Executive Assistant

About Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates is a leading global consulting firm that provides economic, financial, and business management expertise to major law firms, corporations and governments around the world. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings, and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance-related issues. Since 1965, clients have engaged CRA for its combination of industry experience and rigorous, fact-based analysis that provides clients with clear, implementable solutions to complex business concerns.

Position Overview

This Executive Assistant role provides executive level administrative support to senior staff in the CRA Competition team located in London. Our business depends on serving clients and a successful candidate will be a critical face to our customers and will be counted upon to communicate professionally, to demonstrate initiative and responsiveness, and to organize the meetings, calls, travel and billing that underpin a successful professional services business. This position is an excellent chance for someone to learn the art of professional service business development by working closely with senior members of a thriving practice. A successful person in this role will be given progressively more responsibility and opportunities to support broader teams. This position requires occasional overtime as dictated by project work.

When we ask our employees what they found rewarding and enjoyable about building their careers with CRA, they often describe the interesting and challenging work, culture of learning and intellectual rigor, sense of collegiality, and environment where ideas and initiative are rewarded. Additionally, we offer competitive compensation and benefits, professional development and training workshops, wellness and well being benefits, and office social and volunteer activities.      

Essential Functions:

•  Provide administrative support to a number of VPs and other senior staff: maintain calendars, draft routine correspondence, project organization, coordinate detailed travel arrangements, maintain files, organise internal and external meetings and social events, and provide administrative backup for other executive assistants/admin support
•  Provide project support: assist with client billing, circulate conflict checks, draft client engagement letters; process expense reports, invoices, and time-sheets in a timely fashion by working closely with the finance department
•  May include leading local onboarding: welcome new hires and coordinate onboarding activities, including office tours and attaining security badges
•  May include acting as an internal and external liaison with corporate departments (Human Capital, Information Technology, Financial Administration, Communications, etc.) and other practices
•  Logistics for company meetings/team building events, point person for office needs, ordering supplies
•  Other administrative duties as assigned

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in an appropriate discipline;
• Minimum 5 years relevant work experience in a similar role, professional services experience preferred (consulting, law, accounting, financial services);
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), experience with Oracle's financial reporting system preferred;
• Energetic self-starter that can accomplish most tasks independently;
• Strong interpersonal skills including a cooperative and professional attitude;
• Displays good judgment under pressure;
• Demonstrates excellent problem solving skills and attention to detail at a high level;
• Has experience within high performing teams;
• Well organized, flexible and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously;
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills;
• Ability to grasp the nature and basic concepts of our business;
• Excellent critical thinking and analytical skills;
• Maintains client, corporate and court-ordered confidentiality at all times.

To Apply

To be considered for this position, we require the following:

• Resume – please include current address, personal email and telephone number;
• Cover letter – please describe your interest in CRA and how this role matches your goals.

The position is for 5 days a week initially in person in the London office.

Career Growth and Benefits 

• CRA’s robust skills development programs, including a commitment to offering training annually through formal and informal programs, encouraging you to thrive as an individual and team member. Beginning with skill building, training continues with technical training, presentation skills, internal seminars, and career mentoring and performance coaching from an assigned senior colleague. Additional leadership and collaboration opportunities exist through internal firm development activities.
• We offer a comprehensive total rewards program including a superior benefits package, wellness programming to support physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being, and in-house immigration support for foreign nationals and international business travelers.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Charles River Associates is an equal opportunity employer (Equality Act 2010). As part of our focus on equity and inclusion, we work to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.