Position: Executive Assistant
Location: Nairobi
Job Description
The Open Society
Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA) is looking for an Executive Assistant.
The Executive Assistant supports the executive director in the regular oversight of OSIEA functions and fulfilment of annual strategy objectives by providing administrative, logistic and program support. The position liaises with all staff, requiring professional discretion and a solution-oriented and friendly approach at all times.
Responsibilities
Administrative
- Provide logistic support: Schedule meeting
requests; filing, photocopy, answer e-mails, scan documents, take phone
inquiries; schedule travel arrangements; organize meeting agendas; take
minutes for meetings; draft correspondence; organize conference calls,
process monthly credit card reconciliations, expense reports and
reimbursement requests; and maintain contacts, records, and key documents;
- Handle external communication (emails and phone
inquiries and requests) to ensure that requests for action or information
are relayed to the appropriate programs;
- Maintain and track the director’s office budget;
- Prepare consultancy contracts, process
consultants’ expense reports, and coordinate consultants’ travel needs;
- Assist in the compliance of all procedures and
policies.
Programmatic
- At the start of each year, organize and distribute
the annual OSIEA calendar schedule to all programs;
- Assist in the preparations of meetings,
conferences and seminars as well as the implementation of special projects
or emerging initiatives;
- Provide key support in the review and finalization
of grants, including reviewing proposals, preparing dockets, monitoring
grantee activity and ensuring adequate reporting by grantees; develop
information depository on grantees and service grantees information;
manage and respond to unsolicited funding requests;
- Conduct occasional research and writing
assignments;
- Support other Open Society Foundation (OSF)
programs and offices regarding their interventions to maximize results
and impact when assigned;
- Travel as necessary.
Board Liaison
- Serve as staff liaison to the OSIEA Board ensuring
that all queries and requests are dealt with promptly;
- Facilitate logistics for three board meetings
annually, including meeting dates, book flights, hotels and other related
travel arrangement and assist in preparation of board meeting agenda; take
minutes at board meetings; facilitate honoraria, reimbursements and other
related payments to vendors; and track board budget;
- Take a lead in the creation and maintenance of all
board documents, including the board books; electronic files;
- Support the director’s office and the OSIEA board
in the board recruitment and orientation process and board
learning/development;
- Serve as the OSIEA board liaison to OSF ensuring
all queries and requests are dealt with;
- Facilitate OSF’s global board engagement in the
region including handling new board members’ orientation at OSF level.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree;
- Professional qualifications in Project Management/
Business management or relevant field;
- At least 5 years’ experience gained working with
governance boards from a reputable organization;
- Basic knowledge of key human rights issues in the
Eastern Africa region;
- Basic experience in grant making;
- Strong interpersonal and influencing skills and
ability to work in a team oriented and collaborative environment;
- Ability to write complex reports;
- Excellent listening and communication skills with
sensitivity to cultural communication differences;
- Extraordinary initiative, creativity and capacity
to think strategically;
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and
discretion in the course of work;
- Proven administrative, analytical and problem
solving skills;
- Strong organizational skills and close attention
to detail in order to produce high quality output;
- Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and
negotiate under pressure;
- Ability to provide specialized advice and
professional guidance to external contacts;
- Integrity, diplomacy and professionalism will be
essential.
How to Apply
Suitably qualified
candidates should mail their resumes and cover letters to jobs@osiea.org by 11th
December 2020.
