Office Manager (UAE National Preferred)

SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONS:

The Office Manager in the COO's Office plays a crucial role in supporting the Chief Operating Officer and ensuring the efficient operation of the office. This position requires a blend of administrative, managerial, and interpersonal skills, along with a deep understanding of university operations and policies. The Office Manager will contribute significantly to advancing the COO's goals and objectives and will collaborate closely with other university offices to achieve these goals. Additionally, understanding of financial reporting and budgets, excellent report writing and presentation skills, and the ability to perform data analysis are essential for this role.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Communicate with functional managers, staff members, deans, faculty, and students, addressing inquiries and fulfilling their needs.
• Establish and maintain relationships with external parties, including banks, insurance companies, financial institutions, consultants, key customers and vendors, external auditors, and regulatory authorities.
• Manage the COO’s calendar by prioritizing appointments, scheduling meetings, and coordinating events hosted by the COO's office, including logistics and scheduling.
• Supervise administrative support staff, including training, performance evaluation, and providing guidance on best practices.
• Manage special projects assigned by the COO, including research, analysis, benchmarking, and report preparation.
• Draft, edit, and review policies and procedures, ensuring they align with the university's objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Draft minutes of meetings, translate documents between Arabic and English, and prepare, review, and refine progress reports in coordination with related managers.
• Produce reports, presentations, analytical summaries, and briefing papers with a focus on clarity and impact.
• Utilize financial background knowledge to assist with budget preparation, fiscal resource management, and financial report analysis.
• Perform data analysis to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement in the COO's initiatives.
• Maintain organized and accessible resources in a highly automated environment, ensuring the accurate and timely flow of documents requiring the COO’s signature.
• Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of administrative processes and recommend improvements.
• Monitor and track the COO's projects and initiatives, ensuring deadlines are met and progress is maintained.
• Serve as a resource for university students, faculty, and staff, offering guidance on policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the COO.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting or a related field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of professional experience in a similar role, preferably within a higher education environment.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Excellent financial acumen, including knowledge of financial reporting, auditing, budget preparation and fiscal resource management.
• Excellent presentation skills for producing reports, presentations, and analytical summaries.
• Ability to perform data analysis to identify trends and make recommendations.
• Proficiency in drafting and editing policies to ensure compliance and alignment with university objectives.
• Strong interpersonal skills for building relationships and working collaboratively with colleagues, students, faculty, and external partners.
• Excellent knowledge of administrative policies, procedures, and best practices, with a deep understanding of university policies and relevant regulations.
• Ability to prioritize workload effectively, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in office management practices within a dynamic, highly automated environment.
• Ability to foster cooperative work relationships within a diverse community.
• Proficiency in M.S Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic, with  an overall band score of 7 in the IELTS test or equivalent.
• Ability to convey complex information clearly and diplomatically, handle confidential information discreetly, and maintain professionalism.