Senior Human Resources and Administration Officer - Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme at African Union(AU)

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (HQ)
Grade: AUP3 Step 1
Supervisor: Programme Manager - Saving Lives and Livelihoods

Background Information

• The African Union, established as a unique Pan African continental body, is charged with spearheading Africa’s rapid integration and sustainable development by promoting unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among the peoples of Africa and African States as well as developing a new partnership worldwide. Its Headquarters is located in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia.
• The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) was officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 31, 2017. The Africa CDC is Africa’s first continent-wide public health agency and envisions a safer, healthier, integrated and stronger Africa, where Member States are capable of effectively responding to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats. The agency mission is to strengthen Africa’s public health institutions’ capabilities to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide preparedness and response, surveillance, laboratory, and research programmes.
• Africa CDC has been at the forefront of the continent’s fight against the pandemic. The agency has set a goal to vaccinate 60 percent the continent’s population before the end of 2024. To achieve this ambitious and critical goal, the Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation are launching “Saving Lives and Livelihoods,” “partnership for COVID-19 Vaccination in Africa.” The planned Saving Lives and Livelihoods partnership is a unique initiative due to its scope and scale, the critical topics it focuses on, as well as the way it will be governed.

Job Description Summary

• The Senior Human Resources and Administration Officer will be accountable for the implementation of human resource (HR) policies (systems, processes, procedures, and practices) and responsible for the day-to-day provision of administrative and programme management support. These will include, but are not limited to, quality control of official correspondence; facilitation of internal cross-cutting administrative support services delivery; facilitation of requests, follow through and quality assurance of cross-cutting support, and other critical administrative and management support services for the Saving Lives and Livelihoods Programme.

Major Duties and Responsibilities
The Senior HR and Admin officer shall:

• Advise on the preparation of job description, terms of reference and subsequent position classification;
• Undertake review of job openings, implement applicable HR assessments and review recommendations of successful candidates.
• Monitor the pace of recruitment to ensure timely fulfillment of targets;
• Actively participate in short-listing and interview processes; ensure compliance with set practices and guidelines;
• Develop reporting criteria, develop, and deliver monthly status reports and statistics to leadership and unit;
• Act as the first line of contact in Human Resources for any employee relations issues involving employees and managers;
• Support, develop and coach People Managers on employee relations issues using AUC Staff Regulations and Rules, procedures and best practices while ideally resolving issues, where possible;
• Provide day-to-day performance management guidance to line managers and staff (coaching, counselling, career development, remedial actions);
• Capture learning and development trends and needs and provide appropriate guidance;
• Support, influence, and develop People Managers in relation to their approach and consideration of people issues while ensuring that they understand the impact of these factors on the individual and the organization, as a whole;
• Represent Africa CDC in a professional manner that creates a positive image and enhances the credibility of the organization;
• Direct and coordinate administrative and logistical matters of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods programme in accordance with Africa CDC and AU administrative logistical policies and guidance;
• Manage and mentor the administrative support personnel working for the programme and ensure that the staff assigned to the programme have the requisite professional knowledge and work experience commensurate with the task assigned to them;
• Service meetings where issues of administration, management, capacity building, and programme management are discussed;
• Regularly provide administrative and management updates to the Programme Manager on progress, problems, and constraints of the department;
• Provide back-stopping services in administration and coordination as well as rendering any assistance required to the Programme Manager; and
• Perform any other COVID-19 vaccination related activities as requested by the Programme Manager.

Qualification and Work Experience Required

• Master’s university Degree in Human Resources or Business Administration or other related fields and 7 years of work experience. The candidate needs to have at least 3 years of experience in a supervisory position.

Or

• Bachelor’s university Degree in Human Resources or Business Administration or other related fields and 10 years of work experience. The candidate needs to have at least 3 years of experience in a supervisory position.

Required skills and Competencies
Functional Skills:

• Familiarity with the HR, administrative and management practices and processes typically employed by public health and other public sector programmes
• Good oral and written communication techniques to make presentations, provide programme consultation, respond to inquiries, reports, proposals, etc.
• Skills in translating highly technical information into presentations, briefings, report, and funding proposals for lay audiences.
• Resourceful and skilled at collecting, analyzing, and using data to recommend and communicate technical decisions to lay audiences
• Demonstrated computer skills including excellent word-processing capabilities, proficiency with e-mail and internet applications as well as experience using office software applications such as MS Excel, Power Point and Word.

Personal Abilities:

• Analytical and problem-solving abilities
• High ethical standards and an uncompromising sense of integrity
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and with external actors
• Proven ability to use clear, concise language in correspondence as well as creating and adapting content to fit the appropriate audiences for written briefs and reports
• High level of autonomy at work with a profound team spirit
• Ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision
• Ability to work and thrive in a culturally diverse team
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient, and flexible.

Language Requirement:

• Applicants must be proficient in at least one of the African Union working languages (English, French, Arabic, Spanish or Portuguese).
• Knowledge of two or more of African Union working languages would be an added advantage.

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of three years. The first three months will be considered a probationary period, thereafter, the contract will be renewed annually subject to satisfactory performance and fund availability.

Remuneration
Indicative basic salary of US$37,453 (AUP3Step 1) per annum plus other related entitlements e.g. Post adjustment of US$17,228.38 (46% of basic salary per annum), Housing allowance of US$22,932 per annum, Thus a total of US$77,613.38 per annum plus Gratuity of 15% of Gross salary per annum.