Team Assistant, ECCE0 at African Development Bank - AfDB

Reference: ADB/20/019
Grade: GS7
Position N°: 50071234

The Complex

• The Chief Economist/Vice-President for Economic Governance and Knowledge Management is the Bank’s spokesperson on economic matters and the Vice-President for the ‘Economics Governance and Knowledge Management Complex’.
• The Complex is responsible for (i) providing leadership and visibility for the Bank on economic, finance, financial governance and socio-economic development issues; and coordinate the generation of analytical works to inform operational policy; (ii) systematically emphasize the critical role of knowledge, experience, lessons learnt and their tangible impact on sustainable, inclusive transformation of African economies.

The Position

• The job of Department Assistant which falls under General Support Services that provides administrative support for the smooth running of the Department, ensures that the Director is freed from all tasks which could otherwise impede the efficient discharge of high duties and responsibilities.
• Each Department has its unique functions, but the Department assistant works more or less uniformly irrespective of the Departments to assure hitch-free operations within the office of the respective Directorate.
• Accordingly, the Department Assistant’s job facilitates and contributes to the success of the Director in performing his/her role for the achievement of the High 5s.

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the General guidance and overall supervision of the Director, the Department Assistant will perform the following:
 
Work Flow Management:

• Receive and register all incoming and outgoing documents of the Department;
• Ensure that documents presented for Director’s signature are complete, with necessary attachments and background documents;
• Draft general or administrative correspondence on own initiative or on the basis of instructions and finalize for the Director's signature;
• Verify that outgoing correspondence is presented in accordance with the Bank’s accepted formats and check on probable typographical errors, presentation, completeness and procedural accuracy of all documents submitted to the Director for clearance, approval or signature;
• Review and classify priority and important correspondences and submit accordingly;
• Follow-up and ensure that target dates and deadlines are met using appropriate tracking tools, and that correspondence and queries are responded to in a timely manner;
• Channel correspondence for action by the Director or send directly to the concerned Division, if necessary.

Communication and Liaison:

• Receive visitors and telephone calls with tact and discretion, and act according to the nature and urgency of each, including redirecting to the concerned divisions, as appropriate;
• Screen Director's calls/visitors, make appointments for visitors to meet the Director or the Division Manager concerned;
• Provide background information to the Director for appointments with official visitors and/or staff members;
• Relay information between Director, Division Managers and other staff members of the department;
• Follow up on work deadlines with Division Managers;
• Schedule weekly team and ad hoc meetings for the Director, according to schedules and Director's Agenda for the week;
• Arrange time and venue for meetings, collect necessary background materials of meetings needed from the relevant Departments/Divisions; Remind Division Managers and other staff members about scheduled meetings.

Record Keeping and Documentation:

• Maintain a filing system in both hard and soft copies to meet the needs of the Department;
• Keep a weekly calendar of activities that shows all meetings to be attended by the Director as well as by other staff members. It also includes all external visits to the Department ;
• Obtain briefing and background materials for meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. to be attended by the team's staff, checking their availability and ensuring they have the appropriate briefing files and documents;
• Maintain Contact address / Mailing directory of partners working with the Department.

Office Administration, Budget and Finance:

• Make travel arrangements for the Director including tickets, hotel reservation, etc.;
• Assist in preparation of presentations using PowerPoint and other software packages on own initiative or on the basis of instructions;
• Perform other office administration tasks (photocopies, emails) when the need arises; Administration, Budget and Finance
• Assists in and advises the Director and Managers on a variety of administrative and personnel matters;
• Establishes stock control system for the management of office supplies and other bank properties (Personal computers, printers, faxes ...); centralizes requests for office supplies submitted by staff within the department and makes provisions in order to ensure distribution of the required items.
• Negotiates with CHGS allocation of appropriate office space for the Unit by providing justifications; responsible for organizing and coordinating office moving operations.
• Contributes to preparation of budget of department as as Mid-year budget retrospective by:
  • Collecting facts and presenting them for decision making; recording data, monitoring and reporting on the department budget implementation level;
  • Initiating actions on expenses to be incurred, processing requests for recruitment of  short-term   staff and consultants, missions, with particular attention to the procedures, follow-up of the required travel authorizations, contracts and payments.
  • Arrange travel, visa and accommodation for staff going on missions.
  • Initiate and prepare various administrative documents and forms, such as staff list, Staff missions, training programs, staff absence (annual leave, home leave, excused absence and maternity leave) as well as statistical data when required on staff.
  • Manage create process reports in SAP.
  • Store inventory control, reception, management and distribution of promotional items

Selection Criteria

• Hold at least a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Commerce, Administration or related discipline;
• Training in secretarial Science and/or Administration and Office Management is advantageous;
• Have a minimum of five (5) years of relevant and practical experience in administrative and secretarial roles, in similar offices of international Organizations, Development Banks or similar institutions;
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Good knowledge of administration and office support services, including systems and procedures;
• Good coordination skills - methodical and self-organized;
• Demonstrable commitment to delivering excellent customer service focused reception and administration service;
• Good interpersonal, planning and organizational skills;
• Ability to think quickly to respond to immediate requests;
• Flexibility to adapt, positive attitude towards change, and a constructive and creative approach to problem solving;
• Proficiency in the use of standard equipment (computer, fax, scanner, photocopies, etc.);
• Communication;
• Problem Solving;
• Client Orientation;
• Team working;
• Operational Effectiveness;
• Innovation and Creativity;
• Attention to detail;
• Ability to communicate effectively (written and oral) in English or French, preferably with a working knowledge of the other;
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SAP and/or other integrated document management system).