Personal Assistant to the Deputy Executive Director

Based in Brussels and active in over a dozen countries, the European Institute of Peace (www.eip.org) is an independent organisation working collaboratively with the parties to the conflict, those who represent people suffering from insecurity or at risk of violence, as well as European decision-makers and the conflict prevention, resolution and mediation community.

We provide practical experience, technical expertise, and policy advice on conflict resolution. We use a variety of tools to help us do this, including analysis, mapping and design of peace processes and agreements, facilitating policy discussions, and proposing practical engagement, for example through inclusive dialogue and mediation support.

Are you captivated by our innovative approach to peace, and do you want to contribute to the mission of our institute? Do you share our vision for a world where people live in safety and peace because conflicts and grievances are resolved through inclusive dialogue and lasting political agreements?

We are looking for a motivated and proactive Personal Assistant to provide organisational, content-related and administrative support the Institute’s Deputy Executive Director. This is a central role in the Institute, as the Deputy Executive Director oversees the Engagement, Dialogue and Process Design (EDP) unit, responsible for the Institute’s mediation and dialogue engagements in complex and politically sensitive processes around the world.

The Personal Assistant will be supporting the Director in all areas of her work, including the operations of large-scale interventions in areas suffering from armed conflict. The position provides unique access and insights to the direction of the Institute and the management of a large team, and a bird-eyes view of the daily workings of the Deputy Executive Director and the EDP Unit. The right applicant is organised, discreet, can think on their feet, and thrives in a politically dynamic environment in which they are a central organisational node.

Your place in the team

The Personal Assistant reports directly to the Deputy Executive Director (DED).

Your skills and experience

• Manage the Deputy Executive Director’s (DED) priorities and time including scheduling and correspondence review and prioritisation, by using independent judgement, initiative and maintaining an overview.

• Work closely with the DED to keep her informed and prepared for upcoming commitments and responsibilities, prepare her for meetings, provide input to the key objectives, preparing background documentation, collect relevant input from media and from the team, draft briefings and talking points.

• Work together with the Programmatic colleagues on the DED’s engagement in public events, preparing speeches, presentation material and briefing notes.

• Manage the DED’s presence on social media strategically, maintaining active and relevant profiles by creating and posting content together with programmatic teams.

• Support the DED in team communication, for example by facilitating internal and external communication flows, creating, and maintaining relevant tools and reminder schedules.

• Support the DED in ensuring programmatic teams deliver both regular and ad hoc internal reporting, ensuring timeliness and high quality of team contributions.

• Develop, maintain and track internal systems and procedures to ensure strong workflows and sustainable processes within the unit, including ensuring central access to key documents and templates.

• Take part in and coordinate meetings, within the Engagement, Dialogue and Process Design Unit and with other units as well as externally, fostering smooth collaboration.

• Organise and manage DED travels, manage the logistics and support in arranging meetings and preparing other relevant meeting and mission material.

• Manage the administrative tasks such as travel expenses, timesheets, and approval of invoices and contracts.

• Supporting the on-boarding of new team members and their introduction into the organisation.

• Source and manage a news feed from the programmatic teams to the DED on key events and developments in conflict contexts in which they are active.

  Your skills and experience

• University degree in political or social science, peace and conflict studies, international relations and/or political science and diplomacy or similar;

• At least 3 years’ experience as in a multi-lingual and political environment, with Personal or Executive assistant responsibilities;

• Professional experience in the European Institutions/bodies, or in the United Nations or a national public administration an asset;

• Excellent command of English and at least one of the two official languages of the Brussels region (French and Dutch). Any other EU language is a plus;

• Ability to research, digest, analyse and present material clearly and concisely and to work with minimum supervision;

• Assertive personality that is used to function as a gatekeeper for executive staff in an organisation;

• Legally entitled to work in Belgium (EU citizen or currently in possession of a Belgian work permit).

What we are offering

• An exciting job in an international and diverse environment (18 nationalities represented at the Brussels Office)
• Open-ended Belgian contract
• Competitive Benefits package which includes health care insurance and pension plan, meal vouchers, transportation and telework allowance, and SIM card
• 40h/week and 32 leave days/year
• The possibility to telework 3 days a week

Start date: January 2025

The selected candidate will need to reside in or relocate to Belgium when the employment contract starts.