Title: Sr. Executive Assistant

Location: 500 W Madison, Chicago, IL

While this role is posted as a Zoro position, it will ultimately support The Grainger Online Business, including its President and some of his staff. This President oversees Grainger’s Online Businesses and Zoro is one of the business units.

Grainger is a broad line, business-to-business distributor of maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) supplies and other related products and services. More than 3.2 million businesses and institutions worldwide rely on Grainger for products such as safety gloves, ladders, motors and janitorial supplies, along with services like inventory management and technical support. Approximately 5,000 suppliers provide Grainger with more than 1.6 million products stocked in Grainger’s distribution centers and branches worldwide.

The Grainger Online Business uses a different business model than the traditional business conducted under the Grainger brand. The Online Business concentrates on reaching new customers through e-commerce. The business has been a prominent success and has consistently grown over 25% year-over-year for many years. The Online Business had revenues over $1.5 billion last year and conducts business in the US, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Indonesia, China, and the UK. The headquarters of the Online Business are in downtown Chicago, where it is co-located with Zoro, the Online Business in the U.S.

Primary Function: This role will provide a wide range of administrative and decision making support to the President of Grainger Online Business as well as his team in the US and will liaison with Grainger, including staff located in Lake Forest, Zoro US administrative business partners, and the other Online Businesses.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Active calendar management that includes overseeing the executive’s calendar and scheduling appointments by balancing priorities and effectively negotiating with internal resources. Anticipate and prepare materials needed by executive for meetings and telephone calls. Proactively identify and resolve scheduling conflicts.
• Arrange complex and detailed domestic and international travel plans. Prepare itineraries and agendas as needed.
• Handle standard requests and determine which requests should be handled by the executive and route others to appropriate staff member or department. Anticipate problems and ask probing questions in order to respond effectively.
• Locate and gather highly confidential and sensitive information from the appropriate sources to assist in resolving business issues. Pursue information that is not readily available.
• Open, scan, and prioritize all mail directed to the President. Handle or refer items to staff as appropriate.
• Track travel and expenses and submit expense reports on time.
• Plan special events and off-site meetings as requested.

Periodic visits to Grainger’s Headquarters located in Lake Forest on as needed basis (usually once a month).

Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent, Bachelor's Degree preferred, and seven years of secretarial experience with three to five of those years supporting Senior Management level.
• Ability to proficiently use Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Able to learn and use other software as needed.
• Possess a thorough knowledge of business operations and organizations and of the relationships involved at top management levels. Uses a comprehensive understanding of company policies, procedures, and operations in order to perform a variety of administrative details.
• Demonstrate the ability to handle multiple projects and priorities yet be responsive to changes in those priorities. Demonstrate effective organizational skills so as to handle complex administrative details and to determine best approach/action to use in non-routine situations.
• Convey essential information clearly and concisely, both in writing and verbally. Use active listening skills while sharing information. Understand audience and ensure content and method of communication is relevant. Ability to deal with high level executives both internal and external in a professional manner. Ability to act professional and respectful when dealing with complicated situations and/or people.
   
  Shows strengths in the following competencies:
  Heavy travel and calendar management
  Decision making
  Communication
  Strong interpersonal skills
  Detail-oriented
  Professionalism
  Team Engagement
  Teamwork
  Self-Development
  Positive Attitude
   
   
   

Zoro is an Equal Opportunity Workplace and an Affirmative Action Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.