Tostan

Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer

• Managing a busy executive calendar including organizing and planning meetings with Board members, supporters, partners, and internal personnel.
• Coordinating global and often-complex travel arrangements will be routinely required.
• Using your proficient writing skills to compose memos, letters and other correspondence in both French and English.
• Researches issues and prepares reports, statistics, and spreadsheets as required.
• Assists with public relations and office visitors.
• Assisting with all activities including highly confidential tasks and some personal assistant tasks for travel, social appointments, and board member activity.
• Coordinate quarterly Dashboard report from each department, Board updates, and letter to staff on progress.
• Coordinate annual departmental High Level Objectives and Budgets and monthly tracking.
• Act as liaison with staff when assisting direct reports on projects and keeping track of deadlines and other priorities.
• Prepare meeting agendas in advance and play an active role in taking and distributing meeting minutes to enhance overall communication.
• Perform business and administrative support functions such as answering phones, filing, copying, scanning, faxing, etc.

• Reports to the CEO and COO

• The position is located at Tostan's International Headquarters in Dakar, Senegal.

Travel:

• The Special Assistant has very limited travel, but occasionally will travel within Africa with the CEO/COO.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Education:

• MBA or equivalent degree, or BA and equivalent experience

Language Proficiency:

• Bilingual oral and written French and English language skills are required.

Knowledge:

• Strong organizational skills
• Excellent writer and editor
• Efficient multi-tasker
• Proficient with office applications and presentation technology

Experience:

• 2 years of project management and business experience
• Experience with budgeting and financial reporting
• Experience in a multinational organization or an organization with multiple regional offices would be an asset.

• Believes strongly in Tostan's mission to empower African communities to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights.
• Functions effectively in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural milieu.
• Embodies cultural sensitivity, empathy and a respect for people and different points of view.
• Works efficiently in a hands-on environment with limited resources.
• Develops and manages relationships at all levels, and acts with diplomacy and tact.
• Maintains a positive and cooperative attitude
• Has an encouraging, empowering and supportive team spirit.
• Is a strategic thinker, and demonstrates integrity and good judgment.
• Has an open, honest and authentic/straightforward approach.
• Is a clear thinker and communicator.
• Is resilient, takes the initiative, and is persistent under pressure.

Please send your resume and a cover letter to  hr@tostan.org . Please be sure to put “Special Assistant to the CEO & COO” as the email subject. Please note, incomplete applications will not be considered.