Programme Assistant, (re-advertised)

Vacancy Number: PAS/BECA/06/2013
BecA
Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Duration: 2 years with the possibility of renewal

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. http://www.ilri.org/.

ILRI is a member of CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership working for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. http://www.cgiar.org/

ILRI also manages the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub, the centre for excellence in modern plant and animal biology in Africa.  BecA is an initiative developed within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)/ African Union African Biosciences initiative. It consists of a Hub based on the ILRI campus in Nairobi, Kenya and a network of regional nodes and other affiliated laboratories and organizations throughout the region.  The BecA Hub facilities are world class, including a range of molecular, plant transformation, and genomics laboratories and equipment (e.g. 454 sequencing, Biosafety level 3 laboratory, plant growth facilities).  The Hub hosts and conducts research in crop, microbe and livestock areas where new developments in science offer promise to address previously intractable problems constraining Africa’s development.  Capacity building is a major goal of all activities. The scope covers agriculture and food security and their intersections with human health and nutrition, and the sustainable use of Africa’s natural resources.  Further information is available at http://hub.africabiosciences.org/

Job purpose

In hosting the BecA Hub on a shared research platform, ILRI seeks to recruit a Program assistant for a new program funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) to provide administrative and support services in order to ensure effective and efficient operation of the program.

Responsibilities

·    Provide administrative support to the BecA SIDA funded program;

·    Establish and maintain a key contacts data base and email list, including all principal investigators, partners and other stake holders for the BecA –SIDA funded program;

·    Filling and maintaining an up-to-date electronic filing systems and data base for program documentation; including concept notes, project proposals, project agreements, etc;

·    Assist the program coordinator in the preparation of monitoring and evaluation reports of BecA SIDA funded projects and in the preparation of regular technical reports;

·    Support the Program coordinator in managing project review, control and reporting processes and highlight variances in the project performance;

·    Assist in ensuring that Project Control policies and procedures are consistently applied on the projects.

·    Prepare payment requests;

·    Support in organizing BecA events such as workshops, meetings and training courses;

·    Prepare travel authorization and travel report expenses forms for the BecA hub team;

·    Coordinating local and international travel;

·    Assist in drafting consultancy and contract requests.

 Skills and Competencies

·    A degree in business administration or similar qualification;

·    At least three years office management experience and administrative support in a busy multicultural international or private sector organization;

·    Highly effective multi-tasking skills with ability to coordinate, prioritize and organize workload;

·    Excellent interpersonal skills ;

·    Ability to work in a multicultural environment;

·    Good communication skills, including writing skills in English;

·    Effective organizational skills, good at making decisions with analytical and problem solving skills;

·    Capacity to take initiative, demonstrate good judgement and work under minimal supervision.

 Terms of Appointment

This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position based at ILRI’s Nairobi campus.  The position is on a 2 year contract with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and continued funding.

Job level and salary

This position is job Grade 2C, with an attractive salary and benefits package.

Location: The position will be based at the ILRI campus in Nairobi, Kenya.

How to Apply

Applicants should send a cover letter and CV combined as one document addressed to the Human Resources Director, explaining their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience by 21^stJune, 2013.  Log on 

to:http://www.myjobsinkenya.com/ilri_jobs. The position title and reference number REF: 

PAS/BECA/06/2013 should be clearly marked on the cover letter. Only online applications will be considered, and only short listed candidates will be contacted.

To find out more about ILRI and the BecA Hub, visit our websites at http://www.ilri.org/ and http://hub.africabiosciences.org/

To find out more about working at ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org/ilricrowd/

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.