Secretary/Programme Administrative Assistant at African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)

Main Duties

Secretarial

• Arrange appointments for the Executive Director (ED) , including his/her travels where necessary, and assist in making the necessary preparations for each appointment;
• Manage all incoming and outgoing communication and correspondences in the Executive Director’s office, in all cases ensuring security from loss or damage and, where required, maintaining confidentiality;
• Type, or otherwise prepare, documents generated by the ED and distribute or dispatch them accordingly. File all records to and from the ED;
• Monitor the supply of materials in the office of the ED, including stationery, and replenish them as required; and Call the ED’s attention to deadlines, ahead of time to ensure they are met.

Administrative

• Screen all official correspondence addressed to the ED, where appropriate redirect it to the relevant ATPS officers;
• Ensure all documents brought to the ED for his/her approval have passed through all the stages required by established procedure, and explain to ATPS staff this procedure;
• Arrange necessary supplies and/or services for meetings called by the ED;
• Give administrative and secretarial support to the Finance and Administration office and carry out specialized activities;
• Jointly with Finance and Administration Manager; be responsible for all immigration matters for international staff, ROs, ED i.e. work permits, re-entry passes, dependant passes, IDs, etc;
• Jointly with the Finance and Administration Manager, responsible for obtaining project equipment quotations as well as following up on receipt of shipment by the recipients; and
• Effectively manage ATPS’s calendar of events and the Executive Director’s daily schedule.

Programme Administration

• Keep track of the status of Research grants and donor programmes and assist with maintenance of all correspondence and files on programs, research projects and researchers;
• Assist in drafting and consolidating  donor reports for submission to donors on a timely basis;
• Assist with monitoring and implementation of programme/project activities involving extensive liaison with the field projects;
• Maintain  time sheets from research staff and external researchers;
• Assist with the compilation of material/documents for meetings and package these;
• Assist with preparation of grant and consultancy contracts and the contract circulation forms;
• Assist with estimating and costing budgets for contracts, travel stipends, workshops, conferences, miscellaneous expenditure and raising necessary pre-encumbrances and obligation documents;
• Coordinating the receipt and review of conference submissions and ensuring reviews are sent to the research and communications department on a timely basis;
• Assist with the management of conference activities including ensuring timelines are met and the necessary reports submitted;
  Other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.
• Details of these duties and performance indicators will be documented in a Forward Job Plan (FJP) that will be developed in consultations with supervisor(s) and approved by the Executive Director. The FJP will be seen as an integral part of a contract.

Required qualifications for the Secretary/Programme Administrative Assistant Job

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Secretarial Studies, Public Relations, Business Administration or any other relevant qualification
• Minimum 3 years of experience in related field and preferably a senior position
  Professional course in public relations /secretarial course will be an added advantage   Required skills and competencies:
• Proficiency in computer use
• Excellent analytical, communication and interpersonal skills
• Familiarity with Microsoft office suite
• Excellent typing speed and accuracy
• Should demonstrate excellent spoken and written language skills with good telephone etiquette
• Must be highly organized, dependable, result oriented and good time manager
• Experience in working in an International non-governmental organization.
• Good organisational skills
• Ability to undertake research will be an advantage
• Proficiency in English, French, Kiswahili and Experience in Public relations will be a major advantage