Administrative Assistant (AfCDC) at African Union(AU)

Purpose of Job

• 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.   
• Officially launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2017 as a specialized technical institution of the African Union, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is Africa's first continent-wide public health agency. Africa CDC envisions a safer, healthier, integrated, and stronger Africa, where the Member States can effectively respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases and other public health threats.
• The agency's mission is to strengthen the capabilities of Africa's public health institutions and systems to detect and respond quickly and effectively to disease outbreaks and other health burdens through an integrated network of continent-wide surveillance, laboratory, disease control and prevention, preparedness and response, and research programs.
• To achieve its mission, the Africa CDC works in all geographic regions of the African continent and has instituted technical divisions to focus on five priority areas, namely Surveillance and -Disease Intelligence, Laboratory Systems and Networks, Disease Control and Prevention, Preparedness and Response, and Public Health Institutes and research.
• The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for performing a variety of administrative and clerical tasks to support our organization’s daily operations.
• The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, be able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks, and have a strong attention to detail.

Main Functions

• Maintain and update files and databases.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments.
• Monitor and order office supplies.
• Handle incoming and outgoing mail and packages.
• Communication and Correspondence.
• Answer and direct phone calls and emails.
• Draft and distribute correspondence, reports, and other documents.
• Assistance and Support.
• Assist visitors and clients.
• Assist with the preparation of presentations and other materials.
• Perform other administrative and clerical duties as needed.

Specific Responsibilities

• Ensure that daily administrative support is provided in general and specialized areas. 
• Schedule appointments, meetings and travel arrangements which may include coordinating arrangements for multiple participants.
• Create, update and maintain organized files and records including a system for tracking, monitoring and prioritizing tasks.
• Ensuring confidentiality of information and management records is guaranteed.
• Prepare correspondences, executive summary, reports, briefing papers, power point presentations and other documents as required.
• Liaising effectively with internal and external stakeholders including building and maintaining relationships with individuals and groups who have a vested interest in the work of the organization, such as clients, vendors, contractors, and colleagues.
• Monitor meeting and correspondences outcomes and decisions and follow-up on their implementation.
• Prepare and participate in various meetings and take minutes and/or notes.
• Responsible for day-to-day communication correspondence including answering and prioritizing calls, and email.
• Responsible for coordinating logistic arrangements including visas, flights, hotels, meetings, transportation and other required logistics support. 
• Ensures complete travel packages to staff in advance of departure.
• Prepares travel claims for executive and management staff and other staff as appropriate.
• Sourcing and ordering stationery and office equipment as may be required. 
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by Supervisors.
• Assist in general office management.

Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience

• A minimum of Diploma in Secretarial Science, Office Management, or Management is required with three (3) years of relevant work experience.  

OR

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Secretarial Science or Office Management or related field with two (2) years relevant work experience.
• Work experience in administrative and/or secretarial work.
• Experience in Office Management is mandatory.

Required Skills:

• Excellent communication (written and verbal)
• Prioritization and problem-solving skills
• Organization and planning.
• Attention to detail.
• Customer service
• Time management skills
• Proactive, self-starter
• Proficiency in one of the AU working languages is required (English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Portuguese or Spanish).
• Fluency in English and knowledge of any additional language is an added advantage.

Leadership Competencies:

• Flexibility
• Risk Awareness and Compliance

Core Competencies:

• Teamwork and Collaboration;
• Accountability awareness and Compliance
• Learning Orientation
• Communicating Clearly

Functional Competencies:

• Trouble shooting.
• Job Knowledge and Information Sharing
• Task Focused.
• Continuous Improvement Awareness.

Tenure of Appointment

• The appointment shall be for an initial period of one (1) year, the first three (3) months of which shall be on probation.
• It shall be renewable subject to performance and availability of funds.

Gender Mainstreaming:

• The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Remuneration

• The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of US$ 55,174.63 (GSA5 Step 5) inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$  22,656.97  inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission.