Executive Assistant - Office of the COO

UAE nationals are encouraged to apply

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint an Executive Assistant reporting to the Associate Director, Business Operations and Stakeholder Engagement.

The Executive Assistant provides high-level administrative support to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and all senior leaders across key administrative units within the COO Office. This critical support role involves performing a wide range of clerical, secretarial, and general office duties, including those of a confidential nature.

The EA responds to inquiries on behalf of the COO and senior leaders as needed, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the University’s activities, policies, and programs. The role includes drafting letters and correspondence, performing general word processing, and handling spreadsheet and data entry tasks using intermediate-level functions.

In addition, the EA manages executive calendar coordination, ensures bookings for meeting and event spaces, and organizes travel arrangements and visitor logistics. The EA may also be required to oversee basic administrative processes for the COO Office and assist with planning Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E.).

This is a critical role that requires strong organizational skills, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. The successful candidate must demonstrate excellent judgment, superior communication abilities, and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), with a strong commitment to service excellence and teamwork.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Provide full administrative support to the COO including, but not limited to: calendar management, meeting coordination, travel arrangements, visitor coordination/support, and communications support. Documentation & Record Keeping: Maintain accurate records, organize files, and ensure timely follow-up on key action items
• Monitor and manage contracts and the COO’s signatory and approval requirements and needs. Escalate for further action where necessary. Manage business expenses and flag for further action, ensuring accuracy and compliance
• Coordinate COO escalations and support with the Associate Director, Business Operations and Stakeholder Engagement. Support the Associate Director, Business Operations and Stakeholder Engagement with general office support and follow ups
• Prepare executive presentations, reports, and other materials as needed for the COO in support of meetings, strategic initiatives, leadership discussions, etc.  Assist with Powerpoint Presentations and document formatting
• Manage and facilitate planning support on behalf of the Office of the COO for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions/Events (MICE)

Required Education: 

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field 

Required Experience: 

• 5+ years of office or administration experience
• Superior written and oral communications skills in English
• A capacity to work collegially and flexibly in a complex organizational structure comprising NYU and NYUAD
• An ability to prioritize and to handle multiple projects on tight deadlines, organized work habits, consistent accuracy, and attentiveness to detail
• Advanced business computing and internet skills
• Professional maturity and judgment consistent with leadership-support responsibilities, including exceptional discretion, confident communications skills, and a capacity for resourceful initiative in a team context
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

Preferred Experience: 

• 3+ years of office and/or administrative experience in an academic institution
• 5+ years of experience working with senior and C-level stakeholder
• 5+years of experience with highly complex programs and projects in multiple disciplines such as technology, facilities, logistics, etc
• 5+years of experience in a higher education environment

• Fluency with MS Office and/or Google Suite with a strong ability to create and analyze spreadsheets

• Familiarity with Project Management Office (PMO) tasks, including tracking deliverables, managing follow-ups, and coordinating between stakeholders

• Excellent verbal and written skills

• Team player with strong attention to detail and ability to work well under pressure and deadlines

• Must be well versed in quality data collection to ensure adequacy, accuracy and legitimacy of data in NYU  systems and be able to strictly follow data privacy and security procedures for data handling and analysis  to ensure adherence to legal and institutional standards

About NYUAD

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.