Personal Assistant to Managing Director

Job Title

Personal Assistant to the Managing Director (Construction)

Department

Executive Office

Reports To

Managing Director

Location

Sharjah/Dubai HQ with occasional site visits across the UAE

Role Purpose

Provide high-level executive, administrative, and project coordination support to the Managing Director, ensuring the MD’s time, priorities, communications, and follow-through are managed with excellence. Act as a trusted gatekeeper and liaison between the MD and internal/external stakeholders (department heads, project teams, clients, authorities, and partners).

Key Responsibilities1) Executive Support & Calendar Management

• Own the MD’s calendar: schedule, prioritize, and optimize meetings, site visits, and travel.
• Prepare daily/weekly briefs: priorities, risks, deadlines, and decision points.
• Gatekeep communications: triage emails/calls, draft responses, and ensure timely follow-ups.

2) Meetings, Board Packs & Documentation

• Prepare agendas, collect inputs, and circulate pre-reads.
• Take clear minutes with action owners, deadlines, and dependencies; track closure.
• Compile board/EXCOM packs, MD updates, and quarterly business reviews.

3) Project & Site Coordination (Construction)

• Coordinate status updates with Project Managers, QS, Planning, Procurement, and HSE.
• Track critical deliverables (program milestones, VO approvals, RFIs, NCR closures).
• Escalate risks and slippages to the MD with concise summaries and options.

4) Tendering & Commercial Support

• Support tender submissions: gather documents, ensure compliance with checklists, monitor deadlines.
• Liaise with Estimation/QS for clarifications, prelims, and document control.
• Maintain a register of bids, outcomes, and post-tender correspondence.

5) Procurement & Vendor Liaison

• Follow up on PR/PO status, approvals, delivery schedules, and critical materials.
• Coordinate vendor meetings and maintain a preferred supplier log with performance notes.

6) Finance & Admin Follow-Up

• Track key approvals (payments, LPOs, variations, claims) and reminders to stakeholders.
• Prepare simple trackers/dashboards for MD visibility (cash-flow checkpoints, major payables/receivables).

7) HR & Confidential Tasks

• Support MD with confidential HR tasks (recruitment follow-ups, offers, sensitive communications).
• Coordinate interviews/assessments and maintain confidentiality at all times.

8) Compliance & Government Relations (UAE)

• Coordinate with PRO/QHSE/Admin on renewals (trade license, insurances, visas, labor cards, permits).
• Ensure documents are current for audits and client prequalification (ISO/QHSE, insurances, registration).

9) Travel & Logistics

• Arrange complex itineraries, visas, hotel/site logistics, and expense reconciliation.

10) Office/Asset Coordination & Special Projects

• Ensure meeting rooms, equipment, and presentation setups are ready for the MD.
• Drive ad-hoc MD initiatives (events, client visits, rebranding moments, KPI ceremonies).

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred (Business Administration, Engineering, or related).
• 5–8+ years of Executive/Personal Assistant experience; at least 3 years supporting C-level.
• Construction/real estate/engineering industry experience in the UAE is highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of project lifecycles, tenders, and site coordination.

Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional organization, prioritization, and follow-through under tight deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication; professional email etiquette.
• Stakeholder management and discretion in handling sensitive information.
• Problem-solving mindset; anticipates needs and removes blockers.
• Proficiency: MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), PDF tools; ERP familiarity is a plus (e-Promis/Oracle/SAP/Candy).
• Language: Excellent English; Arabic is an advantage.
• UAE driving license is a plus.

Job Type: Full-time