Organization Profile
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) is an internationally-recognized grassroots organization that unloacks the potential of urban slum dwellers to lead hopeful and fulfilling lives. SHOFCO disrupts survival mode by providing equitable access to critical services, including health care, clean water, education, and economic empowerment, linked to a community organizing platform. SHOFCO impacts 2.4 million individuals across 17 urban slums in Kenya, and over 50% of its staff are urban slum residents. SHOFCO is a trusted name and service provider with a 10-year track record.
Position Overview
Department: CEO Office
Manager: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Remote-working, UK-based
or Nairobi-based
We’re seeking a
resourceful and dedicated Executive Assistant to work with our CEO,
Kennedy Odede, to provide administrative, logistical support and project management
assistance. The Executive Assistant plays an instrumental role in the CEO
office, handling a broad range of responsibilities and activities to maximize
the CEO’s time and effectiveness.
Your responsibilities
will include handling all scheduling, domestic and international travel
logistics, meeting preparation including daily briefings, meeting follow-up,
and internal meeting representation. In addition, the Executive Assistant will
be responsible for managing the executives’ inbound and outbound communication,
often serving as a key liaison for communication with the global staff, Board
of Directors, and other members of the SHOFCO community. Specifically, this
role requires managing a fast-paced schedule, prioritizing to make the most
effective use of the executive’s time, maintaining a meticulous running to-do
list and leading on proactive and reactive email correspondence.
Under the direction of
Kennedy and the Chief of Staff, you will drive relationship management and
engagement with an incredible network of social entrepreneurs, philanthropists,
policymakers, and thought leaders. As the air-traffic controller within the CEO
Office, you will be an invaluable sidekick, ensuring Kennedy’s time is
leveraged effectively, and talking through ideas, impressions, and issues as
they arise. Expect to manage an ever-shifting calendar, a fast-paced inbox, and
work across the whole organization on new and ongoing projects in conjunction
with Kennedy, playing a key role in ensuring SHOFCO is on track to meet its goals.
Responsibilities
- Balancing internal and external scheduling demands
and requests while maintaining a focus on and alignment to strategic goals
and priorities.
- Managing a schedule that is sustainable in pace
and scope, often shifts, and takes into account unforeseen obligations and
variables.
- Arrange complex and detailed travel plans,
determining travel needs for all upcoming trips, and arranging flight and
accommodation bookings as well as on the ground logistics within
parameters for cost and convenience.
- Provide administrative support by arranging
meetings with internal and external stakeholders, monitoring plans, and
keeping on top of scheduling logistical priorities.
- Anticipating and responding to the CEO’s needs
relative to upcoming meetings and events; coordinating and managing
appropriate resources; and ensuring follow up is completed for each and
every meeting.
- Diligently managing, tracking, and prioritizing
the CEO’s email; drafting, writing, editing, and proofing emails and
correspondences–managing the flow of the CEO’s inbox. Lead on reactive and
proactive email communications.
- Participating in and preparing the CEO for
development meetings; coordinating and communicating with Advancement team
members; tracking and capturing all of the CEO’s fundraising activities in
Salesforce.
- Ensuring the CEO is prepped for every meeting,
with appropriate briefing materials, including slides when needed.
- Contributing your problem-solving skills and ideas
to find smart ways to move projects forward and build sustainable systems
for internal communication and coordination.
We’re looking for someone who
is:
- Resourceful and Adaptable: You’re at ease with ambiguity
and rapid change. You possess a positive attitude and identify creative
solutions to obstacles. You can juggle many essential responsibilities at
once and you’re rigorous about prioritizing.
- Detail-oriented: You have excellent
organizational skills. You quickly spot and correct spelling, formatting,
and grammatical errors. You like creating structure in your work.
- Team Player: Nothing is beneath or above
you. You are quick always to lend a hand. You are able to earn influence
without authority and naturally seek to fill or resolve gaps.
- Mission-oriented: You are excited by SHOFCO’s
ambitious vision and life-changing impact on urban slum dwellers, and the
playbook this can offer to the world.
Qualifications
- 8 years minimum experience as the Executive
Assistant to a Senior Executive
- Proven experience and past success supporting a
fast-paced executive.
- Proactive communicator and ability to take
initiative.
- Cross cultural interest, and fluency in working
with people from different backgrounds.
- Strong project management and analytical skills; a
demonstrated ability to take primary responsibility for projects and complete
them in a timely manner with limited supervision.
- The ability to assert influence in ensuring
deadlines are met, and leadership stays on track to critical deliverables
or timelines.
- Ability to handle multiple deadlines and complete
assignments with minimal supervision in a fast-paced workplace.
- Impeccable organization; you are highly
detail-oriented, and someone who gets a sense of satisfaction from
producing polished work and managing smooth processes.
- You practice discretion and can maintain confidentiality.
Why this role is compelling
Working closely with an
extraordinary leader, Kennedy Odede, you will experience first-hand what it
means to lead a visionary organization towards achieving its ambitious growth
strategy, and solving the most pressing equity issues of our time. You will
interact with a wide range of inspiring leaders and pressing issues in
international development and social entrepreneurship.
How to Apply
To apply, submit your
resume and cover letter to: Shofcojobs@shininghopeforcommunities.org with
subject line “Executive Assistant to the CEO”. Individuals who submit early
will be given priority.
