Senior Administrative Assistant, Governance

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. As part of its mission to save lives, reduce poverty and protect the world against the threat of epidemics, Gavi has helped vaccinate more than 822 million children in the world’s poorest countries, preventing more than 14 million future deaths. Gavi’s impact draws on the strengths of its core partners, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and plays a critical role in strengthening primary health care (PHC), bringing us closer to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), ensuring that no one is left behind.

BACKGROUND

The Governance team ensures that the Board has the proper advice and resources needed for discharging its responsibilities, and that the records of the Board’s actions reflect that the Board has done so. The team informs the Board of governance best practices from the public-sector and corporate spheres and is a key relationship manager between the Board and the Secretariat. It is also responsible for advising the Board on its forward workplan and operations and does so responsively and collaboratively. In line with Gavi’s transparent practices, the minutes of the Board and its Committees are available on Gavi’s website once approved. The Governance Team provides similar functions to Gavi’s affiliate organisations. In total, the Governance team manages as many as 40-45 or more meetings per year.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Ensure effective and efficient functioning of the Governance department focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Occasional preparation of briefing materials for appointments; meetings, missions;
• Undertake travel arrangements for Governance team members;
• Preparation of correspondence on behalf of the Director, Governance for signature and ensuring follow-up when required;
• Management of email and correspondence flow, ensuring prioritisation and effective follow-up;
• Management of calendar of Director, Governance, ensuring prioritisation and effective follow-up.

Provide support to effective advocacy of the Governance activities in close consultation with the Director and Head, Governance as appropriate focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Render dedicated support to the Head, Governance and Senior Manager, Governance as designated/allocated from time to time but with some flexibility in providing cross support to the Governance team generally as circumstances will require regardless of designated assignments or job responsibilities;
• Coordination of the information flow in the Governance department and follow up;
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken;
• Maintenance of the filing system and ensuring its accuracy and completeness at all times;
• Direct responses to enquiries or redirect them to the substantive focal points within the Governance team;
• Preparation of public information materials/folders as requested;
• Provide information and guidance to staff at all levels to ensure understanding of intent and deadlines.

Provide administrative support to the Board and Committees focusing on achieving the following results:

• Provide logistic and administrative support to Board and Committee meetings (in-person and virtual), including event planning, event execution and event closure, formatting papers and presentations;
• Proper control of the supporting documents for the Board and Committee meetings;
• Maintenance of internal expenditures control system which ensures that Requisitions and Purchase Orders are processed in SAP and travel requests and claims processed in MobileXpense in conformity with Gavi rules and regulations.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

ACADEMIC

• Secondary education with specialised administrative office management training;
• University degree or equivalent in economics, social sciences, international relations, or other relevant field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 3 to 5 years of progressively responsible administrative or programme experience is required;
• Relevant professional experience in international, governmental or non-governmental organisation, including previous experience working with boards and committees;
• Good knowledge of institutional or organisation policies, systems and procedures;
• Excellent computer skills (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint);
• Financial literacy would be an advantage, including knowledge of SAP.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Ability to work in a team; and to work in complex and political settings;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, with excellent awareness and understanding of cultural sensitivities;
• Ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines with uncertainty and ambiguity and at times with minimum supervision;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and persuasion skills and ability to work collaboratively;
• Good project management skills;
• Excellent detail-orientation;
• Ability to multi-task, prioritise and follow-up;
• Logical thought processes;
• Solutions-based approach to problem solving;
• Ability to demonstrate tact and discretion at all times.

LANGUAGES

• Written and spoken fluency in English and French.

CONTACTS

• Extensive contact with staff at all levels;
• Gavi Alliance Board and Committee members and their support staff;
• Gavi Alliance partner staff, including:
  • Developing country health ministries and constituencies;
  • Donor government foreign ministries;
  • Civil society;
  • WHO;
  • World Bank;
  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation;
  • UNICEF.
• External service providers, including: hotels; restaurants; caterers; transport companies.