Executive Assistant to the Director General

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture(ICBA) is an international, non-profit agricultural research center established in 1999 through the visionary leadership of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ICBA is a unique applied agricultural research center in the world that is focused on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live. It identifies, tests and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity and drought. Through its work, ICBA helps to improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities around the world. ICBA is an equal opportunity employer and appoints qualified staff regardless of race, creed, color, age, gender, religion or national origin. We demonstrate our commitment to each member of our team through a competitive benefits package designed to assist our employees to cover their needs and the needs of their immediate family members.

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant provides executive support to the Director General (DG) in all aspects of his/her work to guarantee a smooth, efficient, and effectively run office. The Executive Assistant is often the primary point of contact for DG’s Office for both internal and external enquiries/parties. The role therefore requires excellent multicultural communication and interpersonal skills and an overview of the workings of the entire organization. The Executive Assistant is expected to handle sensitive and confidential information and demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and discretion. The Executive Assistant is expected to work in close coordination and seamlessly with the other team members of the DG’s Office. The ideal individual should have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations and situations and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. 

The Executive Assistant should have the ability to work independently on reports requested by the DG from conception to completion and must be able to work under pressure at times to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

Job Responsibilities

Executive Support

  • Acts as the first contact point for all matters concerning the DG office and responds to internal and external inquiries as appropriate ensuring that appropriate follow-up actions take place.

  • Provides secretarial and administrative support, coordination, and oversight to the Director General’s Office (DGO), setting work priorities and ensuring deadlines are met, including drafting/editing correspondence, letters, reports, agendas, meeting notes action points, etc. 

  • Manages the DG’s daily schedule and office task list.

  • Arranges DG’s meetings, ensuring agenda and documentation are made available and distributed in a timely manner.

  • Ensures the highest level of discretion, judgment, and diplomacy in providing a wide range of executive assistant support; sets priorities; manages the workflow in an efficient and organized manner.

  • arranges complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiles documents for travel-related meetings.

  • Oversees travel arrangements for the Office of the DG, including complex travel itineraries, visas, hotel bookings and expenses.

  • Provides administrative support to the Directors’ Leadership Team as required, and ensure timely follow-up of action points.

  • Makes logistical arrangements for internal and external meetings convened by the DG or his/her assignee.

  • Drafts letters and memoranda for final approval and signature by the DG.

  • Communicates, on behalf of the DG with Board members, donors, and others, on matters related to DG's programmatic initiatives.

  • Researches, prioritizes, and follows up on incoming issues and concerns addressed to the DG, including those of a sensitive or confidential nature., 

  • Works collaboratively, builds and maintains positive relationships with all members of staff, and contacts within and outside the Center.

  • Works closely and effectively with the DG to keep her well-informed of upcoming commitments and responsibilities.

  • Manages a variety of special projects for the DG, some of which may have organizational impact.

  • Prioritizes conflicting needs; handles matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

Board Support and Liaison

  • Serves as the DG's administrative liaison to ICBA's board of directors.

  • Assists board members with travel arrangements, lodging, and meal planning as needed. Maintains discretion and confidentiality in relationships with all board members.

Senior Management Liaison

  • Acts as the secretary of the management committee team including assisting in scheduling meetings and attending all meetings.

  • As the Secretary to the management committee team, coordinates the agenda, prepares the minutes of the meetings and follows up on the action points.

 

Qualifications and Experience

  • Undergraduate degree with at least seven years of relevant administrative experience, of which at least five years should be in Executive Assistant positions, preferably in an international non-profit organization.

  • High degree of Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat, and Social Media web platforms.

  • Excellence in communication (written and spoken) in English   and Arabic

  • Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to details.

  • Excellent interpersonal skills, flexibility, and ability to work in a team-oriented multi-cultural environment, with staff at all levels as well as stakeholders, including board members, external partners, donors, etc..

  • Demonstrates proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability Emotional maturity.

  • Ability to function under time pressure and to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment of changing priorities.

  • Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently.

  • Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of client service and response.  ··

  • Demonstrated ability to achieve high-performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

  • Forward-looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.

  • Demonstrates ownership and accountability for results.

  • Flexibility and willingness to work long hours, and on occasional weekends when necessary.

Post Date
18 January 2024
Status
Closed
Vacancy Type
Full-time
Closing Date
4 February 2024
Location
ICBA Dubai, UAE
Report To
Director General
Job Number
ICBA-DGO-2024-001
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