Executive Assistant at MDF | Empowering People, Creating Impact

Job Description

• MDF West Africa is looking for an Executive Assistant to join our team.
• You will be responsible for providing comprehensive support to the CEO, Board of Directors, Executive Team, project managers, and managing the organization’s office operation.
• Within this role, you will have the opportunity to engage with a variety of clients and support the successful implementation of our projects and programs.
• You will be part of the international MDF network and therefore work with and learn from colleagues from Africa, Europe, and Asia

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Communication with clients and partners
• You are the first point of contact for incoming emails on our general MDF WA and director’s accounts. You will screen, prioritise, answer, and archive the emails in order of importance.
• Keep and update a database of contacts of our clients and partners.
• Keep a list of outstanding actions and regularly make sure these are followed up.
• Screen emails for potential opportunities for training and consultancy services.
• Forward emails to relevant colleagues with a request for input, reply or follow-up.
• Manage and keep the agenda of the director, prioritising incoming requests for appointments, scheduling and confirming requests and (re-)scheduling internal staff meetings.
• Draft emails and documents and review the quality of other documents for grammar, spelling, and formatting before they are sent out.
• Keep a list of running projects and their important dates such as invoicing, reporting and client meetings.

 
Office Management

• Schedule internal meetings, such as all staff meetings, project kick-offs, progress meetings, evaluation meetings and staff performance interviews.
• Ensure projects milestones are being met. If deliverables are late, you discuss this with the relevant project managers.
• Ensure availability of items in the office (e.g., stationery, kitchen supplies, consumables, etc.) in collaboration with the finance department.
• Engage all staff for project updates for our global communication channels.

 
NEEDED COMPETENCIES 

• Technical Competencies and Professional Experience
• Management expertise within projects, programmes, teams, or organisations i.e.,steering people, client management, financial management, knowledge management.
• Strong writing skills i.e., clear, to-the-point, in-depth, proper English, timely, understanding client needs.
• Able to maintain client relationships and networking.
• Able to handle administrative, communication and knowledge management technologies – i.e., Microsoft 365 Suite, e-mail, Adobe, Skype, LinkedIn, and more.
• Fluency in English – both spoken and written. Knowledge of French is a plus.

Personal/social

• Service-and-client-oriented.
• Pro-active/take initiative, business driven, professional, cosmopolitan.
• Team player, flexible, goes the extra mile, not a 9 to 5 mentality.
• Strong communication skills (both verbal and written) on regional and international level via email, phone and face-to-face i.e., respectful, business oriented, broad vocabulary, understanding cultures and customs.
• Work independently, be and take responsibility to the team and clients, practical approach.
• Able to deal with productivity and turnover targets.
• Interested in learning and improving yourself.
• International and/or West Africa work expertise.
• Interested in management for development.