Senior Executive Assistant Job #: req33955 Organization: World Bank Sector: Administration/Office Support Grade: GD Term Duration: 4 years 0 months Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment Location: Riyadh,Saudi Arabia Required Language(s): English Preferred Language(s): Arabic, French Closing Date: 8/28/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC
Description
Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.
Regional Context
The Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP) Region
The Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Region serves 22 countries across different income groups, of which 14 are active/potentially active IBRD/IDA borrowers (Afghanistan, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, Tunisia, and Yemen), with a total of 251 projects and over US$51 bn in total commitment. Eight are users of the Region's non-lending services, mostly on a reimbursable basis (Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The mission of the region is to foster sustainable growth with a focus on job creation and poverty reduction, economic and social inclusion, and good governance. The region attaches importance to creating a supportive work environment based on the values of teamwork, transparency, trust, and client service, underlined by professional excellence. The region places high value on diversity. The region is organized into seven Country Departments (CMUs), the Office of the Regional Chief Economist, and the Development Effectiveness Unit (MAPDE).
With an expanded regional strategy, the World Bank aims to help the region weather the current crises, move from stabilization to transformation, unlock its vast economic potential of youth and women, develop its human capital to adapt to global megatrends, and foster innovation. For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org/en/region/mena.
Duties and Accountabilities
The MENAAP Vice Presidency seeks a seasoned Senior Executive Assistant to join a highly collaborative team in the Front Office of the Regional Vice President. The incumbent will be a key member of the MENAAP VP Front Office (FO), with responsibility for assisting and supporting the Regional Vice President (RVP). The role requires extensive demonstrated experience in similar roles, the ability to anticipate needs, a positive, can-do attitude, the highest level of discretion, and the capacity to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment with shifting priorities. The selected candidate will formally report to the Vice President but will work under the day-to-day supervision of the Special Assistant.
The incumbent will play a vital role in seamlessly supporting the FO team in close collaboration with Special Assistant to the Vice President (SA), and the FO. Given the intimate size of the office, it's crucial to emphasize that skills are as important as the right attitude and interpersonal qualities. The chosen candidate should not only have the necessary expertise but also demonstrate the ability to thrive in a decentralized team structure—collaborating seamlessly across time zones and locations, including with colleagues based in Washington, DC—while embodying the collaborative and dynamic spirit of the team.
The candidate must possess key skills such as emotional intelligence, high levels of attention to detail, a proactive mindset, discretion, diplomacy, strong teamwork abilities, and proficiency in prioritization, organization, and task monitoring. The ideal candidate should demonstrate the ability to plan ahead, remain flexible, and showcase resourcefulness. Sound judgment, strong writing skills and excellent technology skills are essential. The candidate should have strong skills in planning and coordinating complex travel, including preparing detailed itineraries, managing logistics, and anticipating on-the-ground needs.
The selected candidate must be prepared for a highly demanding role, promptly responding to the Vice President's requests and navigating a dynamic work environment with agility. Unwavering dedication and the ability to stay connected to meet the role's demands effectively are essential.
Furthermore, this role involves taking on a senior position within the VPU's ACS team, requiring a self-motivated individual capable of thriving in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.
Role and Responsibility:
The Senior Executive Assistant will be expected to carry out the following responsibilities, with regular guidance and coordination provided by the Special Assistant to ensure consistency with the office’s needs. Note that the role may also include other tasks as needed, in response to evolving priorities and the dynamic nature of the newly decentralized office:
• Provides all-encompassing administrative support to the RVP, working closely with the FO HQ team to ensure efficient workflow and operation of the office, including work priorities, procedures, and administrative systems for the MENAAP VP's office are followed.
• Manages the RVP's calendar, prioritizing effective time management and follow-up on pending items.
• Ensures quality and timeliness of administrative information emanating from the Front Office; to the RVP, President's office, Managing Directors offices.
• Work with the FO HQ team to ensure all relevant briefing notes and background materials for RVP meetings are received, formatted, reviewed and finalized. This also includes independently formatting correspondence, meeting briefs and trip briefs.
• Independently tracks deliverables and follows through on appropriate dissemination of information to staff by sharing reports, status updates and other information as necessary.
• Together with the FO HQ team, screen incoming correspondence with input from RVP, as appropriate, using judgment, tact, diplomacy and discretion in either answering or redirecting inquiries to appropriate sources and in dealing with highly sensitive and confidential matters or making independent decisions when multiple courses of actions are required.
• Supports RVP’s travel schedules (flight/hotel reservations, visa requests, etc.).
• Undertakes ad hoc duties as assigned by the RVP, the Special Assistant to ensure smooth operation of all aspects of the MENAAP VP office. As the Front Office administrative point of contact for the Directors, stays on top of and maintains sufficient working knowledge of the tasks being performed in each unit with an ability to independently respond to inquiries and exercise critical thinking and decision-making skills to address clients within and outside the Bank
• Provide primary support to RVP’s Front Office to ensure successful delivery of Spring Meetings and Annual Meetings bilateral meetings, events and media engagements.
• Serves as ACS-level contact and liaison for an extensive network, at the most senior levels (i.e., President, Managing Directors, Executive Directors, government counterparts and clients etc.)
• TRS Coordinator: Handle LARS and TRS issues and provide general support to staff as needed.
Selection Criteria
• Minimum requirements: High school diploma (Bachelor’s degree preferred) and ten years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communications skills; maturity and ability to interact responsively and thoughtfully with staff at all levels, with demonstrated good judgment and discretion.
• Experience in dealing with senior officials both within and outside the Bank, experience or exposure as a Senior Executive Assistant is advantageous.
• Proven track record and ability to ensure total discretion, confidentiality and strong personal ethics.
• Strong English language skills (verbal and written), including the ability to draft and edit a variety of correspondence and ensure quality of written outputs and clarity of message. Fluency in Arabic or French preferred.
• Proven ability to promote and work in a team-focused environment and pitch in to fill gaps when needed.
• Proactivity, demonstrated sound judgment, and problem-solving skills in dealing with unexpected situations, often under pressure.
• A proven track record in areas such as judgment, reliability, resourcefulness and flexibility. Strategic and with good emotional intelligence.
• Positive demeanor, self-starter and able to maintain composure under pressure.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask and judge priorities under tight timelines.
• Ability to guide and advise more junior ACS staff.
• Substantial experience in the Bank and in-depth knowledge of World Bank processes, policies and procedures, particularly institution-wide quality assurance and decision-making functions.
• Excellent office technology skills, in particular: MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SAP, Internet Explorer.
• Willingness and flexibility to work overtime on short notice and as needed.
• Willingness to extend him/herself to meet deadlines.
WBG Culture Attributes:
1. Sense of Urgency – Anticipating and quickly reacting to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful Risk Taking – Taking informed and thoughtful risks and making courageous decisions to push boundaries for greater impact.
3. Empowerment and Accountability – Engaging with others in an empowered and accountable manner for impactful results.
World Bank Group Core Competencies
The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.
Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.