Personal Assistant - Corporate Finance

AE.900 Houlihan Lokey (MEA Financial Advisory) Ltd.; Dubai; On-site; AED 134,000 - 223,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company handset

Job summary

Houlihan Lokey is hiring a Personal Assistant to support a team within the Oil & Gas department in the UAE. The role requires diary management, travel planning, and handling confidential information with discretion. You will coordinate with senior executives and other PAs to ensure smooth daily operations.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in PA/EA roles, excellent English, and strong organisational skills. The role involves time-zone coordination and may require after-hours availability.

Qualifications

• Excellent organisational skills.
• Strong written and oral communication.
• Detail-oriented with ability to prioritise workload.
• Five years’ PA/EA experience, preferably in financial services.

Responsibilities

• Secretarial support and diary management for executives.
• Travel arrangements, visa applications, and expense processing.
• CRM data management and administrative support for the team.
• Administrative/project work and file management across the office.
• Absence cover and coordination with the Administrative Manager.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

English fluency

UAE experience

Education

Degree level education

Graduate calibre

Tools

Microsoft Office

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Business Unit: Corporate Finance Industry: Oil & Gas

Overview Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a leading global investment bank recognized for delivering independent strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and governments. With uniquely deep industry expertise, broad international reach, and a partnership approach rooted in trust, the firm provides innovative, integrated solutions across mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Our unmatched transaction volumes provide differentiated, data-driven perspectives that help our clients achieve their most critical goals. To learn more about Houlihan Lokey, please visit HL.com.

Corporate Finance

The Houlihan Lokey Corporate Finance business has extensive expertise in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, activist shareholder and takeover defense, and other related advisory services for a broad range of clients. In addition, we have the proven ability to engineer and execute financing solutions that are essential for growth and success and offer access to financing in the public and alternative capital markets through the issuance of debt, equity, or hybrid securities. In EMEA, we work with a wide spectrum of companies, from middle-market privately owned enterprises to large multinational organizations. With a growing platform of Corporate Finance professionals and offices across the region, in addition to our global reach and in-depth knowledge across a broad range of industries, we have the breadth and targeted expertise to provide exceptional client service.

Role Objective

The Personal Assistant (PA) is responsible for providing full secretarial and administrative support to a team of financial staff within the Oil & Gas department. Under minimal supervision, the Personal Assistant (PA) performs various administrative and secretarial duties, and co-ordinates the needs of senior executives and financial staff as required. This individual will also consistently demonstrate their ability to take action when necessary, respond appropriately, and is provided a company handset in order to be available outside normal working hours. The PA establishes priorities and follows through with multiple tasks. You will exercise frequent independent judgment, and work closely with other PAs on day-to-day activities, as well as the Administrative Manager (AM) in order to facilitate a team support environment across the office. The position involves a variety of assignments of both long and short term. Duties include but are not limited to: diary and travel management, expense processing, general administrative support, client database management, department supplies, absence cover for team members and administrative/project work for the AM as directed.

Responsibilities

1. Secretarial Support Diary Management: arranging, rescheduling and confirming appointments; keeping executives and their diaries updated of changes as required. Telephone Support: Receiving/making calls, taking accurate messages, liaising with clients. Picking up calls for other members of the team when necessary or dealing with where possible. Liaising with clients, responding to their requests in an appropriate manner. Draft, prepare and/or distribute documents on behalf of supported staff and others as requested; includes creating/manipulating Word, Excel, PowerPoint documents for executives. Arranging conference calls using dedicated HL conferencing systems, ensuring accuracy of contact names, pins, meeting numbers etc. Must be confident in working across time zones when coordinating calls. Review incoming invoices; check for accuracy and verify, including assigning relevant cost/project codes. Liaise with US-EMEA based Assistants where necessary and provide support to visiting executives when in the office. Constant liaison with internal management, financial staff, external clients and prospects. Arranging meetings/lunches/dinners, both internal and external, as requested.
2. Travel & Expenses Extensive and complex travel bookings, using corporate Travel provider. Produce itineraries as required. Ensure adherence to HL Travel Policy at all times. Process visa applications, passport needs, currency requirements and associated reconciliations. Book taxis and cars as necessary. Prepare and submit expense reports using HL online expense system, ensuring appropriate receipts are attached and all items accounted for, and that process is completed within policy and monthly accounting deadlines. Collating expenses breakdown for client billing through Accounts Team. Reconciliation of monthly corporate/personal credit cards within deadlines. Ensure relevant travel refunds have been processed by travel provider.
3. CRM Data Management Maintain/update CRM with business contact information, adding relationships etc. Proactively ensure the integrity of the firm’s CRM database by assisting in firm wide data hygiene efforts, including researching and entering missing data. Responsible for Deal Execution administration as directed by Deal Team, including NDAs for prospective clients, conflict checks and data updates. Maintain file records for team, including filing and archiving. Register executives for conferences/seminars. Liaise with internal Marketing as required, who oversee all these activities.
4. Administrative / Project Work Set-up and maintain well organised filing system conducive to the needs of the business line. Support new joiners at all levels with familiarization of company policies and procedures. Organise client entertainment events, conferences, and promotional activities and ensuring adherence to budgets. Support and assist on Firm wide initiatives as directed by executives and/or AM. Share best practices. Participate in office admin meetings and/or events. Carry out project work as required and instructed by the AM. Carry out ad hoc duties/tasks as deemed necessary to ensure the efficient operation of the team.
5. Absence Cover General support and help to other Assistants across the office when possible. Provide cover in the absence of other PAs including HL Reception cover if needed. Support the AM as required.
6. Health and Safety Act as Fire Officer/First Aider if required (training will be given). Ensure office space remains presentable and free of obstacles; notify the Workplace team of any issues.

Education / Skills / Experience Required

Excellent organisational, oral and written communication skills; detail-oriented, and able to prioritise workload. Competent user of Microsoft Office products, including PowerPoint and Excel. Degree level education or of graduate calibre. Fluent in English and at least five years’ experience of working within a PA/EA role, preferably within financial services Strong preference for the candidate to have recent work experience in the UAE A positive, flexible, responsive service-oriented attitude, able to meet deadlines in a timely manner. Resilient and able to deal with high pressure environment, and demanding individuals. Flexibility, resourcefulness and good anticipation are important qualities, as is the ability to act decisively and on own initiative. Confident with an outgoing personality and practical approach to problem solving. Ability to effectively interact with all levels of staff and maintain confidentiality. Self-starter with a strong sense of ownership and a personal commitment to continuous improvement of policies and procedures.

Note to External Recruiters / Search Firms

Houlihan Lokey does not accept unsolicited resumes and will not pay for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Any unsolicited resumes received will not be considered as a valid submission We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a leading global investment bank recognized for delivering independent strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and governments. With uniquely deep industry expertise, broad international reach, and a partnership approach rooted in trust, the firm provides innovative, integrated solutions across mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Our unmatched transaction volumes provide differentiated, data-driven perspectives that help our clients achieve their most critical goals. To learn more about Houlihan Lokey, please visit HL.com.