Paul Walsh, the Irish Opportunist

Personal Assistant / General Administrator wanted by London-based entrepreneur

Here’s a job specification that went out today. I haven’t edited it, so it’s written in the third person.

Paul Walsh is Chairman of the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA); founder of mobile social network, Wubud and of Web certification company, Segala. He’s one of the UK’s highest profile interactive media entrepreneurs… and he needs help.

Specifically, he needs a Personal Assistant and General Administrator to manage his increasingly hectic professional and personal life. The ideal candidate will be smart, confident, worldly and able to use initiative under pressure. They will also be capable of undertaking a wide range of tasks including – but definitely not limited to…

Diary Management
Paul frequently meets with key players in the social media sector, as well as clients and suppliers. You will be responsible for arranging these meetings (and if necessary re-arranging them at short notice), setting agendas and venues, co-ordinating follow-ups and more.

Travel
Paul’s work takes him around the world – from London to Dublin, San Francisco to Hong Kong and beyond. As well as accompanying Paul on some of these trips, you will be tasked with booking flights, arranging hotels and handling a variety of short-notice travel and accommodation requirements.

Events
You will be required to assist Paul in the organisation of industry conferences, including sourcing venues, co-ordinating seminars and arranging appropriate corporate entertainment. This aspect of the job would suit a ‘people person’. If this isn’t you, please don’t apply.

Correspondence and Financial
Paul receives a great deal of correspondence and it will be your responsibility to handle his emails, letters and phone calls. You’ll need to prioritise messages – responding to the important ones and politely handling the timewasters. In addition, you will be responsible for a variety of exciting day-to-day financial tasks including managing bill payments, recording and submitting monthly expense claims, invoice generation (and chasing) and payment reconciliation.

HR & Recruitment
As Paul’s various business interests continue to grow, your role will be to help recruit the people required to support that growth. In practical terms, this means sourcing recruitment agencies and co-ordinating job advertising, screening candidates, arranging interviews as well as general personnel administration.

Entertainment
Paul is constantly entertaining – in both senses of the word. To help him stay that way, you will be called upon to book restaurants; arrange theatre, concert and sporting event tickets; plan activities and days out, RSVP to invitations and generally handle his social diary.

Administration
The ideal candidate will be on first name terms with the Microsoft Office paperclip as this will be a great help in producing board reports, presentations, spreadsheets and more.

Personal Administration
As well as managing Paul’s business life, your role will cross over to co-ordinating various aspects of his personal life. This will include managing bill payments and banking, renewing memberships, arranging and co-ordinating holidays and short breaks as well as taking care of everything else required to allow Paul to make the most of his frighteningly limited free time.

Think this person might be you or someone you know? For more information on this role including salary and benefits, please contact Paul by email paul@segala.com

No recruitment agencies please. None. Absolutely zero. Zilch.