Operations Assistant

A) Planning, analyzing and evaluating information and agency output relevant to assigned client projects and needs. This may include the following:

• Helping develop workable budgets and plans.
• Collaborating with Agency Project Leads in preparation of recommendations, marketing strategies and actions for the client.
• Reviewing, analyzing material relative to client needs — media results, research data, etc.
• Recording minutes of meetings
• Ensuring that agency employees are aware of their tasks and deliverables, based on project plans and meetings.

B) Coordinating and managing the activities necessary to meet the needs of assigned projects. This may include the following:

• Handles assigned work requests in an efficient, timely manner.
• Assists in monitoring budget, research and similar items as assigned.
• Maintains communications with appropriate agency and client personnel to ensure that assigned work is handled in a positive, timely and efficient manner.
• Reports to the Director for Business Development and Operations on the status of each agency deliverable

C) Client Billing

• Ensures that the Agency is billing on a timely basis
• Regularly communicates with Client contacts to ensure that the Agency receives payments on a timely basis

The process by which the Operations Assistant accomplishes his/her objectives involves a number of distinct skills and/or abilities as defined below. These skills and the key observable and measurable behavior associated with each are noted below:

1. Perception and Analysis – Ability to accurately identify the key elements of data or a problem; to understand the implications and impact of data or action on subsequent events; to generate appropriate solutions.

• Understands the components of marketing and advertising strategies and applies the same in making decisions.
• Recognizes client needs and relates same to work plans.
• Helps identify and anticipate potential problems and identify alternative solutions.
• Recognizes the opportunity to utilize appropriate agency resources.
• Recognizes constraints placed on projects by both the agency and client.
• Knows when appropriate Evident Leadership and client approvals are required.

 

2. Organizing and Planning – The ability to establish priorities and objectives; to gather, classify, categorize and readily retrieve information to meet deadlines.

• Sets up complete and orderly project work plans on a timely basis.
• Prioritizes assigned projects and revises plans when required.
• Handles workflow on assigned projects so that no agency-caused project due-date extensions or revisions are required.
• Develops complete project status reports and completion reports.
• Balances the importance of an activity versus the constraints that serve to prevent it from occurring.

 

3. Decision-making – The ability to use sound and logical judgment in coming to a solution of a problem; and the ability to generate alternative solutions.

• Makes realistic/workable commitments.
• Recommends sound solutions and ideas.
• Balances the needs of the client with the agency on assigned projects.
• Heads off potential conflicts and problems before they materialize.
• Involves appropriate agency resources.
• Compromises when necessary to resolve an impasse.

 

4. Initiative – The ability to take action by oneself without direction from others; to anticipate and develop solutions to problems without the aid of others for assigned projects.

• Takes assignments readily.
• Motivates self; needs no prodding or direction.
• Offers unsolicited suggestions and ideas.
• Gives extra effort and hours to the job.
• Anticipates problems before they surface.
• Maintains and continually improves personal knowledge base.

 

5. Flexibility – The ability to maintain constructive behavior in the face of adversity; to manage stress and pressure in working through assigned tasks.

• Changes the course of action when appropriate or necessary.
• Handles pressure and stress without sacrificing quality.
• Maintains constructive project goal direction in face of unanticipated time constraints.

 

6. Oral Communications – The ability to deliver clear, concise and accurate messages to others through oral means; to listen carefully to others.

• Maintains clear communications channels with all agency personnel.
• Organizing thoughts in a logical, clear and concise manner.
• Is able to persuade or “sell” ideas to others.

 

7. Written Communications – The ability to deliver a clear, concise and accurate message through written means.

• Organizes thoughts in a logical, clear and concise manner.
• Uses appropriate examples and/or analogies to clarify ideas and issues when necessary.