meeting notes and action points during meetings alongside lawyers and paralegals Update web and intranet sites and review for out-of-date information Keep the General Counsel abreast of WRI’s performance management process, benefit’s enrolment process, and other administrative processes for staff Support ongoing efforts to improve the Office of the General Counsel’s administrative systems and processes, including coordinating closely with fellow team members to help the office run smoothly, avoiding duplication of efforts Operations and Project Management Support (30%): Help draft internal communications to key internal stakeholders on behalf of the General Counsel Monitor and manage legal department-specific tasks such as department budget, invoice management, document translation, country registrations, and other work to support paralegals Prepare and monitor expense reports and timesheets to ensure timely submission and approval Create and manage a case management system, monitoring and disseminating departmental performance data to analyze engagement Support the preparation of advanced PowerPoint presentations utilizing transitions, animations, charts, graphics, and notes Work with the Executive Office Assistants to share best practices, support organizational habits and structures that lead to a thriving institute Participate in administrative and operational communities of practices/institutional meetings to represent the Office of the General Counsel Serve as a trusted first point of contact for advice on internal processes Event Management (10%): Help arrange and participate in WRI all-staff events in partnership with the Executive Office Plan, prepare, and execute team-building events including offsite retreats, team lunches and celebrations Partner with paralegals and lawyers to support creation, execution and management of trainings led by the Office of the General Counsel. What will you need:

Requirements

• You have a completed bachelor’s degree. Relevant work experience in lieu of degree is accepted
• You have 5+ years of full-time professional experience in a similar role in a fast-paced high-matrix international organization, including experience assisting one or more executives
• Experience as a Legal Assistant or Administrative Assistant in a legal office is desirable
• Experience working with senior executives and can demonstrate the ability to synthesize complex topics into actionable and decision ready analysis fit for that audience and then cascade decisions for action
• Demonstrated knowledge of legal terminology and procedures
• Experience managing projects with competing deadlines and needs
• Experience working with internal and external partners to manage expectations
• Flexibility to occasionally attend meetings outside of regular, local business hours (with notice) to accommodate colleagues in other time zones
• Experience working with a geographically dispersed team
• Experience with project management systems and ERPs (such as Asana and Workday)
• Experience using MS Office (e.g. Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), and web-based communications (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Zoom)
• You are proficient in verbal and written English.
• Existing work authorization is required where this position is based. WRI is unable to authorize visa work authorization.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as a Legal Assistant or Administrative Assistant in a legal office is desirable
• Additional language skills are desirable

Responsibilities

• Manage the General Counsel’s calendar, scheduling appointments with internal colleagues and external partners in line with operational priorities
• Proactively ensure that the Office of the General Counsel team members are informed of and included in internal meetings and external meetings relevant to their respective roles
• Create agendas for internal and external meetings, capturing detailed meeting minutes, tracking and following up on action items
• Keep up with General Counsel’s work blocks and monitor important deadlines and due dates
• Support General Counsel in cadence and tracking recurring meetings and outcomes to ensure timely follow-up and execution
• Capture meeting notes and action points during meetings alongside lawyers and paralegals
• Update web and intranet sites and review for out-of-date information
• Keep the General Counsel abreast of WRI’s performance management process, benefit’s enrolment process, and other administrative processes for staff
• Support ongoing efforts to improve the Office of the General Counsel’s administrative systems and processes, including coordinating closely with fellow team members to help the office run smoothly, avoiding duplication of efforts
• Help draft internal communications to key internal stakeholders on behalf of the General Counsel
• Monitor and manage legal department-specific tasks such as department budget, invoice management, document translation, country registrations, and other work to support paralegals
• Prepare and monitor expense reports and timesheets to ensure timely submission and approval
• Create and manage a case management system, monitoring and disseminating departmental performance data to analyze engagement
• Support the preparation of advanced PowerPoint presentations utilizing transitions, animations, charts, graphics, and notes
• Work with the Executive Office Assistants to share best practices, support organizational habits and structures that lead to a thriving institute
• Participate in administrative and operational communities of practices/institutional meetings to represent the Office of the General Counsel
• Serve as a trusted first point of contact for advice on internal processes
• Help arrange and participate in WRI all-staff events in partnership with the Executive Office
• Plan, prepare, and execute team-building events including offsite retreats, team lunches and celebrations
• Partner with paralegals and lawyers to support creation, execution and management of trainings led by the Office of the General Counsel

Benefits

• Access to the WRI global network with the opportunity to exchange with and learn from passionate colleagues working at the cutting edge of their fields across Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and the US
• The chance to have an impact and to develop your career within a mission driven organization with access to varied learning and training opportunities.
• A workplace that strives to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work
• The opportunity to join and get involved in different working groups and affinity groups to shape the future of WRI
• Commitment to hybrid working model with flexible working hours
• Generous leave days that increase with tenure
• Medical Coverage, Dental Coverage, Vision Coverage, retirement plan access and employer contribution.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level