Advice Needed Please!

[IDB]

I am PA/Team Administrator to a VP in the film/TV industry, based in the West End.  The VP has 5x direct reports.  I look after the VP, the Direct Reports and a Team of 68 people in my Dept! 

Mon 5 Aug an additional VP has joined our Dept and 2x of the Direct Reports will now be reporting into him.  Nonetheless we are all still based in one office.

I was never told about the additional VP coming on board up until  two weeks ago.  I have set him up in his office on systems and ordered his new laptop, phone etc.  I've been asked to set up a meeting on his behalf, which I don't mind doing on the odd occasaion, however, emails are now coming through to me asking me about his availability and stating that they were contacting me as they were told I was supporting him!

My original VP has never spoken to me about supporting the new VP and neither has HR.  I have been here just over a year and my contract does not state that I would be working for more than 1x VP.  Do I approach my VP or HR about this situ?

Any advice, gladly appreciated.

Many thanks.

[Atlanta Z3]

I would approach my VP first, carefully so I still look like a team player.  Are the VPs the same department?  Should an admin from another department support him instead, and for now you are filling in while he gets oriented?

[IDB]

Hi Atlanta,

Thanks for your reply, very helpful. 

Both VPs are in my Dept and I am the only PA/Team Administrator. so there is no one else around!

Regards, IDB

[msmarieh]

I would certainly sit down with your executive and request clarification on your role and responsibilities. Also ensure that the boss is aware of your current workload and together discuss if this will impact that negatively and if so how much. This conversation may lead to some of the other 68 team members being assigned to someone else for instance or perhaps a second administrative assistant being hired (possibly there are plans in the works for that already, who knows?).

[IDB]

Hi msmarieh,

A meeting has just popped into diaries with all Senior Manager, myself and both VPs for Friday with HR, so this may be the meeting which enlightens us all.

Thank you very much msmarieh for the advice and clarification, I really appreciate it 

[msmarieh]

Personally I would still try to meet with my executive in advance to ask if that is the purpose of that meeting. I'd rather have a heads up of changes of that nature, when possible.

[IDB]

You're absolutely right - i should know beforehand.  Thank you.

[msmarieh]

How did your meeting go?

[IDB]

Hi,

LOL! No meeting only email exchange.  My No.1 Boss was in meetings all day. So fired a quick email stating a conversation was needed to clarify my role/supporting No.2 Boss.

No.1 Boss stated that yes, I was supporting no2 and that if I found that supporting 2 VPs and the Team I should let him know. 

I actually feel ok with the situ as I have now since spoken to no2 boss, and explained my situ. He totally understood and stated that an initial conversation should have taken place as opposed to presuming I would know the situ.

Many thanks for your very excellent and professional advice.  I thank you again...a thousand times over. 

Regards, IDB

[msmarieh]

Well that's better than nothing. It's surprising just how often companies/bosses think nothing of rearranging workload without actually discussing it with the individuals affected. So annoying and thoughtless.

Hope it all works out well for you though.