Real-life "Devil Wears Prada": Anna Wintour is hiring an assistant

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and massive pop culture and fashion icon, is hiring an assistant. If that sentence gave you a bit of déjà vu, it’s likely because you’ve watched the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada.

One of the central characters in the film, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), is widely believed to be based on Wintour. The movie is based on a book by Lauren Weisberger, who worked with Wintour in the past, further confirming the speculation.

Miranda is the arrogant and demanding editor-in-chief of Runway magazine. She hires Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway) as her junior personal assistant.

To enter the fashion journalism industry, the less-than-fashionable but passionate Andy must soldier through bullying and mistreatment at work. Despite their work challenges, Miranda gives Andy a glowing review when she moves on to another job.

Wintour famously did not like how she was portrayed in the film initially but later warmed up to it.

And with all that context out of the way, a new job listing might put you in Andy’s shoes — in the New York office of Vogue magazine.

The right candidate will assist with administrating and coordinating meetings, events/engagements, and special projects, as well as maintain the overall flow of communication and information through Wintour’s office.

“The successful candidate will be extremely organized, efficient, deadline-oriented, and able to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced, matrixed, digital media environment,” the listing reads. “This is a tremendous opportunity for an ambitious, business-savvy professional who is passionate about culture, fashion, digital media, and content.”

If hired, you’ll make between US$60,000 to US$80,000 (C$80,000 to C$106,500) yearly. Salary offers will vary based on experience, education, skills, and other factors.

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What you’ll have to do as Wintour’s assistant

• Provide strategic calendar management, including coordinating and supporting the Global CCO’s external event schedule;
• Field calls and emails to the Global CCO’s office;
• Assist with all internal meeting arrangements, including booking rooms, technology set-up, preparation/printing of materials, coordination of attendees, etc.;
• Manage general office administration and supplies, liaising with the facilities group to coordinate office maintenance as necessary;
• Demonstrate emotional intelligence, judgment, discretion, and confidentiality in all matters;
• Demonstrate an ability to anticipate problems and help avert them;
• Assist with coordinating and preparing presentations, meeting materials, and special projects on behalf of the Global CCO, beginning to learn and understand the internal landscape (company culture, organizational structure, operating model, etc.) and external marketplace (industry, competitors, etc.);
• Assist with designing and developing presentations and meeting materials, beginning to learn and demonstrate a graphic/visual sensibility and clear communication style;
• Assist with note-taking, meeting documentation, and follow-ups;
• Assist with various Vogue content initiatives, maintaining an awareness of high-level production schedules, deadlines, and key deliverables;
• At times, contribute to content assignments, research, and special projects;
• Collaborate effectively with editorial leaders and internal partners such as Finance and HR to help the Global CCO execute company-wide programs such as performance and compensation reviews, workforce planning, talent reviews, etc.

Minimum requirements for applicants

• College degree and one to two years combined internship/work experience providing administrative support, ideally in the digital media, content, or publishing industry;
• Proficiency in G-Suite;
• Strong verbal communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills – comfortable liaising with people at all levels across global borders;
• Strong written communication skills, including grammar and proof-reading ability;
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to juggle multiple tasks at once while being extremely punctual, proactive, and deadline-oriented;
• Solutions-oriented with an ability to think on your feet and demonstrate personal accountability, initiative, and follow-through;
• Impeccable attention to detail;
• Confidence, enthusiasm, and a can-do attitude balanced by humility and a willingness to learn;
• Experience working with multiple countries/markets is a big plus.

Think you have what it takes to live out your fashion industry dreams? Apply here now.

Best of luck!