Assistant Client Advisor

The Assistant Client Advisor is responsible for processing and formalities examination duties for international patent applications in at least two languages, providing high-quality customer service to applicants and offices, and supporting PCT electronic services and publication preparation within the PCT Operations Division.

Responsibilities

• Identify repetitive defects for the same client in daily work, communicate with Principal Client Advisors or Client Advisors, and reach out to clients as instructed.
• Examine in at least two languages formality requirements of standard international applications, ensuring conformity with set standards; process, carry out data entry and check international applications and related documents for completeness, acknowledge receipt, and follow-up as required; forward more complex examination formalities issues to Team Head for follow-up.
• Ensure high level of customer services to users and reply to queries in a timely manner. Liaise with PCT users and authorities and provide follow-up as required.
• Carry out publication preparation and review work; ensure publication and republication work assignments are in final format for international publication within established deadlines; and inform Team Coordinator of delays or other issues.
• Participate in team meetings and provide input towards improving internal work processes and workflows.
• On request, participate in customer support on PCT electronic services.
• On request, participate in testing PCT electronic systems and tools.
• Keep abreast of and work in line with established work processes.
• Perform other related tasks as required.

Requirements

• First-level university degree.
• At least two years of relevant professional experience with patents, including an IP office or comparable working environment.
• Experience with formalities examination of patent applications (desirable).
• Experience in customer service (desirable).
• Excellent written and spoken knowledge of one language and a good knowledge of a second language, (one of which is English), among the following PCT publication languages: French, German, or Spanish, in accordance with business needs.
• Knowledge of other PCT publication languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese or Russian (desirable).
• Ability to communicate with people from the technical and business field.
• Good understanding of the PCT and ability to explain or provide training on the rules, regulations and procedures governing the area of work.
• Good IT skills for document processing, data management and data search.
• Ability to work within the rules, regulations and procedures governing the area of work.
• Client orientation, with ability to deliver high-quality client services.
• Ability to work within pre-defined deadlines in an organized and logical manner while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.
• Ability to work on own initiative and with a marked sense of teamwork and shared responsibility.
• Ability to handle and protect confidential and sensitive data with integrity.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Knowledge of best practices and relevant tools used for customer service (desirable).
• Ability to use different web browsers (desirable).
• Ability to use authentication tools (desirable).

Skills

• Patent Formalities Examination
• Customer Service
• PCT Rules and Procedures
• Bilingual Communication
• Document Processing
• Data Management
• Data Search
• Client Orientation
• Confidential Information Handling
• Interpersonal Skills
• Multicultural Sensitivity
• Training Delivery
• Use of Web Browsers
• Use of Authentication Tools

Languages

English, French, German, Spanish