Purpose of the Role
The Senior Executive Coordinator provides high-level strategic, administrative, and operational support to the Executive Director (ED) and the Executive Director’s Office (EDO). This role ensures the smooth functioning of the ED’s agenda, optimizes decision-making processes, and strengthens coordination across the Senior Management Team (SMT), Board of Directors, and external partners.
The Senior Executive Coordinator serves as a trusted advisor and right hand to the ED, enabling them to focus on organizational leadership, strategy, and external engagement
Main Duties
Executive Support & Strategic Coordination
- Manage and prioritize the ED’s complex calendar, travel, and meeting schedule, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
- Coordinate with departments via the Comms Director to prepare the ED for internal and external engagements: briefings, dossiers, talking points, speeches, presentations.
- Track follow-ups and decisions from ED and SMT meetings to ensure timely implementation.
- Anticipate needs, flag risks, and proactively propose solutions to support the ED’s effectiveness.
Office of the Executive Director (EDO) Operations
- Oversee the day-to-day functioning of the EDO, including workflow, planning, and coordination with departments.Develop and maintain systems and processes to enhance information flow, documentation, and data management.
- Ensure quality control of documents, correspondence, and communications that originate from the EDO.
- Coordinate cross-organizational priorities, special initiatives, and time-sensitive assignments.
Senior Management Team (SMT) Support
- Serve as the primary coordinator for SMT operations (agendas, minutes, action and decision logs).Support information sharing and collaboration across leadership units
- Support preparation for retreats, annual planning, SLT retreats, EDO, and GLT meetings.
- Ensure the ED is equipped with the information needed to guide decisions, support and evaluate SMT performance.
Governance & Board Liaison
- Support the ED in preparing for Board meetings: meeting packs, logistics, briefings, follow-ups.
- Liaise with the Governance coordinator on Board matters for follow up and ensure timely communication on governance matters.
- Support the Governance Coordinator to maintain archives of Board decisions and support compliance with governance policies.
External Relations & Stakeholder Management
- Assist with high-level external engagements, including donors, partners, government officials, and networks. Represent the ED’s Office in select meetings, ensuring professionalism and clarity.
- Draft and review correspondence, policy briefs, and public-facing materials.
Project & Event Coordination
- Lead and/or coordinate key cross-organizational projects or ED-led initiatives.
- Support planning and execution of high-level events, missions, and strategic engagements.
- Manage consultants or temporary staff working on Executive Office projects.
Qualifications, Experience and Skills
- A Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Management, International Relations, or related field.
- Minimum 5–7 years of experience in executive coordination, chief-of-staff-type roles, or senior administrative support, ideally in NGOs, philanthropy, international institutions, or government.
- Demonstrated experience supporting C-suite executives or senior leaders.
- Experience managing fast-paced, high-pressure environments with discretion and professionalism.
- Strong analytical and organisation skills, pro-active and pragmatic with exceptional process management skills.
- Ability to manage confidential information with absolute discretion.
- Excellent judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work across diverse teams and cultures.
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365, Asana, Google Workspace, project management tools, and productivity software.
- Fluency in English is required; French is highly desirable (bilingual).