Complex Assistant, CHVP at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/20/037
Location: Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Grade: GS7
Position N°: 50053228

The Hiring Complex

• The Vice-Presidency, Human Resources and Corporate Services ensures the delivery of efficient, people-centered, client-oriented, corporate services to ensure overall institutional effectiveness in all aspects of the Bank’s corporate services. The complex leads efforts to digitalize and transform the Bank into a knowledge-driven workforce, promote human resources policies that enhance talent, drive a performance-driven culture, and ensure the competitiveness of the Bank as the employer of choice. The complex ensures that all Human Resources and Corporate Services are re-aligned to drive greater corporate performance and execution of the Bank's strategic vision and priorities. The complex is responsible for providing leadership in the formulation and implementation of Bank’s strategies on people, IT, General services and institutional procurements, Language Services, Business Continuity and, Health and Safety strategies.
• The Vice-President, Human Resources and Corporate Services’ front office is staffed by 5 staff including the Assistant to the Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Services. The front office staff members are in charge of advising and assisting the Vice President in the coordination of the work program and resources of the complex.

The Position

• The Complex Assistant falls under General Support Services that provides administrative support for the smooth running of the Complex, ensures that the Vice President is freed from all tasks which could otherwise impede the efficient discharge of higher duties and responsibilities.
• In line with the Complex work programme and day-to-day administration, the Complex Assistant works to assure hitch-free operations within the office of the Vice-President. Accordingly, the Complex Assistant’s job facilitates and contributes to the success of the Vice-President in performing his/her role as a key function in the Bank’s strategy for the achievement of the High 5s.
• As part of the Front office of the Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Services (CHVP), the Complex Assistant position plays an administrative role to support the Vice President in ensuring an effective and efficient management of the Vice Presidency work. The Complex Assistant position works in collaboration with the Front office and other Assistants in Departments/ Divisions, to assist the Vice President manage the work plan of the CHVP complex; and is specifically required to:
• Provide high level and centralized administrative and secretarial support to the Vice President’s office on a day-to-day basis (office and personnel management; meetings, drafting correspondence, summary records and internal memoranda, Mission, etc.).
• Maintain liaison with Departments in the Complex and other organizational units in respect of activities related to administrative, linguistic, IT, Human Resources and logistic support;
• Follow up requests for information from other departments as well as disseminating information relevant to the department/Complex.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the general guidance and overall supervision of the Vice-President, the Complex Assistant will perform the following:

Workflow Management:

• Devise and maintain office systems to deal efficiently with paper flow; organize and store paperwork, documents and computer-based information;
• Track and follow up on documents: deal with incoming email, faxes, post and correspondence;
• Distribute relevant documents/ papers from the Vice President’s office and maintain a follow up system as required.
• Develop efficient and effective systems and routines for the administration of the VP’s office including routines for proper receipt and follow up of memorandums, correspondence to ensure timely responses, efficient telephone system, and management of the VP’s briefing and mission files.

Office Administration:

• Organize and attend to the Vice-President’s multiple engagements as required such as conferences, appointments, luncheons and other official events;
• Ensure that the Vice President is well-prepared for these meetings and engagements through provision of Agenda, minutes and supporting documents; or IT support for teleconference/ VC
• Arrange travel, visas and accommodation and, occasionally, travel with the Vice President to provide general assistance;
• Coordinate visits and appointments of senior management and other high-level visitors (e.g. Ministries, Governors, Embassies, Representations and sister institutions, agencies, relating to direct contacts with the VP) as needed; including setting up appointments, arranging logistics and transportation; and ensuring security, protocol, and divisional involvement.
• Handle internal and general enquiries: screen telephone calls and requests as appropriate; welcome and look after visitors; organize and maintain diaries and make appointments;
• Provide administrative assistance to the Vice-President, Vice President’s Advisor and Vice President’s Assistant, as required. These include the management of the filing and retrieval system;
• Screen incoming calls to ensure the effective use of the Vice President’s time.
• Coordinate the Board Rolling Agenda (BRAG) calendar regarding Board meetings and serve as main contact regarding meeting dates/venue.
• Maintain close links and collaboration with the front offices of the President and Senior Vice President; and of the various Vice Presidencies and departments within the Bank; and those of the executives of other international institutions

Resources Management:

• Create and process expense reports;
• Assist the management in issues concerning resources such as administrative budget; independently monitor and review expenses and bring emerging issues to the attention of the Vice President.

Support Analytical Work:

• Produce documents, briefing papers, reports, spreadsheets and presentations;
• Take notes at meetings, write letters, prepare minutes - as requested;
• Ensure adherence to African Development Bank Group guidelines for all administrative undertakings;
• Respond to inquiries from Bank executives, liaise with clients and other staff, Facilitate coordination with other vice-presidencies; partner and work with other Assistants and groups in different locations;
• Carry out background research and present findings into subjects the Vice-President is dealing with.

Support the Front Office Team and Assistants in the Complex:

• Contributes to the CHVP Front office Work Program development
• Maintains and continuously improves the Front Office e-filing system for better recovery of important documents
• Update Administrative cases database in the Case Management System
• Collaboratively work with the Senior Administrative Assistant on the VP’s Travel on mission (Logistics) and Budgeting.
• Attend meetings at the request of the VP or senior management, take minutes and report back as necessary
• Draft correspondences, memos, letters, spreadsheets and forms for VP; and ensure high standard output quality and harmonization of all corporate documents.
• Screen all incoming documents for quality assurance and make sure that VP’s remarks are addressed
• Perform any other duty pertinent to the work, assigned by the VP, or senior staff

Selection Criteria

• Hold at least a Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent in Business Management, Commerce, Administration or related discipline;
• Training in report writing/administration/office management is advantageous;
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant and practical experience, in an executive office in a support function;
• Experience in supporting operations of international organizations is preferable;
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage;
• Innovation and creativity;
• Communication;
• Problem solving;
• Client orientation;
• Team working and relationships;
• Operational effectiveness;
• Inter-cultural sensitivity;
• Able to work under pressure and to prioritize in the dynamic setting of an international and multicultural setting;
• Skills in handling internal and external requests efficiently;
• Excellent sense of initiative, confidentiality, enthusiasm, and team spirit;
• Organization – Time, Space and Task Skills;
• Broad knowledge of Business Concepts;
• Good knowledge of Administration and Office Support Services including Systems and Procedures;
• Proficiency in use of standard office equipment e.g., Computer, fax, photocopier, scanner, etc.;
• Advanced proficiency to quickly adapt to new technology by acquiring required skills;
• Ability to deploy sound judgment and make reasonable decisions in the absence of direction;
• Ability to deploy knowledge, skills and abilities to work effectively without constant and direct supervision or guidance;
• Ability to adjust to multiple deadlines and attention to detail while working with diverse workforce;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other;
• Bilingualism, knowledge of Arabic, Portuguese, etc. is an advantage;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SAP and/or other integrated document management system).