Executive Assistant at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/17/449
Location: Côte d’Ivoire
Grade: GS8
Position N°: 50093607

The Complex

• The Vice-Presidency for ‘Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth’ is a Sector Complex focusing on the Bank’s Ten Year Strategy and first High 5s priority of “Light up and Power Africa”.
• The complex’s objectives are:
  • To develop policy and strategy;
  • To provide deep sector technical expertise to the Regions by gathering pool of experienced individuals who can be consulted for their expertise on complicated transactions;
  • To develop new financing instruments;
  • To act as spokesperson to represent the Bank with external stakeholders on all aspects of “Light Up and Power Africa”.
• The Complex will focus on areas of Power systems, policy and regulation, renewable energy; and, Climate and Green Growth.

The Position

• The level of responsibility associated with the position as Executive Assistant requires the job holder to work independently, and with a high degree of diplomacy and sensitivity for confidential issues.
• The nature of the work might require occasional overtime work and availability after normal working hours.
• The main objectives of the position are to provide a wide range of assistance to the Vice-President, including workflow management, office administration and analytical work.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Vice-President - Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth , the Executive Assistant will perform the following:
Workflow Management:

• Devise and maintain efficient office systems.
• Track and follow-up on documents, draft letters and memoranda, monitor incoming emails, deal with faxes and general correspondence and briefs.
• Ensure secure filing of sensitive and confidential information.

Office Administration:

• Organize and attend to multiple meetings, appointments, luncheons and events to ensure that responsible management is well prepared.
• Arrange travel, visa and accommodation for the Vice-President; arrange logistics for visiting delegations.
• Handle internal and general public enquiries; screen telephone calls from within the bank and from external collaborators, and handle them as appropriate; welcome and look after visitors; organize and maintain electronic diaries and to make and follow-up on appointments.
• Manage the recording of opinions, notes and confidential documents.
• Create a strong filing system in the Vice-President Front Office for prompt retrieval of documents.
• Create a follow up system in the Vice-President Front Office to track all in/out documents.
• Contribute to the collection of data on the Vice-President’s Front office KPIs.

Analytical Work:

• Produce documents, simple letters/memoranda/emails, briefing papers, reports, spreadsheets and presentations.
• Take notes at meetings, write letters, and prepare minutes as requested.
• Assist where applicable with the follow up of the Complex’s activities by using the appropriate software.
• Perform any other duties reasonably requested by the Vice-President or the Advisor to the Vice-President.

Selection Criteria
Including Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Hold at least a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent in Communication, Business Management, Commerce, Administration or related discipline, preferably supplemented with courses in secretarial training/administration/office management.
• Have a minimum of six (6) years working experience of progressively relevant and practical experience, in an executive office preferably in an international organization or in large private sector firm.
• Demonstrated team building and inter-personal relationship.
• Ability to manage multiple, simultaneous and shifting demands, priorities and tight deadlines.
• Good planning skills will be highly desirable.
• Strong customer service skills, good organizational skills, ability to multitask, attention to details and ability to work with a diverse workforce.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing effectively in French or English, with a good working knowledge of the other language.
• Competent in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).