USAID Kenya Mission Program Assistant Job Vacancy

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Kenya Mission seeks to fill the position of Program Assistant in its Democracy & Governance (DG) Office. The position is based in Nairobi and is open to qualified Kenyan citizens.

Basic Function of the Position:

The Democracy and Governance (DG) Office is working to strengthen good governance in Kenya while improving the balance of power among the different branches of government.

The Program Assistant must demonstrate strong initiative and organizational skills to provide efficient administrative and management support for the DG Team.

The Program Assistant will possess excellent English writing and verbal skills, place a high priority on attention to detail and organization, have a firm grasp of information technologies and their applications, and will be able to work both independently and collaboratively.

The Program Assistant is responsible for developing efficient organizational and tracking systems, coordinating office operations, and implementing administrative procedures to ensure that the DG Office functions effectively and efficiently.

The Program Assistant works closely with the entire DG Team.

Some of the specific tasks envisioned include: 
  • generate routine project documentation including, but not limited to, payment requests/vouchers, project background information, short analysis pieces, and formal correspondence;
  • design and implement tracking and organizational systems for a wide variety of office documents, such as work permits, grant close-outs, tax exemption forms, official correspondence, unsolicited proposals, country clearances, program implementation documents, calendar of events, etc.;
  • arrange and schedule appointments, meetings, workshops, and other official functions;
  • verify timesheets and handle all travel arrangements for office staff and short-term visitors;
  • maintain contact lists and official correspondence; and
  • other tasks as required by the office.
Required Qualifications:

Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. If you have not been contacted within one month from the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.

Education:
 Completion of secondary school education and a two-year college diploma in a relevant field is required.

Experience 40%:
  • At least three years experience as an administrative assistant or support officer.
  • Experience with a nongovernmental organization or international organization is preferred.
Knowledge 30%: 
  • Working knowledge of Kiswahili and excellent English language skills.
  • Well-developed English writing skills and ability to conceptualize and produce grammatically correct documents that require minimal editing.
  • The incumbent must have a basic understanding of Kenyan politics and international development.
  • He/she must have a thorough knowledge of office procedures and practices, office information technology systems, and organizational best practices.
Skills & Abilities 30%:
  • The incumbent must have proficiency in computer operations, including demonstrated skills in using Microsoft Office Suite.
  • The ability to receive and follow up on a broad range of detailed actions with minimal supervision.
  • The incumbent must manage multiple projects requiring superb organizational and time-management skills.
  • Further, this individual must be able to train other support staff assigned to the office.
  • The incumbent must also be able to interact effectively with the public, including government officials.
Those fulfilling the requirements of the position should submit their application, together with a detailed curriculum vitae/resume and copies of all relevant certificates, to the following address:

The Human Resources Office,
USAID/Kenya,
P.O. Box 629, Village Market 00621,
Nairobi, Kenya

Re: Program Assistant, DG/USAID/Kenya

Applications must reach the USAID HR office by COB November 19, 2010.


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