Executive Assistant - IAAI

Job Details

Application Open:

Full-Time

MBZUAI is seeking an Executive Assistant to support with

high-level, complex executive and administrative support to the

assigned management, ensuring efficient and effective

administration of the department/section and representing IAAI

(Institute of Agriculture & AI) professionally to internal and

external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Department Responsibilities:

• Manage the line manager’s schedule, balance conflicting
• demands, and prioritize commitments and appointments to ensure
• effective use of the daily schedule to support them achieve their
• role and division goals.
• Assess and prioritize requests for approval received and ensure
• requests are reviewed by the management in a timely manner.
• Act as key point of contact for internal and external
• stakeholders requesting the management’s attention, inclusive as
• acting as key point of contact for the line managers direct
• reports, overseeing to it that the line manager’s time is
• effectively and efficiently managed and providing a tactful and
• respectful interface that supports achievement of IAAI goals.
• Support the management in the execution of professorial duties
• (if relevant), for example by coordinating reports, presentations,
• and other commitments.

Correspondence, Documentation & Information Management

• Create well-structured, professional communications and
• documentation by efficiently gathering, compiling, and formatting
• information, demonstrating excellent written language skills, and
• using appropriate software and tools.
• Manage and prioritize email and other correspondence to the
• line manager, drafting replies where appropriate, and ensuring
• timely and accurate responses to all communications.
• Conduct thorough research, analyze data, and write insightful
• and well-structured reports for the line manager presenting
• findings and recommendations in a clear and concise manner to
• support
• informed decision-making.
• Maintain accurate records and databases to facilitate the
• division’s planning and decision-making.
• Contribute to the development, execution, and analysis of
• surveys and other data collection methods necessary to support
• decision-making by the management.
• Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive files and information
• by implementing secure storage and retrieval procedures and
• ensuring compliance with MBZUAI information security and privacy
• policies.

Administration:

• Provide high-level administrative support as required by
• management.
• Schedule and carry out administration in relation to
• performance reviews of the line manager’s direct reports and/or
• department employees, ensuring compliance with MBZUAI timelines and
• procedures
• Continuously review the administrative systems and recommend
• well-researched improvements, including smart utilization of IT and
• AI, to enhance quality of outputs and create efficiencies.
• Maintain alignment with department line managers and
• coordinators when applicable.

Coordination with Executive Assistants:

• Oversee the workflow of division Executive Assistants,
• redistributing tasks as appropriate to ensure best utilization of
• administrative resources for the benefit of the division.
• Liaise with other divisional Executive Assistants to collect
• and coordinate information required for effective decision-making
• by the management.
• Create and distribute agendas for division and IAAI meetings,
• ensuring all relevant topics are covered and participants are
• prepared so that meetings are efficient and productive.
• Document, distribute, and maintain meeting minutes to ensure
• complete and accurate records of discussions and decisions made in
• division and university meetings.
• Follow up on resolutions and action items to ensure decisions
• are implemented and objectives met.
• Draft action plans to support significant decisions and meeting
• resolutions, identifying resources required, and establishing
• timelines and reporting frequencies in consultation with the Office
• or project owner as appropriate.

Hospitality:

• Greet and receive VIPs and visitors in a professional and
• friendly manner, ensuring appropriate assistance and hospitality is
• provided, thereby projecting a positive impression of the
• IAAI.

Budget Support & Coordination

• Plan and manage conferences, events, and executive meetings,
• ensuring all logistics and details are handled to deliver an
• efficient, successful, and well-organized experience that reflects
• positively on the IAAI.
• Coordinate the line manager’s travel arrangements, ensuring
• arrangements align with MBZUAI travel policies and make best use of
• effective time management.
• Provide efficient and effective financial administration
• support to the Office including all funding, managing expenditure
• requests, managing invoices, tracking budget, and ensuring all
• financial transactions are accurately recorded, processed, and
• reported in a timely manner.
• Assist in the preparation of the budget, ensuring managers
• provide requisite information and forecasts on time so that the
• Office submits budget plans and reports according to IAAI
• requirements.
• Monitor and analyze fund expenditure against budget and report
• any discrepancies to the management or their delegate

Academic Qualifications Required

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in business administration or
• any other relevant discipline.

Professional Experience Required Essential:

• At least two years’ experience as an executive assistant in a
• large, complex organization.
• Excellent written and verbal English skills.
• Strong organization and time management skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and handle multiple assignments
• simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to gain and
• maintain trust, including experience working successfully
• supporting senior executives and officials.
• Attention to detail with the ability to produce high-quality
• work under tight deadlines.
• Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced, changing
• environment.
• Commitment to customer service excellence.
• Experience in survey administration, analysis, and
• reporting.
• Demonstrated experience and competence in financial
• administration.
• Demonstrated experience selecting suppliers in accordance with
• procurement and budget requirements and managing supplier / service
• provider relationships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with
• competency in report writing.
• Superior computing skills including in Microsoft Office and
• Outlook, and with word processing, spreadsheets, databases,
• presentations, and data analysis software.
• Demonstrated success operating in a multicultural environment
• and adapting systems and processes to meet diverse expectations and
• needs.
• Exposure to and understanding of Middle Eastern business and
• cultural practices

Preferred:

• Prior employment as an executive assistant in a
• university.
• Experience working successfully in the UAE.
• Arabic language speaker.