Special Assistant to the President and CEO

Job Description

Special Assistant to the President and CEO
The Special Assistant to the President and CEO will provide support to the newly established international non-governmental organization, Every Child Will Learn, playing a key role in keeping strategic programs, partnerships, operations, outreach and board of directors’ related activities on track. The position entails a wide range of responsibilities, all of which will require resourcefulness, ingenuity and innovation. The successful candidate should be an energetic self-starter, comfortable taking initiative and anticipating the needs of the President and CEO and of the entire organization. Using exceptional communication skills and multi-tasking abilities, s/he will be expected to effectively collaborate with a variety of people, programs and organizations, accomplishing tasks and projects of moderate to high complexity and scope.
The Special Assistant will also be expected to, when necessary, provide strategic support including evaluating data, preparing program strategy documentation and resolving operational issues. Additionally, s/he will be interacting with high-level executives both inside and outside of Every Child Will Learn and is expected to perform efficiently and effectively in a fast-paced multi-cultural environment - including possessing the grace and willingness to change direction when circumstances demand. S/he should demonstrate strong business judgment, professional etiquette and organizational, analytical and problem-solving skill
Duties and Responsibilities include:
Provide confidential and high quality administrative and operational support to the President and CEO of Every Child Will Learn;
Recommend, develop, implement and/or evaluate methods, policies, procedures and systems to assure highest level of administrative support to the President and CEO;
Undertake research on matters relating to the President and CEO’s networking with existing and prospective partners in the Middle East and North Africa, international private sector, international donor community and international NGOs;
Prepare and edit documents of a confidential nature under tight timelines;
Provide strategic support and make key decisions, with minimal review and guidance from the President and CEO;
Establish strong communication channels and partnerships with teams within Every Child Will Learn and manage relationships with partner governments and organizations, key stakeholders, and donors;
Assist in preparation of briefings, presentations, correspondence and speeches;
Plan and attend key meetings with both internal and external stakeholders;
Assist with performing daily functions including organizing, prioritizing, and responding to e-mail
Arrange, coordinate, and manage the schedule of the President and CEO.
Qualifications include:
Bachelor's degree, preferably from a leading international or regional oriented institution; graduate degree preferred but not required; excellent academic credentials;
Minimum of 5 years professional experience; executive assistant, international economic development, marketing, management consulting, training a plus;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Fluency in English and Arabic; French a plus;
Demonstrated competence to assess priorities and manage a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment and meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality;
Ability to think strategically, handle ambiguity and work in a fast paced, limited-structure environment;
Strong analytical and problem solving skills;
Must consistently demonstrate the highest level of professionalism, discretion, good judgment, flexibility and patience;
Must be able to work independently, prioritize work and handle simultaneous assignments with success and accuracy;
Ability to work well with and manage a number of different personalities/expectations from multi-cultural staff;
Detail oriented with strong organization skills; exceptional

Skills

Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint