Executive Assistant to Executive Director

icddr,b, (formerly the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh), is an international public health research institution based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and has a 60- year history of developing innovations. Its research agenda, reflects the full spectrum of global health challenges affecting people living in poverty, is articulated in its current Strategic Plan (available at http://www.icddrb.org).

Reporting to the Executive Director the Executive Assistant will Plan, organize and monitor activities of Executive Director’s Office; and provide efficient and continuous support to Executive Director (ED) and Board of Trustees within the guidelines and objectives of Executive Director’s Office.

icddr,b invites applications for the position of Executive Assistant to Executive Director in Dhaka, Bangladesh. icddr,b will offer a remuneration package commensurate with the skills and competence of the incumbent. The appointment will be made on a fixed-term basis.

1.Responsible for supervising day to day administrative, clerical and protocol operations of the Executive Director’s Office includes:

-scheduling of appointments, meetings and conferences;

-organize Centre-wide conferences;

-organize social events (official) hosted by the Executive Director;

-opening of all correspondences, ensuring that it is directed to appropriate persons, classifies reminder of mail before passing to the Executive Director and in absence of Executive Director attend to it by forwarding to appropriate person, acknowledge, etc.;

-edit all correspondence requiring the signature of the Executive Director;

-provide required information to visitors and answers telephone queries;

-arrange the Executive Director’s travel;

-maintain all confidential files in the Executive Director’s Office;

-Assist the Deputy Executive Director with confidential correspondence and confidential matters.

2.Responsible for all correspondences, both confidential and regular, composes replies independently as required, including tracking of correspondences sent for reply to Executive Director, e.g. letter to Executive Director from Board of Trustees in response to meetings/issues.

3.Attend meetings to take and write-up minutes, in addition to Board of Trustees meetings, Senior Leadership Team Meetings and Scientific Advisory Group meetings.

4.Responsible for communications with the Board of Trustees and assist in planning the Board of Trustees meetings and Scientific Advisory Group Meetings (SAG).

-alert relevant offices of meetings; organize presentations to the Board and SAG;

-prepare draft agendas and programme for the Full Board/SAG members;

-ensure that papers reach Trustees/SAG Members on time and that Board files are in order;

-attend meetings of the full Board (2½ days) to take and write-up the minutes;

-provide background information for meetings as requested; ensure that secretarial assistance is available for the Board of Trustees as required;

-type final draft of minutes and circulate to the Trustees members;

-follow-up on resolutions/actions required from the meeting, e.g., items to be collected before next meeting, etc.

5.Supervise the administrative staff in the ED and DED’s Office, assist in hiring administrative staff, etc.

This position requires support of the Executive Director in whatever way is necessary for administration of the Executive Director’s Bureau, and support of him in his role as Executive Director.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• MBA/University degree;
• 10 years’ experience in executive secretary role preferably in UN/multinational organizations.

Others

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential.