Srr - Executive Assistant to The Deputy Head of

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

The British Embassy Riyadh has a vacancy for an Executive Assistant to the Deputy Head of Mission (DHM) on a fixed term contract of two (2) years, with a possibility of renewal.

The jobholder will provide senior executive assistance to the DHM and act as Secretariat for Post Boards and Committees. The Executive Assistant also ensures the smooth running and management of Chancery (organisational, events, logístical, and administrative support).

**Duties and responsibilities**:

- Executive Assistant to DHM
- Proactively manage DHM’s schedule, diary, and travel arrangements, coordinating with the Ambassador’s Executive Assistant where needed to balance diary commitments.
- Provide executive support for DHM’s meetings to include timely preparation of agendas, collation of relevant briefs and reading material, write up of meeting notes and follow up action.
- Proactively manage DHM’s schedule of regular meetings (daily morning meetings, Senior Leadership Team lunches, Quarterly Country Board meetings, etc.) to ensure that meeting rooms are booked and set up properly with working IT, key participants are attending, and dates are updated as required to avoid clashes with travel and other commitments.
- Establish productive working relations with all departments within the UK Government’s Saudi Arabia Network, supporting their engagement with DHM and ensuring that they follow Chancery procedures on booking meetings, events or other engagements that require DHM time.
- Build productive relationships with a wide range of contacts in Saudi Arabia, particularly with the Executive Assistant teams of DHM’s most important external contacts.
- Meet and greet visitors of all seniority, ensuring their smooth entrance into the Embassy, and arranging refreshments for meetings as required.
- Support DHM in the planning and organisation of diplomatic events (for example, working dinners or receptions), issuing invitations and handling RSVPs, and liaising with the Residence and Events teams on planning and management to ensure events meet Embassy objectives.
- Develop and maintain links across the KSA Network to help the DHM keep their finger on the pulse and shape their engagement across the Network.
- Secretariat and Chancery Executive support
- Work with the HMA’s Executive Assistant to organise and communicate the Embassy meeting calendar for routine Network meetings, e.g., the Quarterly Country Board, Post Management Board, Gulf Strategy Fund, Town Hall meetings, SLT lunches, Post Security and Crisis Committee meetings.
- Act as Secretariat for the Post Management Board, Town Hall meetings, and other Post boards and committees, preparing and circulating agendas in advance, collating and quality assuring presentations and meeting papers, following up on meeting participation, taking minutes of meetings, and following up on action agreed.
- Maintain and manage key documents, registers, diaries, and databases which help the Chancery and wider KSA Network to function smoothly and deliver the Country Business Plan (CBP) effectively.
- Draft and send VIP invites to high profile events and support high profile visits/ events at the Residence when required.
- Support VIP visits including any administrative and logístical arrangements or meeting bookings required.
- Support corporate communications work on behalf of the DHM, including commissioning drafts, editing and sending messages to all staff, and producing presentations for corporate meetings.
- Co-ordinate monthly checks of visa and consular stocks as required.
- Manage Chancery’s entertainment budget, tracking spend, agreeing forward entertainment expenditure plans with teams, and seeking DHM approval for higher value spend, ensuring that the final outturn is within 95% of the funding allocated.
- Provide wider support to Chancery colleagues as required, and make a corporate objective for the wider Embassy (for example, joining the Green Committee or Staff Wellbeing and Inclusion Committee).
- Provide leave cover for the Executive Assistant to HMA as required.

The above list is not exhaustive and the jobholder will be required to be flexible and take on other ad hoc tasks as required, including participating in the Embassy’s emergency planning and any other response to a crisis affecting UK citizens.

**Key behaviours required**:

- Leadership - Show pride and passion for public service. Create and engage others in delivering a shared vision. Value difference, diversity and inclusion, ensuring fairness and opportunity for all.
- Communicating and Influencing - Communicate purpose and direction with clarity, integrity, and enthusiasm. Respect the needs, responses and opinions of others.
- Working Together - Form effective partnerships and relationships with people both internally and externally, from a range of diverse backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.
- Making Effective Decisions - Us