Administration Officer Job in Kenya

Program Administration Officer

Job Details

About Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible. In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Mercy Corps began working in Kenya in 2008 and has to date built a robust and diverse portfolio of programs aimed at sustainably improving the lives and livelihoods of Kenyans affected by poverty, resource scarcity and conflict. To do this, we deliver integrated programming to strengthen resilience, market, and governance systems, address the root causes of conflict, and equip vulnerable populations- in particular youth, women, adolescents, and marginalized social groups- with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to be healthy, productive, and drive the development of their communities. Mercy Corps Kenya also collaborates with Mercy Corps teams and partners in neighboring countries to implement a number of multi-country and cross-border programs.

Working with a diverse base of donors that includes Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), European Commission (EC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Google.org, MasterCard Foundation and other foundations and institutional donors, Mercy Corps empowers people to recover from crisis, build better lives and transform their communities for good. We work closely with the private sector, civil society and governance structures at local and national levels to facilitate change and ensure that opportunities are inclusive of all Kenyans.

Program / Department Summary

Mercy Corps and its consortium partners are implementing a five-year USAID/Food for Peace funded program entitled Nawiri in Turkana and Samburu Counties of Kenya focused on nutrition resilience. The program aims to sustainably reduce persistent acute malnutrition in the two counties over a five-year period using a multi-sectoral program approach that integrates resilient livelihoods, access to improved water, health, and sanitation services, and strengthening enabling systems for nutrition from household to national level. Nawiri has dedicated the first two years (Phase 1) to implementing an action research agenda to inform the program design to achieve the program’s goal in the remaining three years (Phase 2). The program is currently embarking on an ambitious implementation plan to layer and integrate a series of interventions that address both immediate and systemic drivers of acute malnutrition, while addressing the effects of extreme drought and the global food crisis in implementation areas. Throughout all stages, the program is working closely with government, community, and private sector partners.

General Position Summary

Program Admin Officer will provide general administrative support for USAID Nawiri (for program Heads and technical teams based in the country office/Nairobi) and across overall program operations and liaising with the National and County government in managing government agreements and other requirements.

The position holder will provide targeted support for all USAID Nawiri teams in Addis and across the field offices in Turkana and Samburu (Lodwar and Maralal) where central teams are organizing activities, events or processes, overall program admin tasks including daily administrative workflows, logistical support for conference & meetings, and follow closely the procurements, finance and HR need of the project – as well as broader engagement with government as stipulated in detail in the job function section.

Essential Job Responsibilities

General Project Administration:

Manage the daily administrative workflow of the USAID Nawiri Project. This includes providing basic administrative support, including scheduling meetings, taking notes, managing letters and invitations, updating the team calendar with events such as training, completing forms, updating program documents, and streamlining Nawiri processes and procedures.
Conference/Meeting Logistics Support: Assist with the logistical coordination and planning of meetings and conferences (which includes venue arrangement, workshop materials, event participant travel & accommodation) working closely with Program team and Operations team.
Procurement: Serve as the focal point for USAID Nawiri procurement processes. Assist Program team in procurement processes including procurement planning, raising PR and following closely with Procurement Coordinator the progress of ongoing procurements.
Travel: Assist travel arrangement for USAID Nawiri team, including reserving and booking flights, booking accommodation, preparing TARs and other travel details as necessary.
Processing of SOWs and consultant agreements for project support, including interfacing with HQ on relevant sign offs.
HR Support (Hiring): Assist USAID Nawiri CoP in recruitment process – which includes raising PRF for open vacancies and follow closely with HR for a timely recruitment process.
HR Support (Team Movement & Leave Balances): Track USAID Nawiri team leave plans and, working closely with HR, update team leave balances. Also, provide a periodic summary update of team leave plans and balances with the USAID Nawiri CoP & Component Leads.
Perform other administrative duties as required

Team Coordination Support:

Support cross-team administrative coordination: with the SMT, Field, program, operations and finance teams to ensure timely operations support for Nawiri Program activities implementation.
Meeting Management and Notetaking: Manage the organization and record the details of all USAID Nawiri team meetings. This includes producing agenda documents (where required) , and taking notes during team meetings and disseminating them in a timely manner, always highlighting action points. Support following up on action points as necessary.
Filing and Folder Tracking: Support Nawiri with structuring, updating and overall maintaining a filing system accessible to all program stakeholders. Ensure key files are appropriately maintained including, agreement documents with various NGO and Private sector partners, reports, research documents, discussion papers, videos, posters, etc.

Communications Support:

Team Communications: Assist the SMT and Field Directors in managing communication flows within and across program teams, including across Nairobi and county-based teams. Ensure communication flow protocols are in place.
Product Communications: Support communications team to publish, produce and distribute internal and external communications to facilitate learning throughout the project. Keep track and manage dissemination plans and progress against them. Procure graphics. Facilitate connecting with HQ digital library and posting on internal and external sites.. Ensure Nawiri information held within the site is accurate and up to date, creating communications resources when requested,

Organizational Learning

As part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5% of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as themselves.

Accountability to Beneficiaries

Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts toward accountability, specifically

to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

Team members are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC’s policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues.

Supervisory Responsibility. None

Accountability

Reports Directly To: USAID Nawiri Chief of Party with a dotted line to the operations director

Works Directly With: Nawiri SMT, including DCOP, Implementation Director, Program Quality team, Senior Director for East Africa Resilience Portfolio, CLA lead; Technical Teams including Component Leads & Field/Area Coordinators, Operations, Finance, and HR Team members

Knowledge and Experience

Five or more years of general administration or program support experience is required.
A university degree or equivalent in a related field (economics, business, accounting, international relations) is required.
Excellent oral and written English skills are required.
Two years’ experience of related work with an international NGO is preferred.
Proven interest and commitment to humanitarian and development issues.
Excellent organizational skills: the ability to work independently & productively in a fast-paced environment and to effectively see projects through from start to finish.
Flexible work attitude and demonstrated creativity: the ability to work productively in a team environment and the ability to problem solve creatively with minimal guidance;
Excellent Computer skills (especially Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook)

Success Factors

Must be confident, self-starter, an independent thinker
Strong organizational, interpersonal and communication skills
Team oriented; Demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse group of people
Excellent communication skills, written and oral are required
Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and appropriate flexibility
Excellent organizational skills with ability to successfully manage multiple tasks.
Multi-tasking, prioritizing, problem solving and simultaneous attention to detail are essential.