Executive Assistant

Please note - this position must be based in the Chicago/Mid-west area and can be hybrid.  The candidate must already be based in NA and not require sponsorship.
 

We are currently seeking an Executive Assistant to support our Head of North America Seeds HR, Head of Golden Harvest & GHX and Head, NK Retail and Licensing. 

As an Executive Assistant (EA) you will have the ability to work independently and trust your experience to help guide you to make independent decisions.  The EA will partner with the executives to learn the business and play an integral role in leadership team meetings including management of agenda, prioritizing topics, tracking action items and follow up.

Occasional support will be required for the direct reports of these three primary executives including meeting planning, travel coordination, occasional budget and expense management as well as support to other executives when they travel to the Chicago area.

If you enjoy a fast-paced environment with an amazing company culture, this is a fit for you!

Key Responsibilities

• Exercising discretion, confidentiality, and good judgment to handle executive-level matters and representing the company and executives positively through excellent follow-through skills and sound business judgment.
• Creating a pathway for smooth communication between North America Seeds teams and other internal departments, demonstrating leadership as the face of the executive team, building trust and support with senior management teams.
• Providing complex administrative support to the executives, including meticulous calendar management and decision-making regarding the relative priority of meetings and appointments, while resolving conflicts as necessary.
• Coordinating domestic and international travel arrangements, including contingency planning, and processing expense reports.
• Managing the Business Planning calendar, internal communication strategy, and logistics for team meetings and offsites.
• Efficiently scheduling complex meetings involving high-level participants across global time zones.
• Managing invoices and purchase orders as required, preparing Word, Excel, PowerPoint presentations, agendas, reports, and coordinating special projects, some of which may be highly confidential on behalf of the executive team, and handling ad hoc projects as needed.
• Being responsive to emails, texts, and phone calls, at times outside normal business hours, and being flexible with hours as dictated by the needs of the business for projects and meetings.

Syngenta is a global leader in agriculture; rooted in science and dedicated to bringing plant potential to life. Each of our 30,000 employees in more than 90 countries work together to solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: growing more food with fewer resources. A diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace environment are enablers of our ambition to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture.

Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. No matter what your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture.

Experience & Background:

• Undergraduate degree preferred, but not required.
• 7+ years of related experience required in working in administrative roles, including current experience as an executive assistant role supporting C-Level executives.
• Complex calendaring skills and extensive travel knowledge with a pulse on the ever-changing travel environment.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite, particularly Microsoft Outlook
• Strong understanding of Concur for travel and expenses.
• Familiarity with Ariba/SAP and SharePoint
• Excellent communications skills, the ability to prioritize effectively, work independently and handle multiple time-critical tasks simultaneously are critical skills.
• Demonstrated confidence and maturity to interface with customers, suppliers, and high-level senior executives.
• Demonstrated ability to develop trust and cross-functional relationships, at all levels of the organization and influence without authority.
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills and ability to speak and write in a clear and concise manner.

• Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts the same day you do
• 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution
• Paid Vacation, 9 Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts among others
• A culture that promotes work/life balance, celebrates diversity, and offers numerous family-oriented events throughout the year

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC)
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)

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