BACKGROUND
The Secretary position sits within the Somalia Office in the USAID Kenya and East Africa Mission. Somalia is a critical strategic priority country for U.S. foreign policy and USAID development assistance. The incumbent will be supervised by the Office Chief, or his/her designate, and will serve as Secretary to the Office Director, Deputy Office Director and the Stabilization, Economic Growth and Social Services, Democracy Rights and Governance, and Program teams within the Somalia Office. The incumbent will require a good working knowledge of office staff assignments, office procedures and practices, including filing USAID documentation. With frequent travel into Somalia by team members, this person will be the primary focal point for all travel preparations. The incumbent must also have the ability to exercise judgment in determining priorities in conflicting work requirements and making decisions on matters of routine office management. The incumbent ensures that all routine administrative functions are completed on time, and maintains official files for the Somalia Office.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Administrative and Secretarial Support (55%)
The Secretary schedules appointments based on a good knowledge of the supervisor’s commitments and maintains the Office calendar, reminding the supervisor and others of meetings and appointments. The Secretary takes messages in the absence of the supervisor and other staff, directing callers to other staff members, or answering questions personally; receives and assists visitors, schedules meetings for the supervisor, and, participates in maintaining conference room schedules, in coordination with the Secretary to the Mission Director, other Office Secretaries, and with other Mission administrative staff, arranging for conference room space as required by the size of the group. The Secretary will be responsible for leave tracking and planning, maintaining the training calendar, time and attendance (Web TA). Incumbent will support local and international travel for the Somalia Office staff, including preparation of E2 travel requests, electronic country clearance (ECC) requests, hotel reservations, motor pool requests, applications for visas and permits, diplomatic notes, and other required documentation. H/She will arrange for modifications to staff TDY travel and related paperwork as needed, per USAID guidelines. Arranges air transport for Somalia Office staff and/or visitors, when necessary (e.g. ECHO Flights, UN Charter Flights). Arranges Somalia Office hosted conferences, receptions, and events including location selection, administrative and logistical matters and corresponding procurement actions.
Applicant will serve as a backstop to the Program Management Assistants within the Somalia Office. Support includes management of office supplies and replenishment, sorting of mail, ensuring that copy machines, printers, and scanners are in good working order, submitting Requisitions to GSO for needed repairs, and other office support tasks. The secretary will be required to support special events hosted by the Somalia Office.
B. Mail, Correspondence, and Report Processing (45%)
The Secretary maintains control of all correspondence for the Office, establishing and maintaining computerized tracking systems to track Office actions, receiving and screening Office mail not addressed to a particular individual, drafting responses to routine correspondence and letters in English and distributing incoming official mail to Office personnel and attaching pertinent background material, and searching files and records to assemble background information for correspondence and other pending actions. The Secretary reviews outgoing mail for proper address, routing, attachments, etc., prior to dispatch, reviewing outgoing correspondence for accuracy and conformance with Mission formatting procedures and special instructions. The Secretary distributes internal policies and procedures and, as necessary, maintains a record of when staff received the new policy and/or procedure.
The Secretary uses PC-based word processing, spreadsheet, and charting software in the performance of a variety of assignments, types a variety of correspondence, creates electronic tables, develops charts, and prepares other documents in draft and final form, proofing for format and consistency with standard formatting requirements, prior to submitting for signature. As required, the Secretary locates documents routed for clearance, and obtains and tracks clearances and signatures.
Performs other duties as assigned or required.
Performs other duties as assigned or required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Any application that does not meet the minimum requirements stated below will not be evaluated. Only short listed applicants will be contacted. If you have not been contacted within one month from the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.
A. Education-20%: College and/or two years of post-secondary schooling in Secretarial Certification is required.
B. Prior Work Experience-30%: Three years of progressively responsible work experience, of which two years should be in related work with the USG, NGOs, other donor organizations, or host-government organizations. Experience in an English-language work environment is preferred.
C. Post Entry Training: A candidate will be provided familiarization training on USG operations, and on specific regulations and procedures (such as records management, travel, and correspondence management). Basic computer training including software applications for word processing. USG secretarial and office management courses, subject to course offering and availability of funds.
D. Language Proficiency-10%: Level IV (fluent) knowledge of English is required with excellent oral and written communication skills.
E. Job Knowledge-20%: The Secretary should have the ability to develop an excellent understanding of USAID file management, mail handling, and correspondence formatting. The incumbent must have a thorough knowledge and proficiency of office procedures and practices, including filing.
F. Skills and Abilities-20%: The Secretary must be proficient in typing and in operating computers with standard software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other software programs as designated. The Secretary must be proficient in using the Internet and E-mail.
POSITION ELEMENTS
A. Supervision Received: The Secretary receives supervision from the Office Chief, and/or his/her designee, who provides assignments in terms of a discussion of the work to be performed and Office priorities. Most work occurs as a result of normal Office operations, but special activities may be assigned at any time. The Secretary independently plans and carries out assignments, and is responsible for the accuracy of their personal work; work is normally reviewed in terms of results achieved and in meeting Office objectives.
B. Supervision Exercised: None
C. Available Guidelines: In addition to oral and written instructions from the supervisor, guidelines include USAID Mission Orders, Administrative Notices, USG Regulations, and other guidance and directives from the Automated Directives System (ADS), USAID Fact Sheets, E-mails, and other sources.
D. Exercise of Judgment: The Secretary must use sound judgment in addressing tasks and responsibilities, and in setting work-related priorities. This is particularly important in dealing with working-level contacts within the Embassy, and with contractors, IPs, other donors, and host-government officials.
E. Authority to Make Commitments: Within the scope of the assignment, the Secretary is regularly called upon to maintain calendars and/or otherwise schedule meetings, to advise staff, callers, and visitors when work items or particular individuals will be available, and to otherwise provide appropriate information. The Secretary is not authorized to independently commit the USG to the expenditure of funds.
F. Nature, Level, and Purpose of Contacts: The incumbent will have contacts with all levels of Mission staff, and may have external contacts as necessary for the job, such as for arranging travel and setting up meetings for Somalia Office staff. The nature of these contacts will be principally administrative.
G. Time Required to Perform the Full Range of Duties: One year.
NOTE
Current USG employees must meet the "time-in-grade" requirement of 52 weeks in the previous lower grade to qualify for the position at the level in this vacancy announcement or be at the same grade for which the position is being recruited.
Current USG employees must meet the "time-in-grade" requirement of 52 weeks in the previous lower grade to qualify for the position at the level in this vacancy announcement or be at the same grade for which the position is being recruited.
HOW TO APPLY:
Step 1: Register in MyJobsInKenya at www.myjobsinkenya.com
Step 2: Complete the job application questionnaire at www.myjobsinkenya.com/usaid. The applicant must answer all the questions in the Questionnaire.
Step 3: Internal Applicants/Current USG Employees: Attach a memo explaining your qualifications for the position, updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), a copy of your most recent Performance Evaluation Report, and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment.
OR
External Applicants/Not Current USG Employees: Attach a letter explaining your qualifications for the position, updated curriculum vitae/resume (no more than five pages), and copies of all relevant certificates. Scan and attach all the documents as one attachment.
Note: All applications MUST be submitted online with a Cover Sheet. Incomplete application packages will not be considered. The closing date for receipt of applications is Thursday, May 5, 2016 at 4:30pm East Africa Time.
