Executive Assistant: Country Platforms Hub

Background
The African Climate Foundation (ACF) is the first and only African-led climate change re-granting organisation on the continent. Through a combination of grant making, fellowships, transformational research, technical assistance, coalition building and advocacy the ACF seeks to support interventions at the nexus of climate change, and development that have the greatest potential to deliver long-term socio-economic transformation and inclusive development.

Purpose

The Executive Assistant to the Country Platforms Hub is a critical role that blends executive support with strategic coordination, research, and stakeholder engagement. This individual will be a key enabler of the Director's leadership, ensuring organisational effectiveness, seamless communication, and successful delivery of strategic priorities across the Hub.

Reporting to the Director of the Global Country Platforms Hub, the Executive Assistant provides high-level executive, administrative, strategic, and coordination support. This role ensures the smooth functioning of the Director's office and the Senior Advisors roles (one is full time and one supporting) and plays a critical role in advancing strategic priorities by supporting research, communication, stakeholder engagement, and cross-organisational coordination.

The Executive Assistant must be exceptionally organised, proactive, analytically strong, and able to interact confidently with senior stakeholders in a fast-paced environment. This hybrid role goes beyond traditional administrative duties, incorporating strategic tasks such as preparing speaking notes, presentations, partnership coordination, and managing special initiatives.

Responsibilities include but not limited to:

Executive Administration & Office Management:

• Manage and optimise the Director of the Hub's diary, ensuring priorities and deadlines are effectively managed, and supporting the engagements of the Senior Advisors and Steering Committee.
• Act as the primary point of contact for the Hub, screening calls, correspondence, and requests.
• Coordinate complex travel arrangements, logistics, and briefing packs.
• Prepare agendas, take detailed minutes, and track follow-up actions for all relevant meetings.
• Ensure the Director and Senior Advisors are fully briefed and prepared ahead of internal and external meetings.
• Coordinate organisational calendars, internal planning sessions, and meetings.
• Support logistics and planning for Hub-led workshops, convenings, and high-level engagements.
• Provide support to the Steering Committee i.e. scheduling their meetings and taking action notes.
• Attend all key meetings and take minutes and follow up on any outstanding action items

Reporting:

• Draft organisational updates, partnership reports, and other written communications for senior leadership and the Board as required.
• Support drafting of memos, decision notes, op-ed pieces, and strategic communication materials.

Stakeholder & Relationship Management:

• Engage confidently with high-level partners in particular the Strategic Partners, government counterparts, donors, and external collaborators on behalf of the Director and Senior Advisors.
• Maintain a structured system for documenting and managing executive-level networks.
• Support Steering Committee engagements, including coordinating briefing materials, agendas, and minute-taking for governance-level meetings.
• Act as the main connecting point between the Hub and the African Climate Foundation, its host.

Communications, Writing & Presentation Development:

• Draft, edit, and/or proofread high-quality emails, memos, letters, and internal communications on behalf of the Director, and where applicable, the Senior Advisors.
• Prepare visually polished PowerPoint presentations and briefing documents.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to support executive messaging, social media inputs, and press statements when needed.
• Ensure accuracy, coherence, and clarity across all written and visual outputs.

Coordination of Special Projects & Initiatives:

• Support the Hub in managing cross-cutting projects and special initiatives aligned with the Hub's strategic objectives.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure projects progress smoothly and deadlines are met.
• Track deliverables, milestones, and follow-up actions across multiple workstreams.
• Provide administrative and analytical support for programme implementation as required.

Requirements include but are not limited to:

• Relevant degree (i.e. Business Administration, Office Management or Project Management).
• Minimum 5 years' relevant experience in senior-level executive support and/or strategic coordination roles.
• Skilled at managing complex schedules / calendars.
• Efficiently coordinate and manage travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, visas, and itineraries etc.
• Passionate about social impact and community development.
• Experience working with governments or multilateral partners is beneficial.
• Outstanding organisational and time-management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Strong interpersonal skills and able to engage professionally and confidently with Senior-level Stakeholders, Partners, Board Members, Donors, and Executive Leadership team.
• Highly proactive, adaptable, and capable of anticipating needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Tech‑savvy - advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially PowerPoint), MS Teams, SharePoint, and Adobe tools.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Calm under pressure, solutions-oriented, resourceful, and able to respond effectively in dynamic environments, maintaining productivity and quality standards.

Start date: Position available immediately

Contract duration: 12 months (renewable based on mutual agreement)
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Closing date: 12 January 2026

For further information about the ACF, visit

Should you not hear back from us by 31 March 2026, please consider your application to be unsuccessful.

The ACF strives to be an equitable organisation with a team which reflects the diversity of Africa. 

In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), The ACF assures all applicants that any personal information provided during the recruitment process will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for recruitment purposes. Your privacy and data security are of paramount importance to us. By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, processing, and storage of your personal information for recruitment-related activities only. The ACF is committed to safeguarding your privacy and maintaining the trust you place in us.