This vacancy is intended to fill a vacant position in the CGIAR System Organization.

Location: Montpellier, France

Grade: Grade 2 (The position is graded in accordance with the CGIAR System Organization staff salary and grading structure, under which jobs may be graded between grades 1 to 9, with grade 9 being the highest).

Date Published: 26 October 2023

Closing Date for Applications: Monday, 27 November 2023 at 09h00 CET

About CGIAR

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. Its research is conducted closely with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations, and the private sector.

About the CGIAR System Organization

Established in 2012, the CGIAR System Organization (“System Organization”) provides governance to the CGIAR System in collaboration with the System Council and has about 60+ staff. The System Organization is committed to cultivating a work environment that reflects teamwork, gender equality, and respect for diversity.

It is a truly exciting time to join the System Organization as CGIAR transforms into a more integrated “One CGIAR” that will allow us to achieve a more significant impact with our research. One CGIAR is a dynamic reformulation of CGIAR’s partnerships, knowledge, assets, and global presence in key areas where innovation is needed to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It focuses on collaborating more closely to enable us to deploy scientific innovations faster, on a larger scale, and at a reduced cost so that they can have a more significant impact where they are needed the most. The transition to One CGIAR will have profound implications on how CGIAR and its constituent parts are structured and operate: with unified governance, an integrated structure, a new research modality, and more pooled funding; One CGIAR will be better positioned to achieve its mission.

Please find more information about CGIAR at www.cgiar.org and about One CGIAR here.

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant provides a wide range of proactive administrative and operational support of an executive and confidential nature to CGIAR’s Executive Managing Director (EMD) and Deputy Executive Managing Director (DEMD).

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future dedicated to transforming food, land, and water systems in a climate crisis. The EMD is CGIAR’s Chief Executive, leading CGIAR’s Global and Regional Groups and heading its Executive Management Team (EMT). The DEMD plays a crucial role in supporting the focus on organizational management, resource mobilization, and finance.

The Office of the EMD works alongside CGIAR’s Global and Regional Groups to ensure that the EMD and DEMD have access to the core strategic, operational, and administrative support and advice required to deliver their responsibilities effectively. The Office also convenes and facilitates effective collaboration across top leadership; supports coherent institutional strategy and planning, monitoring, and reporting; and delivers strategic, cross-cutting projects.

Within this context, the Executive Assistant will work alongside colleagues in the Office of the EMD to provide a range of administrative and operational support functions requiring considerable discretion and independent judgment in the following broad areas of responsibility:

• Scheduling and correspondence;
• Travel and events;
• Document and information management; and
• Communications and liaison

The Executive Assistant will be a highly organized team player who can effectively work across multiple stakeholders and multi-task in a fast-paced environment. Attention to detail and a high level of professionalism are essential requirements for this role.

Specific Responsibilities:

Schedule management and correspondence

• Proactively manage the calendars for the Office of the EMD, including running weekly calendar review meetings to ensure efficient use of the top executives’ time and interaction with relevant stakeholders to plan and coordinate complex leadership meetings and high-level engagement with partners.
• Proactively manage the shared mailboxes of the Office of the Executive Managing Director, EMD, and DEMD, filing and replying on the EMD’s and DEMD’s behalf when required.

Travel and event support

• Organize and coordinate local and international business travel arrangements to meet organizational priorities, including visa applications, complex flight arrangements, accommodation, transfers, the preparation of itineraries and briefing notes, purchase requests, and travel expense claims.
• Work collaboratively with the relevant event organizers and stakeholders to coordinate executive participation.

Document and information management

• Draft, compile, format, edit, and proofread documents, research information, and route correspondence, including that of a confidential and sensitive nature, and ensure appropriate and timely follow-up.
• Organize, file, and retrieve documents and reference materials on relevant information management systems and databases, ensuring efficient and effective document management, access management, and version control.

Communications and liaison

• Communicate directly, on behalf of and as directed by the EMD and DEMD, with Board Members, Funders, staff, and other stakeholders.
• Support organization and coordination of EMT and SLT Team meetings, workshops, and retreats.
• Serve as an administrative liaison point with the respective Chairs and members of the System Council and System Board, and via the relevant Unit, in support of the EMD’s and DEMD’s roles in relation to those bodies.
• Ensure that the EMD’s and DEMD’s bio-data is kept up to date and work with Communications colleagues to ensure that external profiles, media, and representation are well-managed and respond to requests for material regarding the EMD and DEMD.
• Manage and update contact lists with relevant stakeholders as required.

Other

• Provide coordination of and support towards EMD and DEMD-convened in-person and hybrid meetings and events in CGIAR’s Montpellier office.
• Review operating practices and implement improvements where necessary, as appropriate within the role, and make recommendations for improved overall efficiencies across the Organization.
• Foster or contribute to highly collaborative teamwork and communication within the Office of the EMD, as well as across CGIAR’s Global and Regional Groups and Centers, proactively participating in knowledge and capacity-building initiatives to support the delivery of business plans and initiatives.
• Carry out other relevant functions as assigned by the Director, Office of the EMD, including providing administrative support to other units on an ad hoc basis to cover for other assistants’ absence and to support organizational priorities as required.

Requirements

Education and Experience

Required:

• University degree or equivalent, or a minimum of five years of progressive professional experience

Desired:

• Formal secretarial accreditation
• Project Management qualification

Key Competences

• Ability to work under pressure, to strict deadlines, and to undertake numerous tasks simultaneously
• A proven ability to liaise with a broad range of stakeholders and partners and do so with demonstrated sensitivity, discretion, and tact taking into account different organizational and cultural considerations
• Strong oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Computer proficiency: in-depth knowledge of Microsoft Office software, especially Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Customer Service oriented and proactive
• High tolerance of ambiguity and appetite to tackle issues in a constructive way
• Excellent interpersonal relations skills at different levels and work in a multicultural environment

Languages

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential
• Working knowledge of French is preferred but not an essential requirement

Benefits

The CGIAR System Organization is an equal opportunity employer and offers competitive compensation with favorable taxation arrangements in France and, subject to eligibility, comprehensive employee benefits comprising extensive insurance coverage, a retirement plan, an education grant, and relocation support at the start of the appointment and upon conclusion of appointment for staff members and eligible dependents. All benefits are denominated and paid in Euros.

System Organization appointments are typically for a fixed term of three years, with a possibility of renewal subject to effective performance, operational needs, and funding.

Submitting Your Application

All applications must be submitted online by clicking the ‘Apply’ button below. If you require assistance or face challenges in submitting your application, please email [email protected] with the position title in the subject line. Please note we will not accept applications through this email.

Please ensure that your resume and cover letter are in English and do not contain your marital status, age, or photograph. Documents provided in a language other than English will not be considered.

CGIAR is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. We offer a multi-cultural, multi-color, multi-generational, and multi-disciplinary, collegial working environment, with a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and flexible working arrangements. We consciously create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character and commitment to gender equity. We, therefore, encourage applicants from all cultures, races, ethnicities, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, and gender identities. If you require accommodation due to a disability, please email your request to [email protected] and include “Diversity and Inclusion Accommodation” in the subject line.

All received applications will be acknowledged; however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

We look forward to hearing from you!