Programme Assistant

The Programme Assistant will be responsible for providing integral assistance to programme editors who are in charge of creating programmes and securing world-class speakers for Economist Events. The role requires strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to manage multiple complex projects. This position would suit an enthusiastic and ambitious person with a keen interest in global affairs.

In the role you will be expected to support programme editors to manage speaker invitations and speaker logistics for Economist Events in EMEA.

To succeed in this role you must have:

• University level education; a degree in language, media, policy, economics or a related discipline is desirable
• 2-3 years of work experience is an advantage
• Proficiency in written and spoken English is a core requirement of the role. The ability to write in clear business English and to make phone calls with a confident and professional demeanour in a range of situations is essential.

You should be able to demonstrate:

• The ability to communicate effectively and professionally with senior-level business and government representatives (both from within The Economist Group and externally)
• Outstanding administrative and project management skills
• A highly organized and proactive temperament, with the ability to juggle competing demands and work on several projects simultaneously
• The ability to work as part of a cross-functional team
• Problem solving and analytical capabilities, combined with an ability to carefully follow instructions and processes
• Keen editorial judgement
• A clear understanding of The Economist and The Economist Events brands

This role will report to the Senior Programme Editor, Trade, Technology and Industry Scheduled Events, EMEA. The hours of this role will be 11:00am to 8:00pm IST to allow for regular communication with the global team, but the successful candidate should assume that much of the communication with the global team will take place via email and other written electronic platforms. To be successful in this role, you must be independent, highly organised and an efficient communicator.