Program Assistant at Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation

Your Role

• The Program Assistant is an integral member of the team, ensuring that all administrative and scheduling functions are completed in a timely manner allowing for highly productive environments!
• The focus of the Nigeria Country Office team is to enable collective impact for the foundation in Nigeria by influencing policy and finance towards key development priorities, strengthening capacity and enabling systems for delivery and innovating and using cross-cutting enablers for impact at scale.
• The Program Assistant will provide a wide and varied range of organizational and administrative support to the leaders and staff in the Nigeria Country Office while assisting with project coordination and collaborating with a small team of other assistants to support the overall work and ensure the smooth running of the Nigeria office based in Abuja.

What You’ll Do

• Schedule a high volume of appointments and meetings and manage complex calendars for multiple people.
• Support travel as needed and organize and submit expenses for multiple people on a timely basis.
• Provide logistical support for events such as meetings, team trainings, team retreats, team building events, and convenings which may include coordinating arrangements for participants, preparing and disseminating materials, providing on-site logistical support, etc.
• Responsible for high-quality interactions, and clear and consistent communications with external partners in the field that represent linguistically and culturally diverse communities.
• Act as liaison for team and internal partners, answering questions and routing requests as appropriate.
• Provide communications support and assistance to ensure timely responses to email and telephone inquiries.
• Maintain electronic records and a well-organized system for tracking, monitoring, and prioritizing tasks and projects across multiple supported staff.
• Active engagement in learning opportunities, including participation in team skill building, collaboration, and equity learning agenda.

Your Experience

• An academic background in foreign languages, diplomacy, communications, administration, or a relevant field of study is required.
• Minimum of 3 years work experience in supporting multiple people in a complex and fast-paced office setting, interacting extensively with internal and external contacts.
• Demonstrates exceptional proficiency in English, both in verbal and written communication, while consistently employing diplomacy and sound judgment in all interactions, especially when engaging with individuals from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, whether within or outside the organization
• Having a moderate grasp of the French language for both oral and written communication is an added advantage.
• Proven track record of providing support to senior staff or leadership teams at a global or regional level within the framework of a matrix organizational structure.
• Demonstrates effectiveness in setting priorities and meeting deadlines in a role requiring attention to detail in composing, typing, and proofing materials.
• Experience establishing organizational systems to improve efficiency and functioning in a changing environment.
• Flexibility in meeting changing organizational and team needs to be accompanied by a willingness to work with shifting role priorities to prioritize collaboration and teamwork.
• Open to feedback and an ability to adjust to diverse communication styles.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Outlook, Microsoft Office, and OneNote, is required.
• Previous experience with MS SharePoint and MS Teams preferred. Experience in learning and mastering new software applications.

Other Attributes 

• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic, and operational situations, demonstrating culturally sensitive behavior with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to travel up to 25% domestically and internationally.