Overview
Position
Senior Specialist, Business Support
Sector
NEOM Authority
Division
Chief of Staff
Department
Urban Planning - Land Use
Role Purpose
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Specialist, Business Support to join our Land Use Permits team within the Urban Planning Department. The successful candidate will oversee and enhance the business administration processes and assist the team throughout the land use permit approval process. This role will require a keen attention to detail and a strong understanding of business and overall general administration in a modern fast-paced office environment.
NEOM has diverse stakeholders, encompassing regulators, private utility companies, advanced technology providers, and other entities, each with unique infrastructure and asset construction requirements within and outside NEOM regions and master plans. The candidate will support the business administration processes in NEOM, from managing permits to supporting the preparation of presentations at the CEO , Sector Head and NEOM Board of Directors level and ensure collaborative relations with stakeholders to achieve the collective objective of facilitating high-quality Land Use in NEOM.
The work environment for this role is dynamic, fast-paced, and involves adeptly handling shifting priorities with short notice, coupled with substantial exposure to NEOM's Executive Management. The successful candidate must demonstrate resilience, adaptability to changing circumstances, and the capacity to meet tight deadlines while concurrently managing multiple projects as well as taking on administrative functions. Collaboration with diverse stakeholders possessing varying interests is inherent to the role, necessitating robust communication and negotiation skills. The selected candidate should exhibit a proven track record of proactive teamwork, professionalism, and expertise.
Key Accountabilities & Activities
Key Responsibilities
- Oversee all day-to-day administrative functions of the land use permits team, including scheduling meetings, managing calendars, handling correspondence and producing required documentation.
- Manage the documentation of financial transactions, invoices, and procurement records, maintaining accurate and up-to-date files.
- Ensure that all administrative processes, such as procurement requests and expense approvals, are properly documented and stored.
- Support the team in budget tracking and expense reporting, ensuring that expenditures are in line with allocated funds.
- Assist in preparing budget proposals, justifications, and financial reports for management and relevant stakeholders.
- Serve as a liaison between the land use permits team and other departments, facilitating communication and collaboration.
- Ensure that internal communications, announcements, and updates are effectively conveyed to all team members.
- Assist in preparing weekly reports to the executive management on the status of land use permit requests.
- Assist in organizing team meetings and workshops with internal stakeholders and external consultants.
- Utilize relevant software and tools to manage permit applications, track progress, and generate reports.
- Assist the team in implementing process improvements and automation where feasible.
- Facilitate internal weekly meetings to maintain an overview of the current land use permit requests pipeline.
- Use PowerPoint and Excel proficiently to produce executive reports and presentations to the highest standards.
- Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including internal NEOM Sectors, NEOM subsidiaries, and external government agencies.
- Demonstrate negotiation and conflict resolution skills to work efficiently with all stakeholders and facilitate discussions and negotiations between all parties to achieve consensus.
- Navigate complex planning processes and requirements and communicate information to stakeholders in an understandable and effective manner.
- Assist the technical team in maintaining records of Land Use Permits requests and department reviews in an accurate and timely manner.
Background, Skills & Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical information to non-technical audiences. English is a must, Arabic is a plus.
- Demonstrated ability to facilitate group discussions and negotiations, and to resolve conflicts in a constructive and collaborative manner.
- Self-motivated, proactive, and clear follow-up capacity in support of actions and team decisions.
- Good understanding of business administration processes, project management, and regulatory compliance.
- Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and deliver high-quality work in a timely manner.
- Resilience and adaptability to handle unforeseen challenges and changing priorities.
- Collaborative mindset and the capacity to work harmoniously in cross-functional teams.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Urban Planning, Environmental Management, or a related field.
- Relevant years of experience in business administration, stakeholder management, or related roles in a technical environment such as construction, public works administration, civil engineering, land use planning or environmental management.
COMMUNICATION - MAIN STAKEHOLDERS
Internal/NEOM
External
- Head of Department, Directors and employees
- NEOM Company Departments as required
- Land Use permit stakeholders
- Suppliers
- Professional service firms
- Base Economy representatives