Executive Assistant to Chief Executive Officer

Role overview

This is a full-time, on-site opportunity based in Abu Dhabi for a non-profit foundation, working directly with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Key responsibilities

• Keep the CEO’s schedule organized by managing appointments, priorities, and calendar planning to support maximum efficiency.
• Serve as a main contact for the CEO and the foundation, handling emails, calls, and formal correspondence promptly and professionally.
• Coordinate meetings end to end, including agenda creation, preparation of briefing notes and presentations, minute taking, and follow-up to close action items.
• Assist the CEO with strategic work, research, priority initiatives, and reporting so activities stay aligned with the organization’s objectives.
• Arrange business travel, covering flights, lodging, visas, and local transport.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal teams, partners, suppliers, and outside stakeholders, including government bodies, to ensure communication and progress on key tasks.
• Keep internal and external records accurate and well organized, with both digital and physical filing systems that are easy to use.
• Put administrative processes and systems in place, and maintain them to improve consistency and efficiency.
• Support daily office administration, including purchasing supplies, coordinating maintenance, managing facilities, and handling vendor relationships.
• Help organize internal meetings, staff onboarding, company communications, and policy implementation.
• Represent the foundation at external events, recruitment fairs, and inclusion-related forums when needed.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in an executive assistant or comparable administrative role, ideally supporting senior leadership or a CEO.
• Strong administrative capability, including document handling, data entry, record management, and confident use of office tools such as MS Office and Monday.com.
• Excellent spoken and written English and Arabic skills are required.
• Strong people skills and the ability to work respectfully with varied stakeholders in culturally sensitive environments.
• High standards of integrity, confidentiality, discretion, and professionalism when dealing with sensitive information.
• Strong planning, organization, problem-solving, and time management skills, with the ability to work independently and balance several priorities at once.
• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Communications, HR, or a related discipline.
• Experience in the non-profit sector or in social impact organizations is preferred.

Additional information

This role requires in-person attendance in Abu Dhabi and is designed for a candidate who can support a high-level executive in a mission-driven organization.