DFF - EA to Chief of Transformation & Partnership

Dubai Government; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Dubai Future Foundation seeks an Executive Assistant to the Chief of Transformation & Partnership. You will manage the Chief’s time, priorities, and communications, ensuring the office operates efficiently and discreetly.

You’ll support governance, meetings, and engagements with government, private sector, and international partners. You will coordinate travel logistics, prepare briefing materials, and maintain secure filing while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience as an Executive Assistant or similar role supporting C-suite.
• A Higher Diploma is required; a Bachelor’s degree is an asset.
• Experience managing complex calendars and external partner engagements.
• Excellent English and Arabic communication; discretion and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Chief’s calendar, meetings, conflicts, and priorities.
• Triaging requests, gatekeeping, and ensuring timely responses.
• Prepare briefing packs, background notes, and agendas for engagements.
• Coordinate leadership meetings, workshops, and steering committees; minute-taking.
• Draft and edit correspondence, reports, and briefing documents.
• Arrange travel, visas, accommodation for official visits.
• Maintain confidential information and filing systems.
• Collaborate with procurement, finance, and admin on office needs.

Skills

Calendar management

Gatekeeping

Briefing packs

Travel arrangements

Written communications

Confidentiality

Stakeholder management

Microsoft Office

English & Arabic

Education

Higher Diploma

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Dubai Future Foundation:

Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) was established in 2016 to institutionalize future-shaping for Dubai and strengthen the city's position as a leading global city of the future. The Foundation works in partnership with government and private-sector entities to imagine, design and accelerate Dubai's future. Its work spans five strategic areas: future foresight, knowledge dissemination, capacity building, future design and future acceleration. At the heart of DFF's mandate is turning future-focused ideas and opportunities into tangible outcomes. The Foundation embraces risk-taking, agility and foresight as key attributes in navigating emerging opportunities and challenges. DFF is guided by a core belief that leading in the present is not enough; the future must be actively imagined, designed and executed.

LIFE AT DUBAI FUTURE FOUNDATION

Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) aims to realise the wise vision of Dubai's leadership to institutionalise the envisioned future and forward-thinking methodologies, while positioning Dubai as the leading city of the future. In partnership with its local and global partners from governments, companies, startups, and entrepreneurs, DFF drives joint efforts to collectively imagine, design, and execute the best possible future for humanity.

Under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of DFF, the Foundation runs and oversees many future-proofing projects and initiatives, such as the Museum of the Future, Area 2071, The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE, Dubai Future Accelerators, One Million Arab Coders, Dubai Future Academy, Dubai Future Solutions, Dubai Future Labs, Dubai Future Forum, and others.

DFF’s efforts to share knowledge, adopt innovation, support entrepreneurs and innovative startups, build capacity, and promote forward-thinking and foresight principles contribute to Dubai’s ambitions to be a role model for the cities of the future through the power of unlimited imagination, innovation, foresight, and a disruptive mindset.

For more information on the initiatives, projects, and programmes of Dubai Future Foundation, please visit www.dubaifuture.ae.

WHERE DOES THIS ROLE FIT INTO THE BIGGER PICTURE?

The Transformation & Partnership Office leads the Foundation’s organisational transformation agenda and builds the strategic partnerships that extend DFF’s reach and impact.

The office drives Foundation-wide change and excellence initiatives, shapes and manages relationships with government entities, private sector organisations, and international institutions, and ensures these efforts remain aligned with the Foundation’s strategic priorities.

It acts as a key interface between DFF leadership, internal departments, and the Foundation’s local and global partners.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Transformation & Partnership at Dubai Future Foundation, you will be the trusted right hand to the Chief and the primary point of contact for all internal and external engagements with the office.

You will manage the Chief’s time, priorities, and communications, ensuring the office operates in a professional, efficient, and well-\‑organised manner so that the Chief can focus on leading the Foundation’s transformation and partnership agenda.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Executive Support

• You will proactively manage the Chief’s calendar, prioritising meetings and commitments, resolving conflicts, and ensuring time is allocated to the most critical transformation and partnership priorities.
• You will act as the primary point of contact and gatekeeper for the Chief, triaging incoming requests, directing them appropriately, and following up to ensure timely responses.
• You will prepare the Chief for every engagement by compiling briefing packs, background notes, partner profiles, agendas, and pre-reads in advance.
• You will coordinate leadership meetings, workshops, and steering committees, including logistics, attendee management, minute-taking, and tracking decisions and action items through to closure.
• You will draft, review, and edit correspondence, reports, presentations, and briefing documents on behalf of the Chief, ensuring accuracy and professionalism in all written communications.
• You will arrange the Chief’s local and international travel, including itineraries, visas, accommodation, and supporting documentation for official visits.
• You will ensure the confidentiality of the office by managing sensitive transformation plans, partnership agreements, communications, and meetings with the highest level of discretion and professionalism.
• You will maintain physical and digital filing systems, ensuring the office’s documents are organised, secure, and easily accessible.
• You will coordinate with procurement, finance, administration, and other departments on the office’s requirements, and handle ad-hoc requests, research, and administrative tasks as assigned by the Chief.

2. Partner & Stakeholder Relationships

• You will act as the face of the office, including meeting and greeting delegations and partners, receiving guests, escorting them to meetings, and organising protocol and official requirements.
• You will liaise with the offices of partners across government, the private sector, and international organisations to schedule engagements, exchange documentation, and ensure smooth communication before and after meetings.
• You will track partnership engagements, MoUs, and follow-up commitments, keeping the Chief informed of upcoming milestones and deadlines.
• You will collaborate with internal departments to ensure the information, documentation, and approvals required for transformation initiatives and partnership agreements are available, accurate, and followed up on when needed.
• You will build trusted working relationships with executive offices across DFF and its partner organisations.

WHY THIS ROLE IS IMPORTANT

This role is critical in enabling the Chief of Transformation & Partnership to lead the Foundation’s transformation agenda and partnership portfolio effectively.

It requires strong organisation, sound judgement, and the ability to handle highly confidential information. You will represent the Chief’s office to senior leaders and external partners, protect the Chief’s time, and ensure that commitments made to partners are followed through.

Your role ensures the office operates efficiently and remains aligned with the Foundation’s overall objectives.

WHAT DUBAI FUTURE FOUNDATION OFFERS

We will offer you a unique opportunity to work with passionate people, support shapers of the future, and contribute to work that has an impact not only on the organisation or the UAE, but on humankind.

You will have the chance to work on exciting and innovative projects in a highly diverse and fast‑paced environment that fosters creativity, disruptive ideas, and innovation.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS AND BEHAVIORS

• You have a minimum of 5 years’ experience as an Executive Assistant or in a similar role supporting C-suite or senior leadership. A Higher Diploma is required; a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field is an additional asset.
• You have experience managing complex calendars, coordinating senior-level and external partner engagements, and managing multiple competing priorities simultaneously.
• You have strong organisational, communication, and stakeholder management skills, and are proactive, detail‑oriented, and able to anticipate the Chief’s needs.
• You have advanced written and spoken English and Arabic communication skills. Additional languages are an advantage.
• You are highly professional, diplomatic, and discreet, with the ability to handle sensitive information and engage confidently with senior-level stakeholders. Experience with protocol for government or VIP delegations is an advantage.
• You are a team player who is willing to support across functions to ensure the smooth operation of the office.
• You have excellent Microsoft Office skills and can efficiently and accurately prepare presentations, briefing documents, correspondence, and other executive materials.
• You are able to multitask, manage tight deadlines, and effectively prioritise in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment.