Executive Assistant I

Job description / Role

About the company

Azadea Group is a premier lifestyle retail company that owns and operates more than 40 leading international franchise concepts in fashion and accessories, food and beverage, home furnishings, sporting goods, multimedia, and beauty and cosmetics across the Middle East and Africa, spread across 13 countries overseeing more than 700 stores.

Job purpose

The executive assistant is responsible for offering comprehensive assistance and support to the manager, including scheduling his or her appointments, handling documents, and processing correspondence needs.

Responsibilities

• Manage and prioritize the manager's correspondence, including calls, emails, and postal communications, ensuring timely and efficient handling.
• Oversee and prioritize the day-to-day operations of the manager's professional and personal affairs, providing high-quality support.
• Balance conflicting priorities and ensure matters are handled expeditiously and proactively. Demonstrate a positive, can-do attitude, following through on tasks and projects to successful completion.
• Identify, anticipate, and prepare information requirements for meetings, appointments, and presentations, ensuring all relevant details are organized and ready.
• Maintain an organized filing system, ensuring accurate and accessible documentation.
• Coordinate and manage travel arrangements (e.g., flights, hotels, rental cars) for the executive, ensuring all logistics are aligned with organizational policies and are well-organized.
• Participate in meetings, take minutes, and follow up on action items in coordination with the manager.
• Gather, analyze, and report information on assigned matters, generating reports and preparing presentations as needed while maintaining confidentiality.
• Specific to executive assistant to the country manager: Manage the Store Validation Report (SVR) process, collecting commercial details, gathering feedback on sales projections, and facilitating approval from the SV and investment committees.
• Specific to executive assistant to the country manager: Maintain and update the country's real estate database, tracking mall maps, lease terms, competitors' expansions, and ensuring timely lease renewals.
• Specific to executive assistant to the managing director: Organize and coordinate VIP/principals' visits, ensuring smooth execution of schedules.
• Specific to executive assistant to the managing director: Supervise the back office (BO) support team, ensuring proper staffing and performance by setting clear objectives and evaluating against established standards.
• Specific to executive assistant to the managing director: Manage reception areas by ensuring they are appropriately staffed and equipped.
• Specific to executive assistant to the managing director: Drive a culture of exceptional customer service through on-the-job coaching and training for the support team and identifying further training needs in collaboration with the talent development team.

Language & technical skills

Language proficiency

• Fluency in English and Arabic.
• Fluency in French is a plus.

Technical skills

• Proficiency in MS Office.

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field.

Experience

Two to four years of experience in a similar role.

Behavioral competencies

Communicates effectively

Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. For example, listens attentively and takes an interest. Keeps others well informed; conveys information clearly, concisely, and professionally when speaking or writing.

Manages complexity

Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. For example, looks at complex issues from multiple angles; explores issues to uncover underlying issues and root causes; sees the main consequences and implications of different options.

Plans and aligns

Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals. For example, outlines clear plans that put actions in a logical sequence; conveys some time frames. Aligns own work with relevant workgroups. Takes some steps to reduce bottlenecks and speed up the work.

Customer focus

Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions. For example, keeps in contact with customers to ensure problems are resolved, or to improve customer service. Studies customer feedback and emerging customer needs and uses these to determine some creative new ideas.

Optimizes work processes

Knows the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement. For example, pursues, explores, and develops ways to ensure own work is as effective as possible within all relevant processes. Shares an analysis of process problems with stakeholders; discusses how to resolve the issue.

Collaborates

Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. For example, finds many ways to add value to the team; probes to draw out richer input from others; is a valued resource who goes out of the way to help others.

Situational adaptability

Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations. For example, swiftly and easily adapts approach to a wide array of different or changing situations. Is inquisitive about evolving situations; identifies how to adapt early.

Azadea Group is an equal employment employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by relevant local laws.

About the Company

Azadea Group is a premier fashion and lifestyle retail company that owns and operates more than 50 leading international franchise concepts across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and Europe. Since its inception in 1978, the Group has grown a substantial chain of stores representing leading international brand names in fashion and accessories, food and beverage, home furnishing, sporting goods and multimedia.With over 11,000 employees, the company boasts a solid infrastructure overseeing more than 600 stores spread across 15 countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.