Channeling the potential of The Office of The CEO

How expanding beyond the traditional CEO-EA unit can increase growth opportunities for Administrative Professionals in Australia.

?

It’s common knowledge that behind every CEO is a great Executive Assistant. The CEO-EA relationship is an impactful one, and for a lot of EAs, this role is the ‘ceiling’ of their career. However, expanding beyond the traditional two-person team to create a wider Office of the CEO that functions as its own business unit can increase opportunities for Executive Assistants in Australia to raise the roof on their career, broaden the horizon of their skillset and enhance the functionality of the CEO office overall.

?

The Office of the CEO is a business unit within the company that directly supports the strategic functions of the CEO. It acts as a conduit between the board and staff to inform the achievement of organisational priorities as well as act as a liaison between external stakeholders. The Office of the CEO manages a diverse range of complex matters on any given day relating to organisational processes, governance, compliance, and projects. All of these require a diverse set of skills; therefore, the Office of the CEO may be comprised of several different heads of departments within its unit, such as Strategic Planning, Administration, Communications, Research, and Crisis Management.

?

A key factor that determines the effectiveness of this business unit is the administrative team that guides the daily operations, ensuring that leaders make the most of their limited time, that information is received at the right point in the process, departments are actioning their deliverables and follow-ups occur without the need for the CEO to check-in. As an Executive Assistant, there is an opportunity to step up into a Senior EA role and work in partnership with the Chief of Staff to align strategic priorities, influence decisions and create integrated workflows that would otherwise remain siloed. From this position, you can lead other EAs within the business unit and influence the career path through the company so that there is a clear trajectory for someone starting in a Front of House position to aspire to.

?

Our first research for 2023 focussed on shining light on understanding the Office of the CEO as a broader business unit. Our survey results have begun to shine a light on what working in a broader Office of the CEO looks like.

We also spoke with AAA Judge Sharleen Tassone, Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO, Office of the CEO at Futurefund, about how the creation of this business unit has expanded the scale and scope of her role and increased the functionality of the CEO office.

?

What is the Office of the CEO, and why was it created at Futurefund?

“Our purpose as an Office of the CEO (OOC) business unit is to ensure the well-being and running of the agency, as well as to support the CEO. We are responsible for business strategy and leveraging the rest of the organisation to deliver Board and Agency priorities and to provide Agency leadership.

?

When my Executive was the Chief Investment Office (CIO), we doubled in size in a short amount of time, and he created a team around his 2 person office, CIO and EA.?A Manager role was created to support the CIO on strategic matters, so his time wasn’t bogged down in the ‘business as usual tasks.?Once he was promoted to the CEO role, the concept was a natural progression to create the OOC.?The roles within the OOC all play a key role to support the CEO and the running of the CEO office.

?

We function as our own department on the organisational structure, detached from other business units, with our own budget and our own recruitment. We have an overview of the entire organisation and function as one connected unit to ensure deliverables are met.”

?

Can you tell us more about the advantages of this way of working compared to how you operated in the traditional two-person mini-unit?

“Yes, the CEO-EA team is like a mini-unit, and whilst its function is powerful and important, I don’t think it allows you (as an EA) as much scope to touch as many areas of the business as it does when you’re in a broader Office of the CEO department.

?

As an EA, you can only go so far in other business units because the person you report to is not the CEO. Or, if it is only the two of you, then you don’t have the ability to utilize the combined skills of an EA team incorporated in one department. I believe there is so much more potential to influence administrative functions across the business from this position. You’re not bogged down in the day-to-day, instead, your position has more of a strategic function. You’re in a position to address the pain points of administrative staff, create career paths and guide the broader team view on the value of administrative professionals. In turn, this generates longevity in administrative roles.”

?

So, it seems that working as a coordinated OOC team gives you the ability to weigh in on and collaborate with senior leadership on strategic and business planning from a consultative position.

“Absolutely, in my experience, working within an OOC department means I am able to be part of a team that keeps an eye on the pulse of the organisation – we’re in charge of its wellbeing, working together across the business in real-time to ensure that the CEO is up to date and up to speed with what is happening throughout the entire company at any given moment.

?

As the Senior EA, I work collaboratively with the Director, who might be called a Chief of Staff in some industries, and the work I do as a leader of the administrative functions of the business compliments and supports their work as the Director. Working with other EAs within the OOC enables me to create a direct line of communication that links the leadership team with the broader organisation via their EAs or administrative staff – creating a streamlined system of administrative management.”

?

In your opinion, what are the critical superpowers needed to fulfil an EA or SEA role within the Office of the CEO and what education would be beneficial to someone aspiring to that kind of role?

“I would say to be considered for a role in the OOC you will need to be motivated, self-sufficient, empathetic, good with people, calm and, most importantly, know the company you work for.?What is the purpose, and why are you there??A good working relationship with your Executive is the key, and you need to be honest and trustworthy, and aligned with their thinking.?Having excellent technology skills, which can be achieved with formal training, will assist you in keeping up with today’s tech world.?Be open to any opportunity thrown at you and learn from your mistakes.?Allow others to push you outside your comfort zone, which may include education to help you grow and develop. Although my education happened through on-the-job training, I encourage everyone to have a conversation with their Executive or leadership team and find out if there are opportunities to complete training relevant to their role or professional goals.”

Thank you to Sharleen Tassone and our survey respondents; your input helps to develop informative information to share and drives change for our profession.

www.australianassemblyofadministrators.com.au

Contact:

[email protected]