Assistant to the Project Manager at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Key Responsibilities

Project Coordination

• Maintain project databases and filing systems to ensure 100% accuracy and accessibility, updated weekly.
• Collect and collate data for project documentation and reports, ensuring all deliverables are submitted by scheduled deadlines.
• Monitor daily project activities against work plans, ensuring at least 95% of tasks are completed on time each month.
• Facilitate project operations (procurement, recruitment, knowledge sharing), completing all tasks within agreed timelines.
• Communicate project information to relevant stakeholders with updates provided bi-weekly or as required.

Research Team Support

• Schedule and document lab meetings, seminars, and conferences and ensure minutes are circulated within 48 hours.
• Onboard new team members (scientists, students, technicians) by providing lab access, training records, and safety protocols within the first week of joining.
• Maintain team calendars and track deadlines for grant submissions and ethics approvals, sending reminders to the PI at least 1 week before each deadline.

Financial and Grant Administration

• Process purchase orders for lab supplies and track budgets to ensure spending remains within 100% of approved allocations.
• Support grant applications by compiling documents, formatting CVs, and ensuring compliance with donor regulations, with applications submitted on schedule.
• Reconcile project expenses (travel, fieldwork) and coordinate with finance teams to ensure monthly reconciliation is completed within 10 days of the end of travel / field trip.

Communications and Documentation

• Draft and edit reports, newsletters, and website content highlighting research outputs, with each report finalized within 5 business days of data receipt.
• Coordinate communications with collaborators by preparing agreements and MoUs, ensuring all documentation is completed before project start.

Other Duties

• Perform additional tasks as assigned, ensuring completion within agreed timelines and alignment with project objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in relevant field
• Two years relevant experience with degree or five years relevant experience with diploma
• Good understanding of methods, techniques and procedures
• Technical training in project management – desirable
• Good understanding of methods, techniques and procedures
• Effective administrative skills 
• Effective communication and writing skills
• Experience in facilitating teamwork and collaboration across multiple functions
• Experience working in an international organization