Africa Team Assistant at Girls Not Brides

The Girls Not Brides secretariat is seeking an Africa Team Assistant to provide research and administrative support for an initial period of one year (subject to potential renewal). The Africa Team is responsible for ensuring effective implementation of Girls Not Brides' strategy in Africa, and informing Girls Not Brides' global perspective and work with knowledge and understanding of the African context. Reporting directly to the Head of Africa Engagement, the successful candidate will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. This is initially a home-based role, with all necessary equipment and technology provided by Girls Not Brides.

Key responsibilities

Research, Policy and External Relations

• Research, monitor and document developments related to the situation of child marriage in selected African countries and regional institutions, as well as thematic issues and key publications, as requested.
• Prepare internal briefings on specific issues related to child marriage in advance of events, meetings and interviews.
• Contribute to the development of the Africa Team Newsletter.
• Produce written material to support the partnership’s work in Africa, including research briefs, website content, advocacy materials and social media content.
• Support the Africa team in liaising with and providing technical assistance to Girls Not Brides members and national partnerships.
• As relevant and appropriate, attend external meetings and conferences on behalf of the Girls Not Brides secretariat.
• Assist the Africa Team with preparations for Girls Not Brides meetings and workshops.

General Team Support and Admin

• Regularly update contacts and meeting notes in the Girls Not Brides shared database (Salesforce) and Dropbox.
• Coordinate Africa team travel plans and logistics: timely requisitions, support in accessing visas, address travel issues as they arise and support travel accounting.
• Support the Head of Africa Engagement with team administration — including coordinating team meetings, note-taking, drafting of external correspondence and similar tasks.
• Provide content related, operational and logistical support for other activities carried out by the Africa Team, including online webinars as required.
• Assist with monitoring and reporting on internal evaluation frameworks and strategic plans.
• Perform other tasks, including data management and administrative tasks, as required.

Wider responsibilities of Girls Not Brides team members

• Commit to the mission and vision of Girls Not Brides, putting them at the forefront of all planning, work and actions.
• Uphold the core values of Girls Not Brides in all areas of work and interactions with colleagues, members, partners and other stakeholders.
• Comply with Girls Not Brides policies and processes, with particular note for safeguarding, the code of conduct and data protection.
• Ensure that internal databases and monitoring information are kept fully up-to-date.
• Commit to ongoing personal development and learning.
• Fulfil any other reasonable requests for the advancement of the Girls Not Brides.

Person specification

Essential

• University degree in a relevant area (such as public policy, development/African studies, international relations, human rights or gender issues) or proven experience in a related field.
• Relevant professional experience, preferably within the non-governmental or civil society sector, particularly in Africa.
• Excellent research skills and written communication skills.
• An excellent eye for accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to follow instructions, meet tight deadlines and juggle multiple priorities.
• Excellent administration skills, experience with working with database management
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Proficiency in the latest versions of MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint.

Desirable

• Understanding of the policy dynamics on gender and/or development issues in Africa.
• Knowledge of Salesforce and Basecamp.
• Professional proficiency in French (written and spoken)