Administration & secretarial · Short course
Advanced Executive Secretarial Course
Supporting executive work through coordination, communication and administrative judgement.
The programme
Programme overview
Expanded indicative outline. The subject areas are described below; proposed activities and final delivery requirements are confirmed with Ratomac before booking.
Supporting executive work through coordination, communication and administrative judgement.
The programme brings together executive coordination, professional judgement, executive communication and support systems. The expanded outline below shows how these areas can be explored through explanation, discussion and the preparation of relevant work products.
A proposed workshop runs through the programme: An executive office must coordinate competing priorities while handling confidential information and frequent changes. Participants would examine the situation in stages, use the information provided and explain the basis of their decisions. The workshop is fictional and can be adapted when the final training plan is agreed.
Who should attend
Is this programme for you?
This outline is relevant to the following roles. Suitability and any formal entry requirements should be checked for the selected programme.
- Executive assistants, senior secretaries and office managers.
- Individuals preparing to take on responsibilities in this area.
- Teams seeking a shared approach to the work described in the programme.
Purpose of the learning
Intended learning outcomes
- Prepare a priorities and diary-management approach.
- Review a fictional confidential request and identify appropriate escalation questions.
- Produce a meeting brief and stakeholder communication plan.
- Design a follow-up system for executive commitments and outstanding decisions.
- Combine the module outputs into a reasoned response to the programme’s workplace scenario.
5 learning blocks
Detailed programme outline
01Executive coordination
This part of the programme examines executive coordination, with attention to priorities, diaries and information flow. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Priorities.
- Diaries.
- Information flow.
- Applied work: prepare a priorities and diary-management approach.
Illustrative practical exercise
Prepare a priorities and diary-management approach. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
02Professional judgement
This part of the programme examines professional judgement, with attention to confidentiality and competing requests. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Confidentiality.
- Competing requests.
- Applied work: review a fictional confidential request and identify appropriate escalation questions.
Illustrative practical exercise
Review a fictional confidential request and identify appropriate escalation questions. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
03Executive communication
This part of the programme examines executive communication, with attention to documents, meetings and stakeholder contact. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Documents.
- Meetings.
- Stakeholder contact.
- Applied work: produce a meeting brief and stakeholder communication plan.
Illustrative practical exercise
Produce a meeting brief and stakeholder communication plan. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
04Support systems
This part of the programme examines support systems, with attention to improving administrative processes and follow-up. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Improving administrative processes.
- Follow-up.
- Applied work: design a follow-up system for executive commitments and outstanding decisions.
Illustrative practical exercise
Design a follow-up system for executive commitments and outstanding decisions. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
05Integrated workplace workshop
An executive office must coordinate competing priorities while handling confidential information and frequent changes. The final workshop connects the earlier work rather than treating each topic as an isolated activity.
Topics to explore
- Bring together the outputs from the earlier modules into one coherent response to the scenario.
- Check that the recommendation addresses the original problem and is supported by the information available.
- Identify responsibilities, dependencies and matters that require specialist input or further evidence.
- Present the proposed response and revise it after questions from the facilitator and other participants.
Illustrative practical exercise
Prepare a concise presentation for the fictional organisation. Include the proposed response, the evidence supporting it and the decisions still required. Finish with a reflection on which aspects could be relevant to your own work.
From discussion to application
How the programme could be delivered
The proposed learning approach combines facilitator-led explanation, discussion of the subject areas and guided work on the fictional scenario. Each module produces a practical output that can be reviewed and improved.
Participants can work individually or in small groups to compare interpretations, explain their decisions and identify missing information. Feedback focuses on the connection between the task, the evidence used and the proposed response.
The final workshop brings the module outputs together. Ratomac will confirm the delivery format, learning resources, entry requirements and any formal assessment or certification arrangements for the selected programme.
Discuss your requirements
Dates, duration & arrangements
Contact Ratomac to agree the final programme, duration and delivery format. Include your preferred timing, location and whether the enquiry is for yourself or a team.
Discuss this programme ↗Indicative outline for discussion. The final syllabus is agreed with Ratomac before booking. The expanded learning activities and workplace scenario are original proposals for discussion with Ratomac.