Introduction

In the fast-paced and ever-changing business world, executive secretarial roles play a vital role in enhancing the efficiency and success of organizations. Executive secretarial work is not merely an administrative function; it is an art that requires exceptional skills, organization, and coordination abilities. The Certified Business Professional in Executive Secretarial Studies (CBP) offers individuals a unique opportunity to develop their skills and gain the knowledge necessary to excel in this field.

This certification focuses on equipping participants with advanced strategies and effective tools that enable them to manage their time effectively, facilitate communication, and support teams exceptionally. Through practical and theoretical training, participants will learn how to handle daily workplace challenges, improve productivity, and enhance relationships within the work environment.

Granting Authority

The Certified Business Professional in Executive Secretarial Studies (CBP) is awarded by the International Business Training Association (IBTA), a leading international organization established to promote professional skills and global standards in various fields, including executive secretarial studies, marketing, and customer service. The association offers a range of professional certifications focused on developing core and leadership skills, providing innovative educational resources, and opportunities for networking with professionals worldwide, making it a global reference in competency development.

The Administrative and Financial Training Center is one of the centers accredited by the International Business Training Association (IBTA), providing specialized training programs in various fields since 2004, contributing to the qualification of professionals to achieve excellence in the job market.

Objectives

• To enable the participant to understand the concept of executive secretarial work and its role in supporting administrative functions and achieving effective organizational performance.
• To help the participant grasp the essential administrative skills that enhance the executive secretary's efficiency in the modern work environment.
• To enable the participant to explain strategies for improving executive secretarial performance using performance and process analysis tools.
• To help the participant distinguish between different types of planning and the stages of the planning process within business organizations.
• To enable the participant to describe the executive secretary’s role in organizing meetings before, during, and after they are held.
• To enable the participant to master the basic principles of writing professional reports and official letters in an office work environment.
• To help the participant identify the elements of effective communication and methods of dealing with different human behavior patterns.
• To enable the participant to apply problem-solving and decision-making steps effectively in the context of executive secretarial tasks.
• To help the participant comprehend the causes of work-related stress and how to manage it using effective strategies and methods.
• To ensure the participant is familiar with the impact of modern technology on the performance of the executive secretary, and with key supporting applications and software.

Benefits of Obtaining the Certification

• Enhancing your resume and increasing your chances of obtaining prestigious jobs and promotions in leading institutions.
• Boosting employers' confidence in your abilities, skills, and competencies in executive secretarial work.
• Distinguishing yourself from competitors through the development of advanced secretarial skills.
• Improving your professional network and building strong relationships with professionals in the field of executive secretarial studies.
• Acquiring globally relevant skills in executive secretarial studies to broaden your career opportunities.
• Enhancing your ability to effectively use modern secretarial tools and techniques.

Eligibility Criteria for Certification

1. Applicants must have a sincere commitment to excellence standards.
2. Applicants should hold a higher education degree or a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Topics Covered in the Certification

Module 1: Introduction to Executive Secretarial Work

• Definition of executive secretarial roles
• The executive secretary's role in operational support
• Importance in achieving organizational effectiveness
• Core responsibilities of executive secretaries
• Different secretarial roles and scope of work
• Performance enhancement strategies

Module 2: Developing Secretarial Efficiency

• Building professional competence 
• Essential administrative skills
• Planning and organizational techniques
• Time and priority management
• Supervision and coordination methods
• Delegation and accountability 
• Performance evaluation and process analysis
• Performance measurement tools

Module 3: Modern Office Management Methodologies

• Planning processes in organizations 
• Types of organizational planning 
• Stages of the planning cycle
• Key performance indicators and their differences
• Goal setting and workflow flexibility 
• Prioritization techniques
• Information tracking systems
• Team development strategies

Module 4 : Meeting Management 

• Effective meeting organization 
• Fundamental meeting components 
• Purpose and rationale for meetings 
• Success factors for productive meetings 
• The executive secretary's organizational role
• Pre-meeting, during-meeting, and post- meeting responsibilities
• Qualifications for meeting conveners 
• Participant roles in meeting success 
• Minute-taking protocols
• Post-meeting follow-up procedures

Module 5: Professional Business Correspondence and Report Writing 

• Fundamentals of writing business letters and reports
• Primary functions of reports
• Importance of mastering report writing 
• Core principles of professional writing 
• Types of business documents:Reports, Official letters, Memos Administrative correspondence 
• Written communication cycle in organizations
• Effective written communication techniques for report drafting
• Comprehensive stages of report preparation
• Structuring and formatting professional reports
• Practical writing exercises

Module 6: Professional Communication Skills

• Communication effectiveness and its workplace impact
• Essential components of successful communication
• Communication types: Verbal and non-verbal
• Effective communication methods in work environments
• Communication barriers and overcoming strategies
• Advanced communication skills: Active listening, Constructive dialogue Persuasion techniques, Questioning methods
• Question classifications with practical examples
• Body language and its communication impact
• Adapting to different personality types

Module 7: Problem Solving and Decision Making

• Core skills for problem solving and decision making
• Importance of problem solving and decision making
• Why executive secretaries need these skills 
• Types of workplace problems
• The 7-step decision making process 
• Creative problem-solving techniques 
• Innovation tools for solutions

Module 8: Workplace Stress Management

• Positive and negative aspects of stress
• Why stress management matters for executive secretaries
• Root causes of workplace stress
• Specific stress factors for executive secretaries
• Symptoms of stress
• Stages of stress development
• Effective stress management strategies

Module 9: Office Health and Safety 

• Occupational health and safety standards
• Workplace safety checklist
• Risk assessment and work environment analysis
• Common office hazards
• Health/safety considerations for executive secretaries

Module 10: Modern Office Management Systems

• The evolving role of offices in business
• Key office design considerations
• Factors influencing office layouts
• Workspace design and workflow efficiency
• Open-plan vs. traditional office pros/cons
• Workplace ethics fundamentals
• Promoting ethical business practices

Module 11: Records and Document Management

• Archives and documentation systems
• Organizing physical and digital files
• Priority-based information classification
• 11 essential office organization tools

Module 12: Technology in Administration

• Technology's impact on management 
• Productivity apps for executive secretaries 
• Computer performance factors
• Hardware types and configurations 
• Technology-driven management opportunities
• Essential business software solutions

Examination Details

• The exam can be taken in person or online from anywhere.
• The exam consists of multiple-choice questions (50 questions).
• The language of the exam is English or Arabic.
• The duration of the exam is two hours.
• The passing grade is 70% or higher.
• The exam is available weekly for one calendar year.
• The exam is conducted through Prometric.

"Training and qualification fees do not include the final exam entry fees"

Target Audience

• Managers and owners of commercial, industrial, and tourism companies.
• Heads of business management departments.
• All employees in the field of secretarial work and service management.
• Students and academicians applying for administrative positions.
• Management consultants looking to update their knowledge of the latest secretarial techniques.
• Graduates aiming to enter the job market in the fields of management and secretarial work.