Executive Assistant, Africa

Title: Executive Assistant, Africa

Department: Africa Programs

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights worldwide. With offices in New York City, and Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; and Geneva, Switzerland, the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center’s human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has fueled the Center’s exceptional growth to an operating budget of more than $50 million and won the respect of law firms worldwide. Our global pro bono network includes over 2,100 lawyers across 6 continents, 88 countries, and 125 law firms, contributing over $30 million USD in pro bono legal services annually. The Center’s Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world’s population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they were in 2020. The Center has a record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights. We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. The Center has also led development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights. It has built the legal capacity of women’s rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting. To learn more about the Center, please go to www.reproductiverights.org

The Job: Reporting to the Vice President (VP), Africa, the Executive Assistant will ensure smooth and effective coordination of activities (planning and operations) activities of the Senior Regional Director’s Office. The incumbent will work closely with members of the Africa Team, serving as a liaison for internal and external programmatic and operational projects, responsible for daily operations and ensuring the timely flow of information to and from the VP’s Office. The successful candidate will have proven experience managing multiple assignments, actions and tasks with competing priorities and deadlines and organizing and maintaining administrative operations and processes. The role primarily supports the VP but will be required to work with the Africa Team and may liaise closely with other global teams within the organization.

The Executive Assistant will be based in Nairobi, Kenya on a hybrid model of 3 days in office and 2 days work from home.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Oversee the day-to-day activities of the VP’s office including providing the delivery of quality, high-level administrative support specifically regarding meeting preparation/follow-up. S/he will organize the VP’s meetings (both virtual and in-person) and manage the daily schedule of the VP, ensuring that she knows her schedule (appointments and meetings) 24 hours in advance and amendments are done whenever necessary. S/he will also keep the VP well informed about upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately and keeping her appraised and updated.
• Manage the VP’s calendar to reflect strategic priorities and help in effective time management and manage an extremely active and dynamic calendar of appointments; coordinate activities, such as conferences, field visits, internally and externally organized workshops and other tasks that facilitate the VP’s ability to lead the Africa Program.
• Assume responsibility for the overall planning, execution, and related logistics for the VP’s travel schedule. The incumbent will organize arrange complex and detailed travel plans, trip planning calls with internal/external stakeholders, develop written, detailed schedules, confirm travel plans and appointments, manage all related transportation and lodging plans, complete expense requests and reports; itineraries, agendas, and compile documents for travel-related meetings.
• Ensure the VP is prepared for all internal and external meetings through oversight and organization of all briefing memos, remarks, and request/prepare agendas in advance; assist with and provide research/background information, content development, and creation of presentations; coordinate meetings and take meeting notes. S/he will also on own initiative process/compose correspondence/reports for the VP and prepare correspondence that is confidential.
• Serve as liaison between VP and Africa Program Units as well as other departments, attend meetings, develop agendas, record minutes, maintain records, monitor action items, and follow-up and follow through on pending meeting notes, correspondence, and key actions and ensure seamless communication with all relevant parties as appropriate.
• Manage the information flow in and out of the VP’s Office (manage the VP’s inbox and incoming email) and prioritize for attention and drafting responses as appropriate and screen and prioritize communications as appropriate.
• Manage external contacts for the VP, proactively understanding who they are, which are the priority contacts, and keeping track of periodic communication needed for priority contacts.
• Prioritizes conflicting needs, handles matters expeditiously and proactively, and follows through on project requests for successful completion, often with deadline pressures.
• Collaborates with internal and cross-functional teams, external parties as well as communicates effectively with all levels of employees and external contacts.
• The incumbent may be called upon from time to time to back stop the Executive Assistant to the Chief Programs Officer or support other program teams as delegated by the VP.

Qualifications:

• Commitment to the Center’s mission, purpose, and values.
• Bachelor’s Degree in relevant studies including human resources, strategic management, executive leadership management, law, Management, or a related field required. Post-graduate qualifications such as master’s degree or post-graduate in relevant disciplines relating to executive leadership, management, human resources, program/project will be a significant advantage.
• A minimum of eight years’ work experience directly supporting a senior leader at a Corporate, International/Non-Governmental Organization, Donor Agency, or Embassy as an Executive Assistant is required. Additional experience liaising with and supporting senior leaders at a complex, fast paced environment is required.
• Demonstrated ability to handle and maintain confidentiality with sensitive information, (in a professional and discreet manner), highly organized, strong work ethic, ability to exercise initiative and work independently with a keen eye for detail.
• S/he must be able to work proactively and independently, multi-task, and work under tight deadlines; be adaptable to the changing requirements and able to efficiently handle the influx of various requests from various stakeholders within the organization in addition to other internal and external requests for support.
• Professional language proficiency in English; any additional language is an asset.
• Must be highly organized, with a strong work ethic and attention to detail, and a demonstrated ability to adapt to change and manage and prioritize a diverse workload;
• S/he must display an approachable, and friendly demeanor, strong customer service skills and able to leverage a diplomatic solutions-oriented approach in a calm, focused and professional manner.
• Ability to work in a multicultural, diverse, and highly performance-driven environment.
• Excellent verbal communication skills, presentation, writing, editing, and proofreading skills is essential.
• Excellent computer skills including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint; well experienced with virtual platforms for meeting scheduling (Teams, Zoom, Meet, Webex BlueJeans) and curiosity to adapt to new technologies at the Center.

Compensation: The annual salary for this position is KES 6,600,000.

Benefits:

• Health: The Center pays up to 90%* of the premium for a comprehensive health insurance plan with no in-network deductible and best-in-class reproductive healthcare coverage, including infertility. The Center also offers Dental and Vision coverage. (* % may differ in various countries).
• Flexibility: The Center currently operates in a hybrid model, requiring staff to work 3 days per week in the office and allowing work 2 days per week from home.
• Well-being: The Center offers resources to help prevent and recover from burnout through different programs that enable mental, physical, and community well-being. The Center provides generous leave, including paid parental leave, personal days, vacation, and sick leave. We are closed the last week of December to allow staff to spend winter holiday time with their loved ones.
• Growth: You will be working with and learning from some of the top legal and operational minds, all passionate about advancing reproductive rights worldwide. You will also be eligible for a stipend to use towards professional growth.
• Global: You will get a front-row seat to the fight for reproductive rights globally. You will have access to Employee Resource Groups to connect to colleagues with similar interests/backgrounds/views.
• Investment: After the first year of employment, the Center will contribute 7.5%* of your annual salary to a 401(k) (*applicable only in US and Kenya).

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role but unsure about whether your experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles. To learn more about the Center’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights.

Center policy on visa sponsorship for U.S.-based positions: Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by The Center for Reproductive Rights.

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