Administrative Assistant, Office of the CEO

Role Overview

The Administrative Assistant is a hands-on support position inside the Office of the CEO (OCEO), working under the Executive Assistant to keep administrative, financial, travel, procurement, and event workflows moving accurately and on schedule. Day to day, this person turns requests into completed system submissions, tracks approvals, reconciles expenses, prepares correspondence and signature packages, and coordinates logistics for meetings and visitors. The role matters because it allows the Executive Assistant to focus on higher-level strategic and CEO-facing priorities while OCEO transactions remain timely, well documented, and aligned with Landscape Alliance policies.

Key Responsibilities

• Process and track travel authorizations, travel expense claims, payment requests, and purchase requests in MyTree and other corporate systems for the CEO, Executive Assistant, and OCEO staff.
• Coordinate travel bookings, itineraries, accommodation, visa requests, and reimbursements through the in-house travel desk and external providers for the CEO, OCEO staff, consultants, and invited guests.
• Manage consultancy contracts, invoices, and OCEO procurement for supplies, services, and equipment, following up with HR, Finance, and Procurement until each item is closed; maintain trackers of submissions, approvals, reference numbers, and outstanding actions, and flag bottlenecks to the Executive Assistant.
• Support OCEO budget preparation, tracking, and record-keeping, including annual work plan and resource allocation inputs; reconcile accounting claims and expense reports; facilitate monthly budget updates with Finance; monitor equipment, travel, and operating costs; flag variances; and manage petty cash with complete documentation and reconciliation.
• Draft, format, and proofread outgoing OCEO correspondence; manage the CEO signature workflow by verifying supporting documents, routing items for review and signing, and maintaining records of signed items; log incoming CEO and OCEO invitations in a central tracker, circulate them to the Executive Assistant and Chief of Staff for triage, follow up on RSVPs, issue and record OCEO reference numbers, and maintain organized physical and digital filing systems.
• Order and manage OCEO stationery, supplies, and equipment; oversee maintenance and supervise cleaning and office upkeep as required.
• Provide logistical support for CEO-hosted meetings, retreats, conferences, and events, including room reservations, audiovisual setup, catering, and materials; coordinate access, reception, and hospitality for CEO visitors and OCEO guests; and assist with meeting briefing packs and follow-up notes.
• Back up the Executive Assistant on selected administrative and system tasks during high workload, travel, or leave, within agreed boundaries; identify and mitigate risks in the work area; take reasonable care of personal and others’ occupational health and safety as required by CIFOR-ICRAF’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy and relevant statutory health and safety laws; and perform other duties as requested by the Executive Assistant or OCEO.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A university degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Office Management, or a related field, or equivalent qualifications and experience.
• At least 2 years of professional administrative, finance, or operations support experience, preferably in an international or multicultural working environment.
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken.
• Preferred: demonstrated experience processing travel authorizations, expense claims, procurement requests, and financial transactions in an enterprise system such as MyTree, ERP, or a similar platform.
• Preferred: working knowledge of budget tracking, expense reconciliation, and basic financial reporting.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Familiarity with CGIAR or international NGO administrative procedures is an asset.