The main function of a management support professional is to support one or many executives and the role is normally able to make decisions that affect the company.
A management professional may go by one of many different titles and their tasks and responsibilities may vary but they must be proactive with administration, coordination and communication.
The diversity of the role is obvious in the range of titles, which can include Executive Assistant, Management Assistant, Management Coordinator, Personal Assistant and Office Manager. The management support professional is often part of the management team.
The role is rapidly evolving, with globalisation, digitisation and swift market developments affecting how the role develops. A successful management support professional will have a good education and be suitably qualified. They must be committed to continually developing their skills and competences and have the right characteristics to meet current requirements and future demands. Interpersonal skills, technology skills and understanding modern ways to communicate are increasing in importance.
The Profile
The IMA Profile for Management Support Professionals will help management support professionals and their managers to establish desired competences. It can also be used to support recruitment processes and as a foundation and inspiration for job descriptions.
The IMA Profile for Management Support Professionals gives a general description divided into three blocks:
- Tasks
- Skills
- Characteristics
The profile lists general tasks for management support professionals, along with the desired skills and characteristics. Moreover, the profile sets out areas of responsibility that often occur and that can be combined with general tasks.
The content is based on surveys for members and members’ managers, as well as job ads and external up to date research for the profession.
Administrative support to one or many executives
- Coordinating and planning
- Travel and meeting arrangements
- Overall responsibility for calendar and manager’s time
- Take minutes and follow up on actions
- Financial follow up
- Travel expenses and invoices
- Administer work for management and Board of Directors
- Prepare presentation material
- Compile and analyze reporting material
- Develop office/administrative routines
- Archiving/handling of documents
Skills
- Organizational knowledge
- MS Office
- Digital competence
- Communication
- Language
- Administration
- Social competence
- Time management
- Leadership
- Company culture and core values
- Company expert
- Business knowledge (business economics, marketing, legal)
- Knowledge of rules for public listed companies
- Knowledge about rules and regulations for organizations
- Purchasing, sourcing and negotiations
- Project management
Further tasks and areas of responsibilities
- Conference and event arrangements
- Office Manager (responsible for reception, direct report(s), budget, purchase and agreements)
- Internal communication
- Handling press releases and media contacts
- Administration of Annual general meetings and quarterly reports
- Project leader
- Salary administration
- Support HR department
- Support Finance department
- Support Marketing department
- On-boarding program
- Travel Manager
Characteristics
- Integrity
- Proactive
- Service minded
- Loyal
- Organized
- Efficient
- Responsible
- Flexible
- Calm under pressure
- Communicative
- Assertive
- Solutions orientedCreative
- Problem solver
- Independent
- Representative
- Analytical
- Resourceful
- Tech-savvy
- Diplomatic
- Leader
- Decisive
- Strategical