Executive Assistant

Candidate profile

Seeds is seeking to recruit an Executive Assistant to be part of its dynamic launching team. The Executive Assistant will report to the Executive Director and will provide him with strategic and hands-on support in the pursuit of organizational goals. The Executive Assistant will streamline the workload of the Executive Director by managing all administrative aspects of Seeds including effectively prioritizing, managing and coordinating the Director’s schedule, overseeing the day to day activities of the Seeds office and facilitating information flow among all internal and external stakeholders. We are looking for a team member with a proven ability to coordinate and follow-up on projects and to assure communication internally across the organization and with external players. The ideal candidate has strong project management skills and would know how to connect and build trust quickly with different audiences. 

Reporting line: Executive Director 

Key responsibilities

Executive support

• Participate in the establishment and launching of Seeds and help the Executive Director in setting-up operations processes and work flows 
• Devise daily, monthly and yearly calendar for events (appointments, meetings, schedules, visits, etc.) and determine priorities for the Executive Director 
• Organize schedules and manage logistics for meetings, teleconferences and events in addition to preparing coherent agendas
• Compile background materials, attend all meetings, and take minutes of meeting 

• Follow-up on meetings with all players through planning and communicating projects deliverables, timeframes and other performance indicators 

• Guide team members when needed and monitor performance of service providers 

Office management and communication

• Assist in running back-office operations and communication and follow through on activities with all departments (HR, Admin, IT, Marketing, etc.)
• Carry on administrative tasks including management of office budget and supplies, negotiation with suppliers, bookkeeping and preparation of invoices, etc.
• Act as primary point of contact for all Seeds internal and external stakeholders to secure thorough and timely communication among all players
• Handle and prioritize all calls and correspondence (e-mails, letters, packages etc.)
• Draft and edit all types of documents and correspondence (policies and procedures, proposals, reports, recommendations, etc.)
• Maintain all information and contacts lists updated and uploaded into a central information system to enhance CRM functionality
• Serve as custodian of all confidential official and legal documents and keep records to ensure information is relevant, organized and easily accessible

Assistance in other functions

• Conduct research, gather information and prepare reports and presentations 
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications on assigned projects and event planning and help maintain social media presence when needed
• Support HR in performing several HR related tasks mainly pertaining to employment, paperwork and payroll duties
• Participate in Seeds innovation efforts, brainstorming sessions and new initiatives

Skills and competencies needed

• Team-player – Collaborates well with internal and external stakeholders and puts company’s interest ahead of own
• Resourceful – Finds quick solutions, takes initiatives and reaches out to the right people to overcome challenges 
• Organized – Able to multitask without jeopardizing quality of the work and can complete assigned tasks efficiently and timely 
• Professional – Projects a positive image and is presentable 
• Flexible – Can adapt to changing environments and shows willingness to learn
• Driven – Demonstrates aptitude to constantly improve administrative processes 

Preferred qualifications 

• 3 to 5 years of experience as an executive secretary or in a similar role
• Bachelor degree in business administration or in relative fields
• Mastery of Arabic and English languages 
• Advanced computer literacy and proficiency in MS Office
• Familiarity with basic research methods and reporting techniques
• Outstanding Project Management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to record information accurately and present it effectively 
• Strong interpersonal ability and capacity to interact and build solid relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• A passion for the civic rights & advocacy fields