Project Assistant at icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health

Job Details

• Maintains database of key contacts for the Programme.
• Handles maintenance of office assets and keeps an inventory of equipment, vehicles and procured supplies.
• Prepares and maintains lists of staff, visiting scientists, consultants and students in the Programme.
• Creates and manages electronic and manual filing systems, and maintains and updates files and records, archiving and storage.
• Responds to routine correspondence, and handles e-mail, telephone communication, requests, enquiries and other communication systems and processes to appropriate parties.

Proposal Development

• Coordinates the planning and organising of internal and external meetings for proposal development and other events (e.g. folders and materials, registration forms, workshop programmes and name tags, follow up on payments and settlement of working advances, documentation and proceedings).
• Responsible for making payment to the participants.
• Maintains publications database.

Project Planning

• Tracks the activities as per the project work plan.
• Supports the collection of documents required in drafting partner and donor agreements.
• Keeps electronic and manual records for project agreements and other project documents.
• Participates in preparing the annual budget.
• Participates in meetings and assists in preparation of minutes.
• Tracks information and document flow between the project’s other units – e.g. the Legal and Communications Units.

Project Execution

• Coordinates all project staff travel arrangements and logistical support in conjunction with the relevant units, including handling of travel requests and travel expense reports, accommodation and travel advances.
• Coordinates the preparation of programmatic meeting materials.
• Receives accounting reports from partners and reviews them before submitting to supervisors for approval and thereafter to finance for review. Once the reports are approved, in liaison with the supervisor, initiates the process of replenishing the collaborating/partnering countries’ imprests and/or installments as per the agreement.
• Maintains various databases, e.g. funds transferred to partners for ease of follow-up and reference when processing the requisitions and payments.
• Follows up on any financial issues within the Programme that need clarification.
• Collates materials for project reports.

Project Closure

• Coordinates the maintenance of documentation of all project assets and documents to facilitate project closure.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Administration, Finance or a relevant field. A first degree will be an added advantage.
• At least 3 years’ work experience in a business/project support role.
• Project management training.
• Experience working in an international organisation.

Core competencies

• Effective administrative skills.
• Effective communication and writing skills.
• Finance or accounting knowledge is an added advantage.

Other desirable attributes

• Experience in facilitating teamwork and collaboration across multiple functions.

Reporting

This position reports to the RCU Project Support Officer.

The selected candidate should be available to start as soon as possible.