Executive Assistant to CPO provides high-level executive support to the Chief People Officer, requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional qualification, and proven experience supporting a CPO, HR Director, or equivalent HR executive. Full-time role in Nairobi.
Role Purpose
The
Executive Assistant to the Chief People Officer (CPO) plays a pivotal role in
enabling the success of the People Department by providing comprehensive
executive, administrative, organisational, and coordination support. Working
closely with the CPO and the wider People leadership team, the postholder will
ensure the efficient and effective management of priorities through proactive
diary and inbox management, meeting and governance coordination, travel
planning, and the smooth delivery of day-to-day operational activities.
The role
exists to maximise the CPO’s capacity to focus on strategic priorities by
autonomously managing administrative and logistical requirements with a high
degree of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality. As a trusted
partner, the Executive Assistant will facilitate effective communication,
maintain strong stakeholder relationships, support the preparation and
coordination of key meetings and governance processes, and contribute to
knowledge management across the department.
In
addition, the role will support wider People team initiatives, including
onboarding new direct reports of the CPO, fostering departmental connectivity
and engagement, and helping to coordinate departmental activities that
strengthen organisational effectiveness. Through exceptional organisation,
collaboration, and attention to detail, this role contributes to the successful
delivery of the People strategy and, ultimately, Save the Children’s mission
and objectives.
Responsibilities
Core
Executive Assistant Responsibilities
Provide
proactive, high-quality executive support to the Chief People Officer (CPO),
enabling effective management of priorities and ensuring their time is focused
on strategic leadership and organisational objectives.
Manage a
complex and dynamic diary, coordinating meetings, appointments, and events
while balancing competing priorities and ensuring all logistics, briefing
materials, and preparatory information are provided in advance.
Manage
and monitor the CPO’s inbox, responding, redirecting, escalating, and
prioritising communications as appropriate, while maintaining an effective and
well-organised filing system.
Coordinate
domestic and international travel arrangements, including flights,
accommodation, visas, itineraries, logistics, and related documentation,
ensuring efficient and cost-effective travel planning.
Handle
highly sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion,
professionalism, sound judgement, and integrity.
Anticipate
the CPO’s requirements and priorities, identifying upcoming issues, risks,
deadlines, and opportunities to ensure effective forward planning and
decision-making.
Prepare
agendas, briefing packs, presentations, reports, and correspondence to a
consistently high standard, ensuring the CPO is fully prepared for meetings and
engagements.
Track
actions, decisions, and follow-up activities arising from meetings,
correspondence, leadership discussions, and key stakeholder engagements,
ensuring progress is monitored and deadlines are met.
Act as a
key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, managing enquiries
and communications efficiently while fostering positive and collaborative
working relationships.
Prepare
and submit expense claims on behalf of the CPO and review expenses requiring
approval, ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
Process
invoices and procurement-related transactions within delegated budgets,
ensuring adherence to financial controls, procurement requirements, and
organisational policies.
Maintain
accurate departmental distribution lists, contact databases, records, and
information management systems to support effective communication and knowledge
sharing across the People function.
Build
strong and collaborative relationships with Executive Assistants and support
staff across the organisation, ensuring effective coordination, cover
arrangements, and alignment of leadership activities.
Undertake
Officer related duties for the SCA/SCI People Leads group.
Additional
team support responsibilities:
Coordinate
and manage People Leadership Team meetings, departmental forums, town halls,
workshops, and other key People function meetings, including scheduling, agenda
preparation, collation of papers, distribution of pre-reading materials,
note-taking, and action tracking.
Support
effective communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across the People
function by maintaining clear information flows, managing shared documentation
and resources, and ensuring colleagues have timely access to key departmental
updates and materials.
Assist in
maintaining departmental communications, including newsletters, team updates,
people announcements, organisational charts, and other communications that
support employee engagement and awareness of People initiatives.
Support
departmental recognition and appreciation activities, helping to promote a
culture of inclusion, wellbeing, collaboration, and celebration across the
People function.
Maintain
awareness of key People priorities, initiatives, and organisational
developments, ensuring the CPO is supported with relevant information and that
departmental activities remain aligned to strategic objectives.
Contribute
to the continuous improvement of departmental processes, administrative
systems, and ways of working to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and service
delivery across the People team.
Experience and Skills
Essential
Demonstrable
track record in providing executive support to a senior leader.
Proven
experience managing complex and frequently changing diaries, coordinating
meetings across multiple time zones, and balancing competing priorities in a
fast-paced environment.
Demonstrable
experience managing high-volume inboxes, exercising sound judgement to
prioritise, redirect and respond appropriately to communications on behalf of
senior leaders.
Extensive
experience planning and coordinating complex domestic and international travel
arrangements, including visas, accommodation, itineraries and logistics.
Experience
in supporting meetings instigated by the CPO, including agenda preparation,
coordination of papers, minute-taking and action tracking.
Excellent
organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple
activities simultaneously while maintaining high levels of accuracy and
attention to detail.
Strong
written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft, edit and
proofread a wide range of documents, presentations, reports and correspondence
to a professional standard.
Demonstrated
ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information with
discretion, professionalism and sound judgement.
Strong
stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build
positive working relationships with colleagues, senior leaders and external
partners at all levels.
Proven
ability to work independently, anticipate needs, identify potential issues and
implement practical solutions in a proactive manner.
Advanced
proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint,
Teams and Excel, together with confidence working across a range of digital
collaboration and business systems.
Comfortable
learning and using organisational systems and technologies, including financial
management, procurement, travel booking and workflow management platforms.
Strong
digital confidence and a willingness to embrace new technologies, including an
interest in leveraging AI and digital tools to improve productivity, efficiency
and ways of working.
Desirable
Experience
supporting a Chief People Officer, HR Director, or equivilent within a People
or Human Resources function.
Experience
working within a complex, global, matrixed or international organisation.
Familiarity
with People (HR) practices, organisational development, employee engagement or
culture-related activities.
Experience
of working within a charity
An
interest in the work undertaken by Save the Children International.
Education and Qualifications
Essential
Educated
to degree level and/or holds a relevant professional qualification, or
equivalent experience
Desirable
Evidence
of continuing professional development relevant to executive support,
administration, business operations or governance.
