Executive Assistant
QED (https://qed.ai) is a tech company focused on public health and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. We build the digital infrastructure and AI used at the intersection of aid and scientific inquiry, including surveillance of HIV and malaria, and nutrient analysis of crops and soils, working at national-scale in several African countries. Our funding comes from multiple philanthropic and governmental organizations, including the Global Fund, Gates Foundation, CDC, and USAID.
We are seeking a dedicated Executive Assistant (EA). The ideal candidate should be poised, presentable, and confident in expressing themselves. They should be well-organized, extroverted, detail-oriented, energetic, sharp, and enthusiastic about technology. Both men and women are encouraged to apply.
Typical tasks for the EA may include, in order of priority:
managing calendars, organizing meetings, arranging logistics and travel, writing professional e-mails and letters
writing and compiling clear reports of impact and progress across the company, and assisting executives with keeping track of projects and obligations with outside partners
assisting with direct communications and presentations, including public speaking and in-person meetings
organizing cloud-based digital assets in Google Workspace and similar platforms
assisting with spreadsheet-based financial management
have an eye for aesthetics and style
Our company executes international collaborations in science and technology, with experience working in 23 different developing countries. Due to the nature of this work, we have the following additional requirements:
Language:
Both oral and written fluency in English must be extremely high (e.g., CEFR C2), or native. Note that English speakers worldwide are welcome, and having a foreign accent can be attractive and well-received.
English touch typing speed should be at least 50 words per minute, and ideally closer to 80 words per minute. This capacity can be built up over time.
High fluency in at least one other foreign language, with special preferences for: French, Spanish, Hausa, Chichewa / Chinyanja, Swahili, Portuguese, and Chinese.
Logic and Technical Skills
Solid logic and reasoning skills
Basic number sense
Mission Alignment
Alignment with our mission and the pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Integrity, honesty, and an incorruptible moral code.
Ability and flexibility to travel:
For strategic reasons, when the EA is not on travel, it would be ideal for the EA to be based in one of the following countries: Malawi, South Africa, Philippines, Nigeria, Cameroon. If the candidate is not already based there, then he or she should be willing to move there.
Our executives are on heavy international travel, at least 40% of the time. The EA should be willing and able to travel alongside our executives across a wide portfolio of countries throughout the Global South, without hesitation or other conflicting commitments. The company will always ensure that the EA's accommodations are taken care of.
Candidates must possess the physical endurance and mental resilience required for extensive travel and sustained mobility in developing countries.
Exposure to STEM and/or the fine arts: Some domain expertise or prior experience in STEM, with preference to health, agriculture, and/or computer science, can be a plus. But this is not absolutely necessary and could be exchanged with other skills in the fine arts, with preference to writing, poetry, the visual arts, and vocal arts.