Job description
ABOUT ALU
ALU provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.
They develop the real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. And they take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALU believes in the power and agency of young people to start shaping the future right now.
Together with a world-class faculty and staff, our students are igniting a ripple of positive impact across Africa and the world.
We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.
HOW WE WORK
As a high-growth start-up, the ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.
The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.
ABOUT THE TEAM
The Executive Committee (ExCo) is the strategic heartbeat of ALU, a dynamic and high-performing group of leaders responsible for orchestrating our ambitious mission across diverse global time zones. This team is constantly pushing boundaries to innovate and expand ALU’s impact. We operate with an “all hands on deck” mentality, where collaboration is key and proactive problem-solving is celebrated. Despite the geographical distances, the ExCo maintains a cohesive and supportive culture, driven by a shared commitment to developing ethical and entrepreneurial African leaders.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are seeking a highly organized and proactive Executive Assistant to serve as the “conductor” for our CEO and the larger ExCo team - Chief Business Officer (CBO), Chief Product Officer (CPO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) & The Provost. This pivotal role is designed to transform energetic possibility into crisp execution by seamlessly managing complex logistics, streamlining communication, and anticipating the needs of our senior leadership. You will be the ExCo’s operational backbone, ensuring their focus remains on driving ALU’s vision forward and planning for the next decade of impact. Your invisible choreography will be critical in keeping decisions flowing, culture thriving, and our mission firmly on track.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Calendar Management:
- Architect complex, “follow-the-sun” schedules for the CEO and ExCo.
- Meticulously coordinate multi-leg travel across time zones.
- Protect essential deep-work blocks within executive calendars.
Travel & Event Logistics:
- Flawlessly manage all aspects of executive travel and events.
- Secure last-minute visa letters and negotiate group hotel rates (e.g., for Board meetings in Kigali).
- Ensure every journey feels first-class, even in economy, through detailed itinerary planning, booking flights and accommodations, and arranging ground transportation.
Meeting & Communication Management:
- Own the end-to-end meeting process.
- Draft insightful agendas.
- “Pre-wire” key decisions with relevant stakeholders.
- Capture actions in real-time during meetings.
- Diligently chase actions to “done.”
Information & Knowledge Management:
- Develop and maintain efficient systems within Google Workspace.
- Build auto-updating dashboards in Google Sheets.
- Design slick and professional Google Slides presentations.
- Ensure Google Docs are auditable and well-organized.
Stakeholder Relations:
- Act as the primary point of contact for a diverse range of stakeholders (e.g., government ministers, investors, student founders).
- Adeptly switch tone and communication style without missing a beat.
Process Optimization:
- Proactively identify operational bottlenecks.
- Design innovative solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
- Develop new systems like visa trackers, travel trackers, or optimized ExCo calendars, leveraging tools like Notion.
Strategic Project Support:
- Orchestrate critical logistical operations for high-stakes initiatives.
- Manage events such as hybrid town halls, intensive 48-hour prototype sprints, or high-profile ministerial visits.
- Ensure all resources and arrangements are flawlessly executed for these events.
Ensure the safety and well-being of all young persons and vulnerable adults with whom we deal, by adhering to ALU’s comprehensive safeguarding policy, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of safeguarding standards.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
A minimum of 5-7 years of progressive experience in supporting C-suite executives in a fast-paced, global, or highly dynamic environment.
Executive Support & Logistics Management:
- Successfully managed multi-executive, multi-location travel and meeting logistics involving complex international itineraries and demanding schedules.
- Ensured seamless execution even under pressure (e.g., coordinating a virtual Board meeting followed by an in-person Senior Leadership retreat with executives arriving from multiple continents).
Proactive Problem-Solving:
- Proven ability to anticipate and proactively resolve logistical challenges.
- Demonstrated exceptional foresight and problem-solving skills (e.g., having a backup projector bulb readily available for an off-site).
Process Optimization & Efficiency:
- Experience in optimizing administrative processes and implementing innovative solutions to improve efficiency and workflow for senior leadership teams.
Confidential Information Handling:
- Demonstrated expertise in managing confidential information with the utmost discretion and integrity, particularly at a board level.
- Highlight Key Achievements: Instead of just listing responsibilities, mention specific accomplishments or projects that demonstrate the candidate’s capabilities.
Competent with the following tools:
- Google Calendar, Gmail, Slack, Zoom, Loom
- Google Drive (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Notion, Miro, Trello
- TravelPerk (or similar), TripIt Pro, AirPortal, Uber for Business
- Zapier, Google Apps Script, Make/Integromat, AI scheduling assistants
- Hopin, Mentimeter, Slido, Canva
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
Functional Skills
- Logistical Genius: The ability to re-route four executives around a Cape Town fog closure before coffee.
- Digital Dexterity: Advanced proficiency in Google Workspace (Sheets, Slides, Docs, Calendar, Gmail), including complex formulas in Google Sheets, mastery of Gmail shortcuts, and the ability to design visually appealing Miro boards.
- Time-Zone Empathy: Proficient in scheduling asynchronously, understanding when a “Loom” video message is more effective than a live call, and able to accurately calculate time differences between various global time zones (e.g., CAT↔PST) in your head.
- Written Voice: Possesses a crisp, warm, and consistently mistake-free written communication style.
- Process Innovation: Ability to spot bottlenecks, design effective fixes, and implement new systems (e.g., visa trackers, travel trackers) using tools like Notion or similar project management platforms.
Soft Skills
- Confidential Judgement: Proven track record of handling sensitive and board-level documents with absolute discretion and without a single leak.
- Problem-Anticipation: Your default question is, “What might break, and how do I pre-solve it?” You are inherently proactive and forward-thinking.
- Cultural Fluency: You are equally comfortable and adept at addressing a Rwandan senator with appropriate greetings as you are at joking with Gen-Z interns on Slack.
- Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to serve as the first line of contact for diverse stakeholders, adjusting tone and approach seamlessly.
- Mission Alignment: A deep-seated passion and commitment to ALU’s north star of developing 3 million ethical, entrepreneurial African leaders.
