ACOE Executive Assistant

ACOEFull Time / Temps pleinKigali

Job title : Executive Assistant

Reports to : Director ACOE

Duration : 24-month contract, Possibility of extension

Full Time (35hrs/week) : 100%

Location: Kigali, Rwanda

About the Dallaire Institute

Lt. General Romeo Dallaire founded the Child Soldiers Initiative in 2007 and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, provided a home to the Initiative in 2010. In 2020, the Initiative became the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, an international repository of expertise, research, and advocacy to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed violence. The Dallaire Institute is the co-developer of the 2017 Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. As part of Dalhousie University, the Dallaire Institute hosts a prestigious Tier 1 Canada Research Chair on International Peace, Security and Children and offers undergraduate and graduate courses. Through academic and practitioner training and community engagement, the Dallaire Institute’s interdisciplinary and applied research advances innovative strategies for preventing the recruitment and use of children in armed violence. The Dallaire Institute is supported through private, public and international contributions.

To achieve this important objective, the Dallaire Institute conducts activities on four fronts:

• World-class, interdisciplinary research to build and share knowledge, which in turn leads to new solutions. 
• High-level advocacy activities to create and promote the political will to end the use of children in violence as central to the achievement of global peace and security. 
• Education and programming to sustain the efforts to make the recruitment and use of children as soldiers unthinkable by inspiring leaders, educators, and policy makers to implement new approaches, conduct research, and actively share their knowledge on the prioritization of the children’s rights upfront approach.
• Comprehensive, prevention-oriented training to security sector actors, in the service of broader security sector reform, as well as collaboration with civil society to create and implement tools that protect children from the dangers associated with recruitment. 

Job Summary

The Executive Assistant (EA) will play a key role in ensuring that the Director of the African Centre of Excellence is able to perform their duties to the maximum of their ability in a demanding environment. The EA is expected to analyze and communicate effectively and must be able to make judgments on critical and timely handling of correspondence and decisions. In addition, the EA must work collaboratively with the African Centre of Excellence and HQ staff to help ensure the values, mission and objectives are achieved.

Key Responsibilities

1. Support day to day Operations of the African Centre of Excellence

• Assist with providing key information required for meetings such as briefing notes and backgrounders on organizations or individuals.
• Assist with writing meeting minutes and reports from key meetings and business trips attended by the Director.
• Keep abreast of information contained in the DI media monitoring reports, monthly research briefs, and publications.
• Contribute, when requested, to the strategic decisions taken by the Director through the supply of research or documents to inform and support.
• Support the Director with day-to-day operations of the ACOE.

2. Support Operational Matters of the Director and ACOE

• Conduct research and provide advice on all operational matters assigned by the Director.
• Support ACOE team with event planning and logistics as required
• Research and advice on all major transactions to be carried out by the ACoE.
• Support the Director with the strategic planning process.
• File and plan all travel and travel claims for the director.
• Any other assigned duties that will support the ACoE.
• Support ACOE events by providing operational assistance as needed, extending support beyond the Director when required.

3. Communication and Planning Support

• Assist the Director with the development and implementation of communications plans and editorial planning.
• Develop and implement project-specific communications and editorial plans with the Director.
• Monitor trends in social media and make recommendations on best practices.
• Actively monitor relevant news stories and items of interest that may help keep the Rwandan office abreast of timely intelligence.
• Assist the Director with developing, implementing, and reviewing marketing materials with the HQ Communications Team.

Skills and Qualification

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field including Business Administration, Communications, Public Administration, International Relations etc.
• Previous work experience in a communication and executive assistance role will be considered an asset.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and the skill to priorities the work task.
• 3 years’ experience and working knowledge of an international-based non-profit organization (required).
• Ability to take initiative to organize time effectively within a range of often conflicting deadlines and competing priorities, within a busy program and while working to an agreed strategy.
• Effectiveness and flexibility to work in a team.
• The ability to forge strong working relationships quickly and gain the trust of colleagues
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Excellent communication skills in English and the ability to speak and write fluently and effectively for a wide variety of audiences.

All staff are additionally responsible to

•  Proactively participate in planning and performance processes as outlined in the Employee Handbook including annual appraisals, regular meetings, and ensuring that annual reviews are an integral component of work plans and priorities. 
• Promote a safe and secure work environment in line with the organization’s core values including the DI Workplace Principles; and foster strong communication between teams within the organization.
• Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of children, particularly the prevention of the recruitment and use of children as soldiers. 
• Comply with Dallaire Initiative’s financial and operational requirements and uphold high standards of honesty and integrity in personal conduct.

How to apply 
Interested candidate should submitted their applictaion no later than 11th May,2026. Please click on the “Apply” button to complete your application.