Senior Administrative Officer - KEMRI CPHR at Kenya Medical Research - KEMRI

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with KEMRI policies, NACOSTI, SERU/IRB approvals, KPPB, and international research ethics standards.
• Oversee contracts, sub-awards, MTAs, DTAs, and data protection compliance across projects.
• Support audits (internal/external), risk management, and governance frameworks to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Lead preparation, monitoring, and reporting of project budgets in coordination with finance teams.
• Oversee financial tracking, expenditure reviews, donor reporting, and cost recovery in line with funder requirements (e.g., USG, Gates Foundation, CDC, UNC, Emory).
• Administer the grants cycle including pre-award assessments, sub-award monitoring, financial reporting, and closeout.
• Ensure procurement processes, workshop logistics, and field activity resources are cost-effective and compliant with regulations.
• Monitor use, maintenance, and accountability of project assets and resources.
• Lead and coordinate administrative functions including office management, procurement, logistics, and compliance.
• Oversee infrastructure readiness and cross-study resource allocation (staff, vehicles, equipment) at multiple sites (Siaya, Kisumu).
• Supervise administrative staff, set performance goals, conduct evaluations, and ensure accountability.
• Develop and implement policies, systems, and SOPs to improve efficiency and operational excellence.
• Oversee staff recruitment, contracts, payroll, and performance management in line with project needs.
• Ensure mandatory training (GCP, biosafety, ethics) for research staff.
• Provide mentorship, training, and career development opportunities for junior researchers and administrative staff.
• Promote staff motivation, retention, succession planning, and team collaboration.
• Liaise with MoH, County Health Departments, and regulatory bodies to align research with national priorities.
• Strengthen collaborations with international partners and donors (CDC, Gates, Task Force, UNC, Emory, GWU).
• Support community engagement frameworks including Community Advisory Boards (CABs) and sensitization forums.
• Act as a central communication link across departments, partners, and external stakeholders.
• Represent the PI/Project Director in high-level stakeholder and donor forums.
• Establish systems to track project performance, milestones, and deliverables.
• Ensure compliance with data security, integrity, and sharing requirements.
• Support development of research databases, repositories, and publication processes.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned to strengthen ongoing and future research.

Vacancy Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Public Health, Human Resource Management, or related field    Mandatory
• A Master degree will be an added advantage    Added Advantage
• Strong knowledge of research governance, compliance, and donor regulations    Mandatory
• Proven experience in research management, grants administration, and compliance with international funders    
• MandatoryAt least 7 years’ relevant experience, with 3 years in senior management within research or donor-funded programs    Mandatory 
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi-site clinical trials, surveillance studies, or large-scale research programs    Mandatory
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, communication, and report-writing skills    Mandatory
• Proficiency in MS Office, grants management systems, and research databases    Mandatory
• High integrity, professionalism, and accountability    Mandatory
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills    Mandatory
• Ability to manage multiple projects under pressure and meet tight deadlines    Mandatory
• Effective stakeholder engagement and diplomacy skills    Mandatory
• Strategic thinker with adaptability to dynamic research environments    Mandatory
• Team player with proven ability to mentor and foster collaboration    Mandatory
• Commitment to advancing KEMRI’s mission and contributing to global health impact    Mandatory