Increasingly, we are witnessing Executive PAs and senior PA’s becoming involved in projects. Their involvements vary from lending support to their boss who has sponsored the project, acting as an intermediary between him and the Project Manager or team, to being lent out to the Project Team to work within the project itself.

Growth in projects?

The economy has been a major factor in recent years; during the recession, many larger companies were forced to adapt and make structural changes. This resulted in a multitude of projects being commenced within larger organisations.

Again the recession posed difficult situations for certain sectors such as construction or financial services. This led to a rise in new regulations, which again in turn required projects within organisations to ensure that they were brought into compliance with the new rules.

Why are Executive PAs ideal for Projects

In particular, Executive PAs are ideally suited to assist on or work with a project team because of their close working relationship with the organisation’s senior management. The Executive PA will hold a great deal of confidential knowledge of management’s objectives and strategies, which prove vital when dealing with Project Managers who may not share these ideas.

Executive PAs have risen to a senior level in an organisation generally through dynamic and changing roles. They have excellent adaptability and flexibility which is crucial to any professional when operating in projects. Their roles also demand excellent diarising and organisational skills, which is are a fundamental part of any successful Project Manager. Finally, Executive PAs require an excellent range of soft skills from negotiation, to dealing with executives, influencing others and much more. This gives them an ideal skill set to work on a project.

Finally, there is an important attribute. The Executive PA is a solid member of the organisation and all projects require insider knowledge and experience to be a success.

A good move for an Executive PA

Project Management is an excellent career option for an Executive PA because it gives them the scope to advance their careers and diversify their experience. It is also a natural fit as they have plenty of relevant skills to make a successful move into projects if someone fancies a change. It will provide a very different look and lots of different, changing environments to work within.

You will also find that many projects offer greater flexibility. This could be ideal for someone who is looking to get more family-friendly hours. Finally, there can be excellent rates of pay for project workers, which is a great motivator for anyone looking for a change as always.

Find out more about Project Management through a Project Management for Executive Assistant Training Course.