Executive Assistant & Office Manager

Role: Executive Assistant & Office Manager  

Location: Dubai

Position type: Full time, permanent

MS AML has been established in the DIFC and regulated by the DFSA since 2014. We are currently a growing office of ten. We trade in a highly regulated environment producing and underwriting business for MS Amlin.

This role is a key hybrid role that covers many disciplines and requires someone who has excellent organisation and communication skills, is self motivated and can multi task across a continually evolving workplace.

Purpose:

• Providing high quality and efficient support to the SEO on a daily basis and with ad hoc project work.

• Managing office Operations and daily procedures in Dubai and liaising with other operational teams based in London including Finance, Compliance and IT.

• To assist the underwriting team on any ad-hoc project work that may be required.  

• Assist the client onboarding process in line with DFSA rulebook.

The role interfaces primarily with the members of the MS AML team and other operational teams based in London including Compliance, Finance, IT and Credit Risk as well as the Underwriting Strategic business units.  

From an external perspective you will interact with:

• Brokers and Cedants

• Suppliers

• Federal Tax Authority (FTA)

• Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)

About The Job

What you’ll spend your time doing:

While there is rarely a ‘typical’ day as a Executive Assistant & Office Manager, here’s a snapshot of some of the key parts of the job:

EA/PA:  

• Coordinating diary arrangements for the SEO and underwriters across various time zones

• Arranging refreshments for meetings and booking lunches/dinners

• Managing national and international travel arrangements and liaising with hotel providers, travel providers or travel agents to finalise bookings

• Assembling information/data/statistics for reports to be presented at SBU meetings and board meetings

• Screening telephone calls and passing on messages

• Meeting and greeting clients

• Attending meetings, writing minutes and distributing action points

• Arranging local corporate events

Operational/Office Management:

• Collating and updating internal procedural manuals

• Organising office layout and ensuring the office is well equipped with consumables, stationery and other supplies

• Keeping record of telephone bills and ensuring they are paid on time on a monthly basis

• Sourcing locations for events/dinners

• Assisting Underwriters with data entry, preparing spread sheets and reporting information

• Keeping record of employee absence and travel entitlement

• Negotiating local supplier contracts

• Business continuity – ensuring the Dubai office is aligned with group and meets any additional local requirements.

• Management of the staff visa and residency permit process

• Local health and safety coordinator  

• Annual review and upkeep of DIFC portal submissions including renewal of trade license.

Finance:

• Administering all office invoices and arranging approval to be sent for payment

• Processing the SEO and Underwriters personal expenses to be sent to London Finance

• Processing corporate expenses for the SEO

• Keeping record of bank statements and invoices paid through the office account

• Assisting with the compilation of financial forecasting for budget setting

• Overseeing the processing of VAT

Compliance:

• Assist SEO in administering client on boarding

• If required conducting research as part of the KYC process

• Act a backup in carrying out Lexis Nexis checks at client on boarding and at review stage for verifying PEPs, SOEs, potential sanctions or other match information

• Working closely with our outsourced Compliance Consultant to assist with compiling report information and ensure all training requirements are adhered

• Assist SEO with internal audit

• Keeping an accurate and up to date log of Gifts and Hospitality for the office ensuring bribery and corruption policies are adhered to

Ad hoc projects:

• Undertaking research and development around local office initiatives as directed by the SEO

• Keep abreast of all local legal and regulatory developments related to MS AML and manage any new legislative requirements.

What you’ll need:

For this particular role there are some important qualifications and experience we need you to have. These include:

• Relevant Executive Assistant and Office Management experience

• Experience of working in Dubai and Financial Services

You’re going to enjoy this job if you also have…

• Proficient computer user with intermediate to advanced Outlook, Word and Excel skills    

• Good, effective team participation skills

• Good personal time management    

• Ability to appropriately prioritise workload and multi task

• High attention to detail    

• Ability to work autonomously and proactively

• Good interpersonal skills     

• Proven strong administrative skills

• Ability to adhere to compliance with procedures

• Approachable, service/customer orientated focus

• Good communication skills

• Ability to develop professional relationships 

• Accuracy

• Numeracy

• Core values of Professional Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Superior Performance, Teamwork.

What you can expect from us:

A competitive salary and benefits package is a given, but you can also expect:

• A great team and supportive colleagues

• An open mind (especially to new ideas and ways of doing things)

• A strong focus on diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities

• A programme of wellbeing and mental health support

• Employer-supported volunteering (ESV)

• Flexible working

• Continuous learning

• Study support

• Structured career development

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