Behind almost every well-run executive office is someone quietly making sure nothing falls through the cracks: the right meeting happens at the right time, the report lands on the desk before the deadline, and information moves where it needs to go. That role belongs to the executive secretarial department, and it is far closer to strategic support than to simple administrative assistance.

Succeeding in this field takes more than organisation — it takes composure under pressure, sharp communication, and the judgement to act as an advisor as much as a coordinator. This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy examines what makes executive secretarial work effective, the skills that set strong performers apart, and how the department contributes directly to an organisation's strategic goals.

Who Should Attend?

• Newly appointed executive secretaries and administrative assistants looking to build stronger foundational skills.
• Professionals seeking to move into an executive secretarial role.
• Team leaders wanting to raise their team's secretarial capability.
• Anyone responsible for managing or directing secretarial activities.

Course Objectives

After completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the core responsibilities of the secretarial department and its role in supporting upper management.
• Plan and organise time and tasks effectively, including coordinating meetings and appointments.
• Strengthen written and verbal communication, and interact professionally with internal and external clients.
• Organise and manage information and data with accuracy.
• Use the software and technologies relevant to modern secretarial work.
• Apply practical tools and techniques to resolve everyday work problems.

Module 1: Why Executive Secretarial Work Is Strategic, Not Just Administrative

• The difference between executive and traditional secretarial work, and the department's multiple roles in an organisation.
• Daily tasks of an executive secretary, from correspondence to reports.
• Efficient day-to-day management of appointments and meetings.

Module 2: Organising Time, Tasks and Priorities

• Strategies for organising tasks and projects, and tools like to-do lists and schedules.
• Workspace organisation techniques such as containers and folders.
• Identifying urgent versus important tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix.
• Effective ways to handle unexpected tasks as they arise.

Module 3: Communication and Professional Writing

• Key elements of successful communication: listening, expression and writing.
• Internal and external communication with clients and suppliers, and its impact on workplace relationships.
• Writing official correspondence, reports and professional emails.
• The role of body language in day-to-day communication.

Module 4: Technology and AI in Today's Secretarial Work

• Appointment-management software such as Outlook, and collaboration tools such as Trello and Slack.
• Useful mobile applications for daily secretarial tasks.
• How AI tools, including chatbots, can improve efficiency and automate routine tasks.
• AI applications in data analysis and reporting.

Module 5: Protecting Sensitive Information

• The basics of information security in the workplace.
• How to protect sensitive data and documents.
• Strategies for reducing security risks day to day.

Module 6: Coordinating Meetings and Events

• Planning and preparing for meetings, including agendas and minutes.
• Time-management techniques for running meetings efficiently.
• Planning and organising internal events, from invitees to activity coordination.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of an event once it concludes.

Module 7: Solving Problems and Managing Pressure

• Steps for identifying and analysing workplace problems.
• Using critical thinking and creative approaches to reach decisions.
• Techniques for managing stress in the workplace.
• The importance of work-life balance and strategies to support mental health at work.