WHO WE ARE
Plan International is a rights-based development and humanitarian organization working for better lives for all children. We are independent of government and have no political or religious affiliation. Our purpose is to strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We have been building powerful partnerships for children for more than 80 years, and are now active in more than 70 countries.
Our global strategy has a specific focus on girls, as they are often the most marginalized and most often left behind. We have committed ourselves to the ambitious target of reaching 100 million girls over 5 years, to ensure they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. This is our contribution to reaching the sustainable development goals, and in particular the goals on gender equality. Our organization is transforming itself to meet this enormous challenge everywhere we work. We need bold, forward-thinking and innovative individuals to lead our country operations, driving change and delivering results that will allow us to reach our target of 100 million girls.
With over 38 years of experience in implementing its programme, Plan International Kenya (PIK) mainly operates in 11 geographical areas; Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Tharaka-Nithi, Siaya, Kwale, Kilifi, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Marsabit and Tana River.
OUR STRATEGY STATEMENT
Plan International Kenya’s (PIK) strategic goal in the next five years is to end teenage pregnancies and end all forms of sexual and gender-based violence against adolescent girls and young women. We aim to help create an enabling environment where girls and young women are safe, valued, equally cared for, and have equal opportunities. PIK will contribute to the global strategy by aiming to reach directly approximately 2.75 million (children, including girls and young women over the period of the strategy 2022-2026 and to reach additional beneficiaries through its interventions.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Executive Assistant will provide administrative duties to the Country Director (CD) and support the functioning of Country Management Team (CMT) to ensure high performance and achievement of organizational goals by primarily providing administrative and programmatic support to the CD, CD’s reports, CMT and eCMT.
The incumbent facilitates the country’s senior management meetings (i.e. CMT) and co-ordinates follow up of actions from proceedings of such meetings with the Country Director and Directors [Operations; Program Strategy, Development and Innovation; Program Implementation and Quality] and various departmental heads at Plan International Kenya; ensuring effective communication of various stakeholders (i.e. GH. RH, National Offices, Program Units, PIK Board and other internal and external stakeholders) with the director’s office to enhance organisational effectiveness.
MANAGEMENT SCOPE, REPORTING LINES, KEY RELATIONSHIP
Direct reports – Country Director
Direct reports – Intern
LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN
Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Mainly typical office environment with some moderate lifting associated with movement
ACCOUNTABILITIES AND MAIN WORK ACTIVITIES
1) Executive Support Priorities (40%)
• Provide administrative and programmatic support to the CD and in his/her absence to the Nominee.
• Manage CD calendar/diary and prioritize multiple tasks for the effective functioning of the CD’s office, ensuring appointments and meetings are well organized, coordinated and logistical arrangements.
• Provide back-up support to ensure the effective and timely response to requests from Donors, other NGOs, press and media, staff and partners of PIK and PII.
• Co-ordinate, prepare minutes and compile background materials for CMT, Board and external meetings with officials from Government, UN agencies, Embassies etc.
• Monitor the implementation of decisions of the Country Management Team (CMT)
• Liaise regularly with key stakeholders i.e. MEESA RH, GH, NOs and external contacts to ensure effective information and timely actions.
• Preparing the Delegation of Authority letters when the CD is away, and inform the relevant stakeholders of the same to ensure business continuity.
• Manage CD’s office expenses by raising purchase requisitions / payments, expense travel report as necessary.
• Work closely with Communications Department to input on corporate communication to internal and external stakeholders.
• Update CD’s scheduled meetings on a monthly basis and disseminate to CMT/eCMT/ Staff
• Provide support to the Director of Operations; Director of Program Strategy, Development and Innovation; Director of Program Implementation and Quality and any other Country Management Team (CMT) member at the discretion of the CD.
• Support extended Country Management Team (eCMT), Security Review Team (SRT)
2) Communication, Visibility and Public Relations (20%)
• Ensure effective communication and documentation to and from the Director’s office while ensuring confidentiality. This includes forwarding mails to respective departments/units.
• Prepare documentation to support the office of the CD and its functions efficiently and effectively.
• Act as the initial contact point for the Country Director’s Office, by promptly responding to issues from Senior Leadership Managers.
• Coordinate documentation for CD’s approval to various internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify appropriate opportunities to ensure the CD’s visibility and accessibility is maintained, working with relevant departments where necessary, and providing corporate inter- office support
• Direct requests for information or assistance from external bodies to staff as appropriate and ensuring actions are taken and that good public relations are maintained.
• Schedule deadlines for different projects/reports with CMT, respective Directors and staff, sending feedback on behalf of the CD
• Record CMT and senior management meetings/action points and disseminate minutes and CMT decision as appropriate
3) Appointment / Meetings (10%)
• Provide logistical and administrative support for the organization of seminars, meetings, workshops, conferences, and training sessions organised through the CD’s office.
• Manage CD’s heavy calendar requiring interaction with various internal and external stakeholders and coordinate a variety of complex executive meetings
• Update CD’s scheduled meetings on a monthly basis and disseminate to CMT/eCMT/ staff, prepare agenda items, sharing of minutes and actions.
• Schedule CD’s direct reports appointments for performance management (objectives and appraisals) review meetings.
• Provide support in protocol matters and organization of meetings with officials from NGOs GOK, Embassies
4) Travels / Visitors (10%)
• Coordinate, monitor and make travel and logistical arrangements for the CD and other senior directors. Arrange amenities as needed, including ticket, visa, travel insurance, boarding passes
• Coordinate airport transfers and where necessary hotel accommodation for CD.
• Coordinate the preparation of briefing information for the CD relating to travel/conferences, working closely with departmental colleagues as appropriate.
• Preparation of invitation/visa letters where applicable for visitors to enable them acquire visas either prior or upon arrival at the airport.
• Liaise and act as a point of contact for relevant information/enquiry from all parties external to the Country Office Travel
• Prepare itinerary where necessary or obtain from hosting office
5) Information and Data Management (10%)
• Implement and maintain robust office systems including filing and record keeping for the CD’s office that facilitates easy reference and rapid retrieval of information
• In Event Planning/Management
6) Safeguarding Children and Young People (Safeguarding) and Gender Equality and Inclusion, GEI-(5%)
• Understands and puts into practice the responsibilities under Safeguarding and GEI policies and Plan International’s Code of Conduct (CoC), ensuring that concerns are reported and managed in accordance with the appropriate procedures.
• Leads the orientation of programme staff to ensure that they are properly inducted on and understands their role in upholding Plan International’s safeguarding and GEI policies;
• Ensures that Plan International’s global policies for Safeguarding Children and Young People and Gender Equality and Inclusion are fully embedded in project design, during implementation and as principles applied in day-to-day work of Programme Strategy, development and Innovation department;
• Ensures that Plan Kenya contributes to Plan International’s global efforts to ensure safeguarding and GEI, including making sure that relevant reporting and data are submitted.
7) Other Duties (5%)
• As assigned by the supervisor
LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES
• Courageous, taking a lead, challenging myself and others to achieve purpose, safeguard others and role model values, inside and outside work. Responsible for my work and learning, striving to improve. Self-aware, resilient and constructive in embracing change. Striving to achieve significant and lasting impact on the lives of children and young people, and to secure equality for girls. Challenging myself to be bold, courageous, responsive, focused and innovative;
• Understand and adhere to the policies, processes, practices and standards relevant to own work and keeps their knowledge and skills up to date;
• Collaborating with team members, colleagues and partners in finding creative solutions to problems by sharing information, experience and ideas and actively seeking their input.
• Respecting all people, appreciating differences and challenging inequality in programmes and the workplace. Supporting children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives. Empowering other staff to give their best and develop their potential;
• Achieves desired outcomes and finds innovative solutions by using the expertise and creativity of others and adopting a coaching approach with the people they manage or advise;
• Creates space for reflection and uses external evidence and internal evaluation to identify what and how we need to improve and then to support others through change;
• Understanding Plan International’s purpose, priorities, values and approaches in our work context. Adhering to relevant policies, processes, practices and standards, and being pro-active in continuing technical and professional development.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES
• Manages legal and reputational risk including risk assessment, communication, risk management and reporting in full compliance with risk-related standards, including in areas such as Child and Youth Safeguarding and Protection, Gender equality and inclusion, Counter Fraud, Safety and Security
• Managing activities and resources including skills in strategic thinking, planning and organising, financial planning and monitoring, negotiation and programme and project management
• Managing people and information including skills in assessment and coaching, evidence-based management, communication skills, both speaking and writing, and digital working, including personal digital skills
• Managing resources and delivery: Knows the resources required for their role. Manages their own workload, avoiding under or overcommitting to delivery activities; -Works according to a budget and uses the relevant financial systems.; -Works according to principles of data protection; -Understands how information is used for reporting and decisions making; – Seeks to continually improve personal working practices.
• Programme and project management: -Aware of the programmes that Plan International delivers directly and through partner organisations. -Aware of the programme and project management procedures relevant to their role.; -Complies with financial procedures and controls relevant to their role; -Seeks opportunities to reflect on and learn from all work.
• Digital working: Identifies ways to use digital to improve the effectiveness of work activities. Understands how digital enablers can contribute to achieving Plan International’s purpose. Utilises the digital tools available in line with privacy and safeguarding guidelines.
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Qualifications/ experience essential:
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or social sciences
• Minimum four (4) years’ experience in a similar role
• Proven experience in providing high quality administrative and personal assistant services to senior level staff
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven interpersonal and customer service skills with people at a range of levels from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds.
• Assertive and pro-active, with the ability to work on own initiative with little or no supervision.
• Good analytical skills with the ability to identify key points from complex material or information.
• Self-motivated, flexible and able to make judgement as to when to take the initiative on the CD’s behalf.
• Excellent time management skills. The post-holder will need to manage their own time well, and the time of the CD.
• Demonstrated personal integrity and ability to deal with sensitive and/or sensitive issues with tact, and diplomacy while maintain complete discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to inter-face smoothly with the Communications Department to ensure that corporate communications are developed, cultivated and maintained in line with the brand of the CDs’ office.
• Ability to cope with varying workloads and interruptions and to organize activities to provide efficient services.
• Experience in providing comprehensive support to staff committees and meetings.
• Experience with an INGO in a similar role.
Desirable:
• Project Management qualification and Experience
• ERP
Languages required:
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Skills:
• Service oriented/ Customer centric/ customer relationship skills
• Works collaboratively as a team player
• Capability to coordinate and cooperate within interdisciplinary teams
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Comfortable with taking timely decisions in situations where information may be incomplete, based on consultation and sound judgement.
• Ability to work and interact with people of diverse backgrounds
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize competing demands.
• Excellent Office Management Skills
• Capability to communicate ideas and verbal Information in a way that is coherent with the type of audience
• Problem solving skills
• Proactive, resourceful and efficient a high level of professionalism and confidentiality
• Strong decision-making ability and attention to detail
Knowledge:
• Project and General Management Skills
• Written and verbal Reporting
• Must have good writing and oral communication skills;
• Demonstrated good character, creativity, honesty, positive attitude and ability to learn
Behaviors:
• Respect, integrity, diversity, commitment to excellence, adaptability, ability to perform under pressure, innovation, building relationships, communicating effectively, initiating action, decision making, planning and organizing, and a personal commitment to children’s development and protection.
• Role model our values and behaviors both internally and externally.
• Engages sensitively with staff and partners on issues of gender equality and inclusion, demonstrating an understanding of the local culture and context.
• Promotes equality, including gender equality, inclusion and girls’ empowerment in Plan Internationals’ work and in its work with partners
• Applies participatory influencing methodologies both internally and externally
• The ability to build collaborative working relationships
• Ability to influence
• Uses creativity to challenge the norm and promote innovation and thinks and acts for the wider organization – linking support for CD’s with the context of the wider organizational strategy
• Communicates effectively at a high level and with a range of appropriate styles for different audiences
• Builds capability through knowledge sharing, networking and advocates the importance of knowledge management.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of everything that Plan International stands for.
We want Plan International to reflect the diversity of the communities we work with, offering equal opportunities to everyone regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Plan International is based on a culture of inclusivity and we strive to create a workplace environment that ensures every team, in every office, in every country, is rich in diverse people, thoughts, and ideas.
We foster an organisational culture that embraces our commitment to racial justice, gender equality, girls’ rights and inclusion.
Plan International believes that in a world where children face so many threats of harm, it is our duty to ensure that we, as an organisation, do everything we can to keep children safe. This means that we have particular responsibilities to children that we come into contact with and we must not contribute in any way to harming or placing children at risk.
How to apply
To apply, please click on the link below.
Career Opportunities: Executive Assistant (EA) (46200) (successfactors.eu)
A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Plan International’s Safeguarding Children and Young People policy. Plan International also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this scheme we will request information from applicants previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
Disclaimer: Plan International is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate applicants on any basis. We also do not charge Job seekers any fees at any point of the recruitment process.
Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.
