Executive Assistant

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant is a senior subject matter expert within the Executive Office, responsible for providing comprehensive support to the Chief Executive Officer and the senior leadership team. This pivotal role is a hybrid of executive administration, procurement management, contracts administration, and corporate secretarial duties. The ideal candidate will be a proactive and detail-oriented professional who ensures seamless executive operations, efficient management of vendors and clients, and strict adherence to corporate governance standards.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Support

• Manage and maintain the CEO’s dynamic calendar, coordinating complex executive meetings, appointments, and international/domestic travel arrangements.
• Prepare, review, and finalize high-level executive correspondence, confidential reports, and presentations for internal and external audiences.
• Support board and senior leadership meetings by preparing agendas, compiling briefing materials, and accurately recording and distributing minutes.
• Serve as the primary gatekeeper for the CEO’s office, handling all confidential information with the utmost discretion and professionalism.

Administrative Oversight & Policy Management

• Develop, implement, and oversee policies for administrative activities within the executive office, including expense reporting, travel, and correspondence management.
• Establish and enforce standards for document management and record-keeping to ensure information is organized, secure, and compliant.
• Oversee the execution of administrative tasks, delegating to and supervising junior staff or relevant departments to ensure the efficient operation of the executive office.
• Continuously review and improve administrative workflows to identify opportunities for increased efficiency and effectiveness.

Procurement Management

• Oversee the end-to-end procurement process, including vendor sourcing and selection, processing requisitions, and managing approvals in line with company policy.
• Negotiate with suppliers to secure competitive pricing, favorable terms, and robust service-level agreements (SLAs).
• Track purchase orders, monitor delivery schedules, and manage payments to ensure accuracy and timeliness, coordinating closely with the Finance department for budget alignment and invoice reconciliation.
• Maintain strong, professional relationships with key vendors.

Client & Supplier Contracts Administration

• Establish and manage a centralized repository for all client and supplier contracts, ensuring proper version control and accessibility.
• Diligently track key contract milestones, including renewal dates, expiration deadlines, and compliance requirements, to prevent lapses.
• Support the drafting, review, and execution of contracts, liaising with legal and finance teams to ensure all terms are accurate and aligned with company policies.
• Monitor supplier and client performance against contractual obligations and SLAs, escalating any issues or deviations as necessary.

Corporate Secretarial Activities

• Assist in the preparation and distribution of documentation for board and shareholder meetings, including agendas, resolutions, and formal minutes.
• Maintain all statutory registers, corporate records, and company documentation in strict compliance with UAE corporate governance laws.
• Coordinate and ensure the timely filing of annual returns, statutory documents, and other corporate compliance filings with regulatory authorities.
• Act as a key liaison for external company secretarial service providers, auditors, and legal counsel as required.

Essential Skills & Expertise

Complex Executive & Travel Management

• Objective Qualification: You must have a minimum of 5 years of experience directly supporting C-suite level executives, including demonstrated experience managing complex calendars for at least two senior leaders simultaneously across multiple international time zones (minimum 3-hour difference). You must also have experience coordinating a minimum of 10 multi-leg international travel itineraries per year.
• Links to Responsibility: This is a direct requirement for the Executive Support role, ensuring the candidate can handle the high-pressure, dynamic scheduling and logistical demands of the CEO’s office without direct supervision.

Procurement & Vendor Negotiation

• Objective Qualification: You must provide evidence of having managed an end-to-end procurement process for a minimum of 20 purchase orders or vendor contracts annually. This includes demonstrating successful negotiation that resulted in a quantifiable cost saving or value-add (e.g., a minimum of 5% cost reduction or improved payment terms) on at least 5 of those contracts.
• Links to Responsibility: This qualification is essential for the Procurement Management function, ensuring the candidate has the hands-on experience to manage vendor relationships and deliver tangible financial benefits to the company.

High-Volume Contract Administration

• Objective Qualification: You must have at least 3 years of experience managing a central repository of active contracts, with responsibility for a portfolio of at least 50 client and supplier agreements. You must have maintained a 100% on-time rate for tracking and actioning key milestones (renewals, expirations) for the duration of your management.
• Links to Responsibility: This directly supports the Client & Supplier Contracts Administration duties, proving the candidate can operate a meticulous and error-free system to mitigate contractual risk.

UAE Corporate Governance & Statutory Filings

• Objective Qualification: You must have a minimum of 2 years of direct experience with corporate secretarial duties specifically within the UAE. This includes having personally prepared and submitted statutory filings (e.g., annual returns, license renewals) with UAE regulatory bodies and maintained a company’s statutory registers in full compliance with local law.
• Links to Responsibility: This is a critical, non-negotiable requirement for the Corporate Secretarial Activities, ensuring the candidate can navigate the specific legal and regulatory landscape of the UAE from day one.

Administrative Policy & Process Development

• Objective Qualification: You must provide at least one specific example of a new administrative policy or workflow (e.g., for travel booking, expense reporting, or document management) that you personally developed and implemented, resulting in a measurable improvement such as reduced processing time or increased compliance.
• Links to Responsibility: This supports the Administrative Oversight & Policy Management function, demonstrating the candidate’s ability to think strategically and improve the operational efficiency of the executive office, rather than just executing tasks.

Performance Goals (SMART Goals)

Implement a Centralized Contract Management System

• Specific: Select and fully implement a new digital contract management system to centralize all 100+ active client and supplier agreements.
• Measurable: Achieve 100% migration of all existing contracts into the new system, with all key milestone dates (renewals, expirations) accurately logged and automated alerts configured.
• Achievable: This is a tangible project that leverages existing skills in contract administration.
• Relevant: Directly addresses the need for a robust and error-free contract administration process.
• Time-bound: To be completed within the first 90 days of employment.

Reduce Procurement Costs through Strategic Negotiation

• Specific: Review the top 10 highest-spend vendor contracts and renegotiate terms with at least three of them to achieve better value.
• Measurable: Secure an average cost reduction of 5% across the three renegotiated contracts, to be confirmed by the Finance department.
• Achievable: This is a focused effort on a manageable number of high-impact vendors.
• Relevant: Directly aligns with the Procurement Management responsibility to deliver financial benefits.
• Time-bound: To be completed by the end of the second quarter (Q2).

Streamline Board Meeting Preparation

• Specific: Develop and implement a standardized digital workflow for the preparation and distribution of all board and shareholder meeting documentation.
• Measurable: Reduce the time required to compile and distribute board packs by 20%, while ensuring 100% of materials are sent out at least 72 hours in advance of every meeting.
• Achievable: This is a process improvement that enhances efficiency in a core responsibility.
• Relevant: Supports the Corporate Secretarial and Executive Support functions by improving a critical high-level process.
• Time-bound: To be fully implemented within the first six months.

Achieve Flawless Corporate Compliance

• Specific: Conduct a full audit of all corporate statutory registers and filings to ensure 100% compliance with UAE regulations.
• Measurable: Successfully complete all required statutory filings for the fiscal year with zero errors or delays, confirmed by an external auditor or legal counsel.
• Achievable: This is a fundamental and achievable expectation for a role with corporate secretarial duties.
• Relevant: This goal is core to the Corporate Secretarial Activities and mitigates legal and financial risk.
• Time-bound: To be measured over the course of one full fiscal year.

Develop an Executive Office Policy Manual

• Specific: Create a comprehensive policy and procedure manual for the executive office covering travel, expenses, document management, and communication protocols.
• Measurable: The manual is formally approved by the CEO and adopted as the standard operating procedure for the executive office.
• Achievable: This leverages the candidate’s experience in policy development and process improvement.
• Relevant: Directly aligns with the Administrative Oversight & Policy Management responsibility.
• Time-bound: The draft is to be submitted for review within 60 days, with final implementation within 90 days.