Executive Assistant

MSF Australia; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

MSF Australia is seeking an experienced executive assistant to support the Executive Director and Leadership Team. You will coordinate the Executive Office, manage complex schedules, governance and board administration, and ensure deadlines are met.

You will partner with the Executive Director and Leadership Team to drive strategic planning, manage communications, and oversee organisational logistics. A calm, proactive approach and discretion with confidential information are essential, with

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in an EA or senior executive support role.
• Exceptional organisational and planning skills across competing priorities and multiple stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to draft clear correspondence and concise meeting minutes.
• Discretion and integrity in handling confidential information at all times.
• Experience in financial administration including budget preparation, credit card reconciliation and expense reporting.
• Project management capabilities to coordinate complex logistics and multiple workstreams to deadline.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive executive support to the Executive Director, including diary management, correspondence, travel coordination and meeting preparation.
• Support Leadership Team through agenda management, action tracking, meeting coordination and strategic planning activities.
• Coordinate Board and governance administration, ensuring high‑quality papers and reporting are prepared and submitted within agreed timeframes.
• Manage internal and external executive communications and maintain relationships with stakeholders across MSF movement and external partners.
• Support organisational crisis preparedness activities through coordination of SILT Information Manager function.

Skills

Executive support

Diary management

Governance administration

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Project management

Microsoft 365

Microsoft SharePoint

Tools

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

Job description

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from healthcare. MSF’s actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence, and neutrality.

Responsibilitiesof your role

Reporting to the Executive Director, thisaccountable position will play a critical role in ensuring the Executive Director, Leadership Team and broader Executive Office operate effectively and efficiently.

As the central coordination point for the Executive Office, you will manage complex schedules, governance and Board administration, leadership team planning, executive communications and organisational logistics. You will act as a trusted partner to the Executive Director, proactively managing priorities, facilitating information flow and ensuring key commitments and deadlines are met.

Accountabilities will include:

• Providing proactive executive support to the Executive Director, including diary management, correspondence, travel coordination and meeting preparation.
• Supporting the effectiveness of the Leadership Team through agenda management, action tracking, meeting coordination and strategic planning activities.
• Coordinating Board and governance administration, ensuring high-quality papers and reporting are prepared and submitted within agreed timeframes.
• Managing internal and external executive communications and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders across the MSF movement and external partners.
• Supporting organisational crisis preparedness activities through coordination of the Strategic Incident Leadership Team (SILT) Information Manager function.

This is a dynamic position offering the opportunity to work closely with MSFA’s Executive Director and Leadership Team, contributing directly to organisational strategy, governance and operational excellence.

What you will bring

To be successful in this role, you will thrive in a fast-paced environment and ideally demonstrate:

• Substantial experience in an EA or senior executive support role, with a demonstrated track record supporting senior leadership.
• Exceptional organisational and planning skills, including experience managing complex, competing priorities across multiple stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft clear, professional correspondence and concise meeting minutes.
• Sound judgment and the ability to work proactively and independently, including taking initiative in the absence of clear direction.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion and act with integrity at all times.
• Experience in financial administration, including budget preparation, credit card reconciliation, and expense reporting.
• Project management capability, including the ability to coordinate complex logistics and manage multiple workstreams to deadline.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint).
• Familiarity with or interest in the humanitarian sector, with an understanding of the MSF mandate, is desirable.
• Current right to work in Australia.

NOTE - this role is only open to current MSF staff, Association members and IMS.