Executive Office Associate (Operations) at Kenya Medical Research - KEMRI

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and manage the PI’s calendar, priorities, and time protection across multiple time zones and platforms; proactively anticipate conflicts weeks in advance, resolve competing deadlines, and protect dedicated blocks for manuscript writing, study oversight, board preparation, and family commitments
• Serve as gatekeeper for the PI’s office by screening, prioritizing, and where appropriate declining meeting requests; manage the PI’s inbox (flag urgent items, handle routine responses, route correspondence appropriately); and approve expenses within the authorized delegation matrix
• Prepare and follow through on all meetings and engagements by drafting briefing notes, background documents, and agendas in advance; capturing minutes and action points; and ensuring timely follow-up and execution
• Draft, review, and send high-level correspondence on behalf of the PI, including emails, letters, memos, and formal communications to funders, government bodies, academic partners, and regulatory authorities
• Maintain strategic external relationships and compliance tracking, including engagement with NIH, Gates Foundation, KEMRI administration, PPB, and NACOSTI; track and flag deadlines for grant reports, manuscript submissions, ethics renewals (e
• Lead office systems and documentation management, serving as custodian of all files, contracts, study correspondence, and personnel records; ensure organization, accessibility, and version control across the PI’s portfolio
• Track institutional and study-level deliverables by maintaining a live tracker of milestones, objectives, and key commitments; coordinate, compile, format, and distribute bi-monthly and periodic reports to internal and external stakeholders on schedule
• Spearhead leadership and advisory board coordination, including drafting agendas, compiling pre-reads, recording minutes, and ensuring follow-up on all action items
• Act as liaison and coordination hub between the PI’s office, Kargeno study teams, KEMRI administration, and external partners; ensure accurate, timely, and bidirectional flow of information; coordinate logistics for meetings, stakeholder engagements, site visits, and delegation visits
• Manage end-to-end travel and professional visibility, including all travel logistics (flights, accommodation, visas, per diems, conference registration, transport), preparation of itineraries and reimbursements, maintaining a forward-looking travel calendar, and managing the PI’s professional social media presence (LinkedIn, X/Twitter), including content drafting, scheduling, and engagement monitoring

Vacancy Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in a Health or Biomedical Science field    Mandatory
• Experience as an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, or Senior Administrator supporting a director, CEO, or equivalent — ideally in a research, NGO, or health sector context    Mandatory
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-priority calendars and competing demands    Mandatory
• Experience compiling and formatting reports from multiple contributors for senior leadership or external audiences    Mandatory
• Excellent written and spoken English; able to draft professional correspondence and formal documents independently    Mandatory
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and video conferencing platforms    Mandatory
• Strong analytical skills and able to review information, identify what matters, and synthesize clearly    Mandatory
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with absolute discretion    Mandatory
• Proven ability to work independently, exercise judgement, and solve problems without waiting for direction    Mandatory
• Direct experience in a clinical trials environment: familiarity with GCP, ethics review processes, regulatory submissions, or study operations    Mandatory
• Knowledge of KEMRI, PPB, NACOSTI, or Kenya Ministry of Health administrative processes    Mandatory
• Familiarity with donor-funded grant environments: NIH, Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, or similar understanding of reporting cycles and funder expectations    Mandatory
• Basic financial literacy: ability to read budgets, track expenditure, and reconcile expense reports    Mandatory
• Experience coordinating international travel including multi-leg itineraries and visa applications for multiple travelers    Mandatory
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills    Mandatory
• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities    Mandatory
• Computer literate    Mandatory
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information    Mandatory
• Basic knowledge of HIV prevention, including oral PrEP, is an advantage    Mandatory
• Friendly, empathetic, and patient-centered approach    Mandatory
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, research-focused environment    Mandatory
•  Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills    Mandatory