Senior Executive Assistant

About the job

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1100+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few roles based in offices. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder led, profitable and growing. We are hiring a Senior Executive Assistant to join our team, responsible for significant projects and at least one senior executive and their leadership team. As a team, we ensure that the business runs smoothly and that travel, expenses and events are efficiently and correctly managed.

We look for positive team players who are self-driven and results oriented, with excellent attention to detail. The best candidates show that they are forward planners, reliable and determined, and keen to assume responsibility for projects, processes and policy. We are a unique global business, so we are not looking for candidates with extensive experience so much as excellent organisers and communicators who are keen to develop skills and strive for continuous improvement.

This team plays a crucial role in the overall operation of the business. They run significant business operations and processes, supporting the respective department leads but also taking central responsibility for logistics, expenses, travel and scheduling. They are the secret to our success! We look for confident and effective people who have good judgment and the self-assurance to hold firm on a point of policy regardless of the seniority of people on the other side of a discussion. If you like to take responsibility and you like to ensure that things are done properly and efficiently then you will enjoy the role tremendously.

Location: This role is open to candidates based in EMEA time zones - Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Responsibilities

Support operations for one or more departments in the company

Coordinate monthly reports and schedule meetings and interviews

Organise and run international company events including logistics

Manage quarterly and annual executive meetings

Collaborate across teams on activities and initiatives

Manage suppliers and stakeholders

What we are looking for in you

Excellent academic results at school and university

A degree in a business or technical subject

Excellent communication skills

Responsibility, integrity and accountability

Self-awareness and thoughtfulness

Ability to travel up to four times a year for company events of up to two weeks duration

Ability to learn new technology and software quickly

Additional Skills We Value

Experience in operations and executive support

Project management experience

Event related experience

Travel industry experience

What we offer you

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus. We provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person

Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year

Annual compensation review

Recognition rewards

Annual holiday leave

Maternity and paternity leave

Employee Assistance Programme

Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues

Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm that is at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world on a daily basis. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence - in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do.

Work at Canonical is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game. Canonical provides a unique window into the world of 21st-century digital business.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.