Coordinator of the Office of the Executive Secretary

Background

The Coordinator of the Office of the Executive Secretary is responsible for ensuring that the Executive Secretary’s office is a professionally run, efficient and effective administrative hub that support the ES, and the other staff that work from that space. The Coordinator will be assisted by and will line manage, the Executive Associate

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide a professional support service to the Executive Secretary

• Manage the Executive Secretary’s diary. This involves responding to internal (and external) requests and proactively scheduling appointments. Ensure the Executive Secretary has time to prepare for such meetings where required.

• Full management of the Executive Secretary’s inbox bringing forward items for attention in a timely manner. This requires development of a robust pending system and the ability to take effective decisions on prioritization.
• Handle confidential information and sensitive issues reliably.
• Liaise with the People & Culture Unit in connection with the acquisition of visas, identity cards, and other relevant documents for the Executive Secretary in accordance with the requirements of the Foundation and the Host Government
• Manage the flow of information between the Executive Secretary and the ACBF Management Team to ensure issues are delegated appropriately; the Executive Secretary is kept briefed during absences from the office and on their return; and that the right staff are informed of issues that the Executive Secretary would want them to be kept informed of.
• Develop contacts and external appointments for the Executive Secretary throughout the continent and elsewhere, including government officials, donors, media, academics.
• Develop a good understanding of the Executive Secretary’s work relationships including staff, Board, and partners and manage communication sensitively and effectively.
• Support the Executive Secretary on travel, expense management (claims, refunds, expense returns etc).
• Ensure that the Executive Secretary is kept well informed of and respond to key events/issues (both internal and external).
• Attend, and where appropriate minute meetings, notes, and action points on behalf of the Executive Secretary when he is unable to participate.
• Organize meetings for the Executive Secretary and act as a focal point for such meetings.
• Coordinate meeting follow-up activities: communicate meeting outputs, process invoices, as required.
• Record meeting decisions and ensure regular tracking of decisions and agreed actions; ensure that action points have been followed up by the Executive Secretary and other senior managers/ directors and are passed on to relevant direct reports for information or action as appropriate.
• Manage the Foundation wide strategic calendar
• Ensure that effective and efficient processes are implemented and managed for invoicing and meetings, and that ACBF standards are met.
• Type, process and file correspondence, reports, and other materials.
• Maintain effective filing, archiving and record keeping systems, both paper and electronic.
• Manage information and other resources in support of effective communications and decision- making processes.
• Assist the Executive Secretary in preparing and delivering meetings of the Executive Board and the Board of Governors ensuring that all logistical arrangements have been made timeously.
• Support other staff by providing advice and guidance in handling organisational and administrative tasks.
• Undertake research and/or project work as specified by the Executive Secretary.
• Conducting documentary and website research on specific topics or organizations as required.

• Custodian of the electronic signature of the Executive Secretary and sign outgoing correspondence including response letters, invitations letters, contracts, project letters, etc

Manage the Executive Associate

• Oversee and line manage the Executive Associate, ensuring that all work produced in the Office of the Executive Secretary is of a consistently high standard.

Experience and qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Modern Languages, Communication, or a related field from a recognized university supplemented with a Diploma in Secretarial Studies.
• A minimum of five years’ experience in a similar position.
• Ability to perform a broad range of assignments ensuring the effective and efficient functioning of the Office of the Executive Secretary.
• Language Proficiency:  Fluency in English and French (preferable) – both written and oral.

Competence Requirements

• Excellent communication skills both written and oral.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills in order to deal tactfully with internal and external contacts at all levels.
• Demonstrated excellence in organising, time management, prioritisation, problem solving, planning and coordinating work activities.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision
• Ability to work effectively in a team and multicultural environment with different categories of staff members.
• Possession of a sense of good judgement and confidentiality.

Compensation

The African Capacity Building Foundation offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience.  The Foundation provides a very generous package of benefits.

About the African Capacity Building Foundation

For more than 30 years, The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) has been building human capital and institutional capacity for Africa’s sustainable development. With membership from 40 African Countries, the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, The African Union, and The World Bank, ACBF is the leading institution for capacity development in Africa. While serving all actors, ACBF recognizes the importance of and pays attention to improving the effectiveness of Africa’s public sector institutions at local, national, regional, and continental levels to become effective systems integrators and catalyzers of sustainable and transformative change.

Since its creation in 1991, ACBF has trained over 50,000 personnel in civil service, most of whom hold key positions in Ministries of Finance, Planning or Economic Development and Central Banks across the continent. The Foundation has established a network of over 50 think tanks supporting evidence-based policymaking across Africa and conducted numerous policy research/analyses, which have been critical in informing economic management and establishing benchmarks for success.

The Foundation currently maintains offices in Accra, Addis Ababa, Harare, and Nairobi.

To apply for this position please submit in confidence a resume and a cover letter that details why you are a good fit for this career position quoting the reference, “Coordinator of the OES /20/2023,’ to   E-mail:  Recruitment@acbf-pact.org

Please note, only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

The African Capacity Building Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We strongly encourage qualified female candidates to apply.

For detailed information and the application process, visit our website on https://www.acbf-pact.org/work-us/vacancies