If you flicked to the back of the Executive PA magazine first, you’d have seen that our columnist Jo Jones has secured a new role as EA to the CEO at TM Forum, working between her home and the office in London. Here’s how it’s going.
Please tell us a little about your career journey and motivations.
My motivation has been and will always be contributing to the greater good of my organisation. I love knowing that whatever task I focus on will add value to my company. Thinking back to where I started, I always wanted to support and work closely with the leaders of the organisation. Over the years, I have slowly and steadily worked hard and worked up from basic administrative support to strategic support and I just love it.
What about highlights over the years?
There are a few! I led a team that executed a full administration review, which took consideration and realignment of 48 administrative roles. I led and executed 25 celebratory events in aid of the Wellcome Sanger Institute’s 25th birthday. I implemented a successful realignment of roles and responsibilities with the executive leadership team (ELT) and the senior leadership team (SLT), where the ELT was elevated and empowered to use its meeting time to review the ‘big picture’, leaving the SLT to focus on the operational side of the business. Finally, I embedded a new values campaign, and one year of survey results showed that 97% of colleagues resonated with the values.
What are your main responsibilities?
There’s one – to make my CEO’s life easier; to take away the day-to-day minutiae before he has a chance to think about it. My CEO has to focus on the bigger picture and I play my part in that by strategically managing his time. That doesn’t mean accepting every meeting or request; he has to think, reflect, plan, and even grab lunch or have a comfort break. It’s about making all requests and visitors feel warm, welcomed and listened to – while potentially saying ‘no’ to the asks.
How have you been recognised formally?
I’ve had two wonderful awards in my time, which I’m very proud of. My most precious memory is being awarded PA of the Year for the UK in 2017 by Executive PA Media. These are the oldest and most established awards for administration professionals, with nominations accepted from over 140 countries. In 2021, I was recognised at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA)’s President’s Awards by the then President, Tan Suee Chieh who I supported in my first year at IFoA. We worked so well together, and I was delighted when he presented me with one of his awards.
How did you feel winning? Did someone nominate you, or was it a surprise?
The Executive PA Media award was a total surprise to me, I had no idea! My dear colleague and friend Sophie Palmer nominated me. I was also nominated for the Best Event award. I felt very lucky and very humbled by the nominations. This, for me, put professional administration on the map in my organisation at the time, and I will forever dine out on the experiences that followed.
What’s happened since?
I’ve had many job offers and spoken at several administration conferences. I’ve also shared my time and experiences with like-minded people, becoming a mentor to some fantastic PAs and EAs.
What is your ultimate career goal?
I started this interview by stating my motivation is to contribute to the greater good. Albeit early days where I am now, I feel I’m in the right organisation for me. And boy, do I want to contribute to it! I can’t wait to see how I, being a small cog in a very large machine, will make a difference and contribute to the business’s overall success.
So, tell us about the organisation.
TM Forum is an alliance of 800+ global companies working together to break down technology and cultural barriers between digital service providers, technology suppliers, consultancies and systems integrators.
What makes your boss stand out?
As I say, it’s early days, but the CEO is driven and ambitious. He certainly knows what he wants and how he likes things to be. I like working with people like that – direct and to the point – as I know where I stand and my expectations are fully managed.
How do you find the work/life balance?
It’s spot on. It’s a hybrid role, and I only need to be in the physical office when the CEO is there. That’s averaging two days per week. It’s the perfect blend!
What about perks? And the working environment?
Quite unusually, I get all my travel to work paid for. I had to double-check it wasn’t a typo in my contract but it’s real! All travel into the office falls to the organisation to settle. It really is a fantastic perk. The physical office space is light, airy and open-plan, which I love. It makes for great team collaboration.
Does the organisation do anything different to the norm when a new employee joins?
My onboarding has been predominantly online, with pre-recorded training tutorials. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on with these, but it has had me up and running quickly– possibly more so than if the onboarding was done by a human.
What’s your team like?
My team is small, but my colleagues are mighty! Everyone has been hugely welcoming and making sure I have everything I need to succeed.
What would they say about you?
I’m not sure yet…! But after my final interview, when I was put in front of the CEO, I was told he never makes a decision without reflecting on it overnight… Then literally one hour later I got a call with a job offer! He said I’d made a positive impact and he could already see the value I could bring, not only to his world but to the organisation as a whole. And after one week my line manager said she feels like I’ve been working with her for six months already. So, I think I must be doing something right!
Finally, what are your top tips for senior-level PAs looking to create a great culture in their organisation?
I’ve got four key points here:
- Be honest, transparent and communicative.
- Keep your dignity and integrity intact when all around you are losing theirs.
- Be helpful and supportive to your colleagues and peers because you never know when you’ll need them.
- Always bring your most positive self to work – but tell someone if you’re feeling less like you, bringing us back to point one above.
