Administrative Assistant

The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) is one of 15 Future Harvest centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). As a global leader in Agroforestry research and development, ICRAF’s ultimate purpose is to improve human welfare by reducing poverty, increasing cash income, improving food and nutritional security, and environmental resilience through improved Agroforestry systems. ICRAF has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and works in 16 countries throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The West and Central Africa (WCA) with the Regional Office in Yaounde – Cameroon covers a vast geographical area made for 21 countries with a population of 330 million people and covers a surface area of about 1200 million ha. The region’s activities are carried out in the Sahel, Upper Guinea and in the Humid Tropics zone. The Sahel node (WCA/Sahel) has offices in Bamako, Mali and operates in Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The ultimate goal of the WCA-Sahel is to improve the socio-economic welfare and food security of millionsresource-poor rural smallholder farmers in the Sahelian node and beyond using agroforestry based innovations to increase and diversify agricultural production and farmers’ income while reducing the threat of desertification by combining scientific knowledge and farmers expertise. The team is composed with 15 permanent staff members and many collaborators from partner institutions, including the National Agricultural Research Systems. ICRAF is looking for an Administrative Assistant for the Sahel Node to be based in Bamako, Mali.
The position and overall purpose of the job
Under the direct supervision of the Sahel Node Coordinator, with guidance of the Sahel Finance Officer and the WCA Regional Human Resources Officer, the incumbent will have the following responsibilities:
– Receive and screen all incoming telephone calls
– Receive and screen visitors
– Reception, registration and dispatching of external courier and emails
– Draft correspondences and letters in English and in French
– Take notes and prepare minutes during internal meetings
– Handle Node Coordinator diary (dates, meetings and trips)
– Prepare Travel Authorization, Travel advances and reports of the Node Coordinator
– Provide assistance to in organizing national and regional seminars, workshops, training courses and other meetings within the node.
– Visa processing and bookings (flight, hotels and conference room) for visitors and staff during meetings and seminars or trips
– Handle a board (schedule) for the different upcoming trips of the staff
– Handle petty cash and fuel coupons, produce the financial report and the request for the replenishment as per ICRAF procedures
– Manage office supplies (request and dispatching) and produce monthly report
– Monitor monthly roster for the Sahel Node
– Assist with the monthly recapitulative of the vehicle movement order
– In liaison with the Regional Human Resources Officer, perform the following HR functions for the Sahel Node : coordinate recruitment, Update and maintain staff files, monitor contract expiry dates and prepare documentation for renewal, updating Sahel Node staff list, updating and monitoring Sahel Node staff leave, organizing the staff welfare events and training, prepare induction schedule for new staff in the Sahel Node, ensure leavers follow clearance procedures.
– Perform any other task assigned by the hierarchy, but only limited to the job duties
Qualifications required:
– Bachelor in Business Administration, HND in administrative management, Human Resources Management or any related first degree diploma as per the job requirement
– Minimum of five years working experience preferable in an international organization
– Mastery of computer (Microsoft office word, Excel, PowerPoint, publisher etc) and internet;
– Capability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team;
– Very good communication and writing skills ;
– Must be bilingual, very fluent in both French and English;
– Good presentation, very organized and excellent interpersonal skills
– Ability to work under pressure and in a multicultural environment.
Terms of offer
ICRAF offers a competitive salary and benefits package, and a collegial and gender-sensitive working environment. The contract is for an initial period of 2 years, subject to a probation period according to the local law, annual assessment of performance and availability of resources. Applicants are invited to send soft copies of detailed curriculum vitae, and addresses of three referees (including telephone, fax numbers and email address). All correspondence should be addressed to the Sahel Node Coordinator, ICRAF-WCA/Sahel BP E5118 Bamako – Mali Tel (223) 20 23 50 00 Fax E-mail [email protected], copy to [email protected]
Applications will be considered until 8th March 2012.
Only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.
We invite you to learn more about ICRAF by accessing our web site: https://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org