Executive Assistant (EA)
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Executive Assistant will provide
administrative duties to the Country Director (CD) and support the functioning
of Country Management Team (CMT) to ensure high performance and achievement of
organizational goals by primarily providing administrative and programmatic
support to the CD, CD’s reports, CMT and eCMT.
The incumbent facilitates the country’s senior management meetings (i.e. CMT) and co-ordinates follow up of actions from proceedings of such meetings with the Country Director and Directors [Operations; Program Strategy, Development and Innovation; Program Implementation and Quality] and various departmental heads at Plan International Kenya; ensuring effective communication of various stakeholders (i.e. GH. RH, National Offices, Program Units, PIK Board and other internal and external stakeholders) with the director’s office to enhance organisational effectiveness.
Direct reports – Country Director
Direct reports – Intern
LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency
of interaction
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Mainly typical office environment with some
moderate lifting associated with movement
Key Responsibilities
1) Executive Support Priorities (40%)
• Provide administrative
and programmatic support to the CD and in his/her absence to the Nominee.
• Manage CD calendar/diary and prioritize multiple tasks for
the effective functioning of the CD’s office, ensuring appointments and
meetings are well organized, coordinated and logistical arrangements.
• Provide back-up support to ensure the effective and timely
response to requests from Donors, other NGOs, press and media, staff and
partners of PIK and PII.
• Co-ordinate, prepare minutes and compile background
materials for CMT, Board and external meetings with officials from Government,
UN agencies, Embassies etc.
• Monitor the implementation of decisions of the Country
Management Team (CMT)
• Liaise regularly with key stakeholders i.e. MEESA RH, GH,
NOs and external contacts to ensure effective information and timely actions.
• Preparing the Delegation of Authority letters when the CD
is away, and inform the relevant stakeholders of the same to ensure business
continuity.
• Manage CD’s office expenses by raising purchase
requisitions / payments, expense travel report as necessary.
• Work closely with Communications Department to input on
corporate communication to internal and external stakeholders.
• Update CD’s scheduled meetings on a monthly basis and
disseminate to CMT/eCMT/ Staff
• Provide support to the Director of Operations; Director of
Program Strategy, Development and Innovation; Director of Program
Implementation and Quality and any other Country Management Team (CMT) member
at the discretion of the CD.
• Support extended Country Management Team (eCMT), Security
Review Team (SRT)
2) Communication, Visibility and Public
Relations (20%)
• Ensure effective
communication and documentation to and from the Director’s office while
ensuring confidentiality. This includes forwarding mails to respective
departments/units.
• Prepare documentation to support the office of the CD and
its functions efficiently and effectively.
• Act as the initial contact point for the Country Director’s
Office, by promptly responding to issues from Senior Leadership Managers.
• Coordinate documentation for CD’s approval to various
internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify appropriate opportunities to ensure the CD’s
visibility and accessibility is maintained, working with relevant departments
where necessary, and providing corporate inter- office support
• Direct requests for information or assistance from external
bodies to staff as appropriate and ensuring actions are taken and that good
public relations are maintained.
• Schedule deadlines for different projects/reports with CMT,
respective Directors and staff, sending feedback on behalf of the CD
• Record CMT and senior management meetings/action points and
disseminate minutes and CMT decision as appropriate
3) Appointment / Meetings (10%)
• Provide logistical and
administrative support for the organization of seminars, meetings, workshops,
conferences, and training sessions organised through the CD’s office.
• Manage CD’s heavy calendar requiring interaction with
various internal and external stakeholders and coordinate a variety of complex
executive meetings
• Update CD’s scheduled meetings on a monthly basis and
disseminate to CMT/eCMT/ staff, prepare agenda items, sharing of minutes and
actions.
• Schedule CD’s direct reports appointments for performance
management (objectives and appraisals) review meetings.
• Provide support in protocol matters and organization of
meetings with officials from NGOs GOK, Embassies
4) Travels / Visitors (10%)
• Coordinate, monitor and
make travel and logistical arrangements for the CD and other senior directors.
Arrange amenities as needed, including ticket, visa, travel insurance, boarding
passes
• Coordinate airport transfers and where necessary hotel
accommodation for CD.
• Coordinate the preparation of briefing information for the
CD relating to travel/conferences, working closely with departmental colleagues
as appropriate.
• Preparation of invitation/visa letters where applicable for
visitors to enable them acquire visas either prior or upon arrival at the
airport.
• Liaise and act as a point of contact for relevant
information/enquiry from all parties external to the Country Office Travel
• Prepare itinerary where necessary or obtain from hosting
office
5) Information and Data Management (10%)
• Implement and maintain
robust office systems including filing and record keeping for the CD’s office
that facilitates easy reference and rapid retrieval of information
• In Event Planning/Management
6) Safeguarding Children and Young People
(Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion, GEI-(5%)
• Understands and puts into
practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan
International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and
managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that
they are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan
International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for
Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are
fully embedded in project design, during implementation and as principles
applied in day-to-day work of Programme Strategy, development and Innovation
department;
• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s
global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that
relevant reporting and data are submitted.
7) Other Duties (5%)
• As assigned by the
supervisor
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
• Courageous, taking a
lead, challenging myself and others to achieve purpose, safeguard others and
role model values, inside and outside work. Responsible for my work and
learning, striving to improve. Self-aware, resilient and constructive in
embracing change. Striving to achieve significant and lasting impact on the
lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls.
Challenging myself to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative;
• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices
and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to
date;
• Collaborating with team members, colleagues and partners in
finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and
ideas and actively seeking their input.
• Respecting all people, appreciating differences and
challenging inequality in programmes and the workplace. Supporting children,
girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own
lives. Empowering other staff to give their best and develop their potential;
• Achieves desired outcomes and finds innovative solutions by
using the expertise and creativity of others and adopting a coaching approach
with the people they manage or advise;
• Creates space for reflection and uses external evidence and
internal evaluation to identify what and how we need to improve and then to
support others through change;
• Understanding Plan International’s purpose, priorities,
values and approaches in our work context. Adhering to relevant policies,
processes, practices and standards, and being pro-active in continuing
technical and professional development.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES
• Manages legal and
reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and
reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas
such as Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and
inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security
• Managing activities and resources including skills in strategic
thinking, planning and organising, financial planning and monitoring,
negotiation and programme and project management
• Managing people and information including skills in
assessment and coaching, evidence-based management, communication skills, both
speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills
• Managing resources and delivery: Knows the resources
required for their role. Manages their own workload, avoiding under or
overcommitting to delivery activities; -Works according to a budget and uses
the relevant financial systems.; -Works according to principles of data
protection; -Understands how information is used for reporting and decisions
making; – Seeks to continually improve personal working practices.
• Programme and project management: -Aware of the programmes
that Plan International delivers directly and through partner organisations.
-Aware of the programme and project management procedures relevant to their
role.; -Complies with financial procedures and controls relevant to their role;
-Seeks opportunities to reflect on and learn from all work.
• Digital working: Identifies ways to use digital to improve
the effectiveness of work activities. Understands how digital enablers can
contribute to achieving Plan International’s purpose. Utilises the
digital tools available in line with privacy and safeguarding guidelines.
Qualifications/
experience essential:
• Bachelor’s degree in
business administration or social sciences
• Minimum four (4) years’ experience in a similar role
• Proven experience in providing high quality administrative
and personal assistant services to senior level staff
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven interpersonal and customer service skills with
people at a range of levels from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds.
• Assertive and pro-active, with the ability to work on own
initiative with little or no supervision.
• Good analytical skills with the ability to identify key
points from complex material or information.
• Self-motivated, flexible and able to make judgement as to
when to take the initiative on the CD’s behalf.
• Excellent time management skills. The post-holder will need
to manage their own time well, and the time of the CD.
• Demonstrated personal integrity and ability to deal with
sensitive and/or sensitive issues with tact, and diplomacy while maintain
complete discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to inter-face smoothly with the Communications
Department to ensure that corporate communications are developed, cultivated
and maintained in line with the brand of the CDs’ office.
• Ability to cope with varying workloads and interruptions
and to organize activities to provide efficient services.
• Experience in providing comprehensive support to staff
committees and meetings.
• Experience with an INGO in a similar role.
Desirable:
• Project Management
qualification and Experience
• ERP
Languages required:
• Excellent written and
verbal communication skills in English.
Skills:
• Service oriented/
Customer centric/ customer relationship skills
• Works collaboratively as a team player
• Capability to coordinate and cooperate within
interdisciplinary teams
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Comfortable with taking timely decisions in situations
where information may be incomplete, based on consultation and sound judgement.
• Ability to work and interact with people of diverse
backgrounds
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize competing demands.
• Excellent Office Management Skills
• Capability to communicate ideas and verbal Information in a
way that is coherent with the type of audience
• Problem solving skills
• Proactive, resourceful and efficient a high level of
professionalism and confidentiality
• Strong decision-making ability and attention to detail
Knowledge:
• Project and General
Management Skills
• Written and verbal Reporting
• Must have good writing and oral communication skills;
• Demonstrated good character, creativity, honesty, positive
attitude and ability to learn
Behaviors:
• Respect, integrity,
diversity, commitment to excellence, adaptability, ability to perform under
pressure, innovation, building relationships, communicating effectively,
initiating action, decision making, planning and organizing, and a personal
commitment to children’s development and protection.
• Role model our values and behaviors both internally and
externally.
• Engages sensitively with staff and partners on issues of
gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local
culture and context.
• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and
girls’ empowerment in Plan Internationals’ work and in its work with partners
• Applies participatory influencing methodologies both
internally and externally
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships
• Ability to influence
• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote
innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization – linking support for
CD’s with the context of the wider organizational strategy
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range
of appropriate styles for different audiences
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking and
advocates the importance of knowledge management.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the
very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.