Administrative Assistant at African Union(AU)

Purpose of Job

• The African Union Commission (AUC) has secured funding from the European Union for the implementation of the Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) project under the AU-EU Space Partnership Programme.
• The main objective of SEWA is to enhance the capacity to produce and deliver space-based services and applications, data and information, for early warning systems related to hazardous weather or climate events.

The AUC is responsible for the overall continental coordination of the project, which has five outputs: 

• Improved access to, processing, applicability and use of Earth Observation (EO) data, with a focus on meteorological data, and Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) products and services for Early Warning; 
• Established and operated African Meteorological Satellite Application Facility (AMSAF), including possible support for forecasting capabilities at different ranges; 
• Co-designed and delivered Impact-Based Forecast services and tools; 
• Enhanced coordination with institutional framework for hazardous weather and climate Early Warning and shared knowledge across regions; and 
• Strengthened human capacities, knowledge and community shaping across the Early Warning value chain with a focus on space-based data and technologies.

Main Functions

• The Programme / Administrative Assistant is responsible for assisting in the delivery of programme activities including technical and administrative aspects of the programme including logistics, filings, etc.
• The officer will have the overall responsibility of assisting the programme on the planning and execution of all administrative tasks.
• S/he will make necessary follow-up on administrative matters involving various AU Departments and Directorates, and other offices.

Specific Responsibilities

• Provide direct technical support to the implementation of the SEWA programme
• Assist other program officers and participants on general programmatic, administrative and logistical matters and provide administrative support as required;
• Provide monitoring support to overall program implementation including the program budget and provide relevant information to officers in charge of budget execution;
• Prepare correspondence, special reports, evaluation and justifications as required for general programme implementation.
• Prepare meetings and follow-up of related decisions for programme implementation
• Maintain policy, confidential and management records;
• Prepare and participate in project meetings and report and/or take notes of such meetings;
• Perform logistical activities of international meetings (SEWA Forums, workshops, missions, etc.) and appointments
• Prepare and maintain an up-to-date filing system of the project documents maintaining good filing of all project mails, documentation and reports;
• Handle incoming and outgoing mails and keep a register of incoming and outgoing correspondence and documents;
• Maintain a comprehensive overview of the work of the SEWA programme Team to ensure that timely administrative and technical support is provided for effective program delivery.
• Provide direct organizational and coordinated support to the programme’s related events and meetings.
• Coordinate and/or prepare relevant background documentations for SEWA related events and meetings.
• Perform any other related duties assigned by supervisors.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
The incumbent should have a:

• Diploma in Secretarial/Business Management, Business Administration or any related field from a recognized educational institution with three (3) years of relevant experience in providing programmatic, administrative and logistical support in the implementation of partner funded programmes.
• Candidates who are holders of Bachelor’s degree in Secretarial/ Business Management, Business Administration or any related field from a recognized educational institution are required to have two (2) years of relevant work experience in administrative and/or secretarial work as noted above
• Experience in Office Management is mandatory.
• A qualification in project management or environmental studies would be an added advantage.
• Experience in project management involving multi-stakeholders such as RECs, Member States, RCCs, and Development Partners is advantageous
• Administrative support experience in the fields of meteorology, climate change, environment and natural resources is advantageous
• Work experience in SAP software system is an added advantage 
• Experience within the African Union Commission, United Nations and other international organizations involving diplomatic engagements, and familiarity to the working environment will be an added advantage

Required Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal skills 
• Sound planning and organizational skills
• Ability to negotiate diplomatically
• Ability to delegate the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority with regard to performance management and professional development 
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages, fluency in another AU language is an added advantage

Leadership Competencies:

• Change Management
• Managing Risk

Core Competencies:

• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Accountability awareness and Compliance
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating Clearly

Functional Competencies:

• Trouble shooting
• Job Knowledge and Information Sharing
• Task Focused
• Continuous Improvement Awareness

Tenure of Appointment

• The Appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of one (1) year, of which the first three (3) months will be considered as a probationary period.
• Thereafter, the contract may be renewed for a similar period subject to funding availability, satisfactory performance and agreed deliverables. 

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Languages:

• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.

Remuneration

• The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of US$ 55,174.63 (GSA5 Step 5) inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$ 22,656.97 inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission.