Senior Executive Assistant

Role overview

This position supports the MEA Vice President and the Gulf General Manager in Dubai, UAE. The role calls for a highly organized, detail-focused professional who can manage complex schedules, coordinate across multiple time zones, handle sensitive communication, and keep day-to-day executive operations running smoothly. You will act as a dependable partner to senior leadership, helping them stay focused on strategic priorities across the MEA and Gulf business.

Executive and administrative support

• Take ownership of demanding calendars for the MEA VP and Gulf GM, balancing meeting priorities, agenda sequencing, and changes to schedules.
• Arrange domestic, regional, and international travel, including flights, hotels, transport, visas, itineraries, and related logistics.
• Draft, organize, and review materials for meetings with internal and external stakeholders, such as agendas, presentations, briefing notes, reports, and follow-up tasks.
• Manage emails, correspondence, meeting invitations, calls, and document routing for senior leaders in a prompt and professional manner.
• Assist with project management tasks as needed.

Leadership team support

• Provide administrative coordination for Gulf and MEA leadership forums and business reviews led by the MEA VP and Gulf GM, including agendas, materials, attendee coordination, and action tracking.
• Step in as meeting secretary when needed by preparing agendas, documenting minutes, recording decisions, and monitoring follow-up items.
• Act as a key contact point between the leaders, internal teams, external partners, and visitors.

Operations and office coordination

• Handle expenses, vendor invoices, procurement requests, purchase orders, and related administrative finance processes in accordance with company policy.
• Keep executive records, mailing lists, filing structures, shared folders, and business documents well organized to support compliance and efficiency.
• Support executive office logistics in Dubai, including visitor handling, meeting-room arrangements, technology setup, catering, and local vendor coordination when required.
• Monitor selected actions, deadlines, and follow-ups to help drive closure of priorities owned by the MEA VP and Gulf GM.

Confidentiality and professional conduct

• Manage sensitive business, employee, financial, and leadership information with a very high level of discretion.
• Protect leadership time and decision-making by acting as a trusted gatekeeper.
• Represent the leaders and the organization professionally with internal and external stakeholders, showing strong judgment and cultural awareness across the UAE and the wider MEA region.

Qualifications and experience

You may qualify with one of the following education and experience combinations: a bachelor’s degree plus 2 years of directly related executive administrative experience, or an associate degree plus 6 years of directly related experience, or a high school diploma/GED plus 8 years of directly related experience.

Core skills needed

This role requires strong organization and time management, advanced calendar and travel coordination, polished written and verbal English communication, confident use of Microsoft Office and collaboration tools, and disciplined handling of expenses, invoices, procurement, and tracking processes.

Preferred background

Experience in a healthcare, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or similarly regulated multinational environment is helpful. Familiarity with UAE and Gulf business etiquette, local vendor coordination, visitor management, regional travel, and visa arrangements is also an advantage. Arabic language ability or strong regional cultural awareness would be beneficial.

Working style

The ideal candidate is professional, discreet, proactive, adaptable, and resilient. Strong interpersonal skills, a service-oriented approach, and the confidence to communicate clearly and respectfully with stakeholders at all levels are important. The role also requires flexibility to support Gulf, MEA, and global time zones as business needs demand.

Compensation and benefits

The company offers a competitive total rewards package aligned with local industry standards, in addition to base salary.

Equal opportunity and accommodations

The employer is an equal opportunity organization and considers applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates and employees with disabilities during the application process, interviews, essential job duties, and other employment-related benefits and privileges.