Executive Assistant to Director General

Executive Assistant to the Director General

Vacancy #: 7697

Unit:
Director General's Office

Organisation:
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

Location:

Headquarters, Gland, Switzerland

Please note that, except for exceptional circumstances, remote work is not possible for this position.

Reporting to:
Chief of Staff

Work percentage: 100%

Grade: A3

Expected start date: 01 November 2026

Type of contract:
Max-term (up to 24 months with possibility of renewal)

Closing date: 17 October 2026

Founded in 1948 as a membership-based organization, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, with more than 1,350 government and NGO Members and close to 16,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by a secretariat of over 900 staff, located in offices across 50+ countries, with the IUCN headquarters based in Gland, Switzerland.

The Director General of IUCN is seeking an Executive Assistant who is highly motivated with leadership qualities, skilled, well organised, proactive and capable of operating effectively and discreetly in a highly demanding fast-paced environment. The Director General Office, at the IUCN headquarters, is a busy office that deals with all aspects of the IUCN's work, interacts with all staff and Senior Management, as well as ministries, governments, embassies and high level officials, representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organisations, and academia.

The main responsibility of the Executive Assistant is to provide effective and high-quality office, administrative and executive assistance to the Director General’s Office, working closely with other team members to ensure smooth Office operations. In addition to the Director General, the Office currently consists of one Chief of Staff, who heads the Director General’s Office, two Senior Advisors and one Global Lead.

The Executive Assistant provides support to the Director General (DG) in all aspects of his/her work; to guarantee a smooth, efficient and effectively run office, whilst maintaining an overview of the functioning of the global and decentralised IUCN Secretariat. The Executive Assistant is often the first point of contact for the DG’s Office for both internal and outside enquiries. The role therefore requires excellent multicultural communication and inter-personal skills and an overview of the workings of the entire organisation.

The Executive Assistant is expected to handle sensitive and confidential information and demonstrate the highest levels of integrity and discretion. The Executive Assistant reports to the Special Advisor (/ Chief of Staff) and is expected to work in close coordination and seamlessly with the other team members of the DG’s Office.

• Provides administrative support, coordination and oversight to the Director General’s Office (DGO), setting work priorities and ensuring deadlines are met;
• Serves as the first point of contact for the DG for internal and external parties;
• Manages the DG’s daily schedule and office task list;
• Arranges the DG’s meetings, ensuring agenda and documentation are made available and distributed in a timely manner.
• Ensures the highest level of discretion, judgment, and diplomacy in providing a wide range of executive assistant support; sets priorities; manages the workflow in an efficient and organised manner;
• On a needs basis, acts as rapporteur and prepares and distribute minutes/updates; monitors follow-up actions as required;
• Undertakes and effectively organises the DG’s participation in all manner of events related to IUCN’s work and partnerships (working lunches and…