ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

PRACTICAL ACTION
ABOUT US
We are an international development organisation putting ingenious ideas to work so people in poverty can change their world.
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems. Challenges made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. We collaborate with communities to develop ingenious, lasting, and locally owned solutions for agriculture, water and waste management, climate resilience and clean energy. And we share what works with others, so answers that start small can grow big.
We are committed to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through all our work. This includes programmes, knowledge sharing, advocacy, external communications, and our own organisational development. At a minimum, we ensure that all our work is gender sensitive, seeking gender transformative approaches as our overall ambition and in accordance with context.
We are a global change-making group. The group consists of a UK registered charity with community projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, an independent development publishing company and a technical consulting service. We combine these specialisms to multiply our impact and help shape a world that works better for everyone.

OUR AIMS
We help people find solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems, made worse by catastrophic climate change and persistent gender inequality. Our aims are to:
• Make agriculture work better for smallholder farmers, many of them women, so they can adapt to climate change and achieve a good standard of living.
• Help more people harness the transformational effects of clean affordable energy and reduce avoidable deaths caused by smoke from indoor stoves and fires.
• Make cities in poorer countries cleaner, healthier places to live and work.
• Build disaster resilience into the lives of people threatened by hazards – reducing the risk of hazards and minimizing their impact on lives and livelihoods.

PRACTICAL ACTION KENYA
In Kenya, Practical Action has a long history of addressing systemic barriers that prevent people from accessing energy that transforms their lives, helping communities and government make cities healthier and safer, making agriculture and markets work better for small holder farmers and supporting communities and government to become more resilient.
We use a mix of programming with communities and consultancy services with shapers of policy and practice to achieve our aims.

ABOUT THE ROLE
The Administrative Assistant is responsible for managing the day-to-day administration and procurement activities for Practical Action’s Nairobi Office, Kenya. He/she will provide seamless administrative support to ensure efficient operations of the office.

ACCOUNTABILITIES
Africa Director’s support
• Maintain an up-to-date calendar of events and/or appointments for the Africa Director.
• Schedule meetings and interviews for the Africa Director with third parties and make logistical arrangements for the Africa Director meetings outside the office.
• Organize for the Africa Director’s travel by getting invitation letters, arranging for visas and flights.
Front Office Reception
• Receive and screen visitors to the office, assisting them with enquiries /references while directing them appropriately.
• Call and fix appointments with external interlocutors upon request (Authorities, lawyer, & HQs.).
• Take note of all messages left on the answering machine every morning and ensure proper transmission to correspondents.
• Propose and champion for ways to manage phone utilization costs.
• Summarize monthly bills for telephone and courier and provide input to finance department for charging to specific project budgets.
• Ensure that the front office reception is maintained, neat, tidy and welcoming at all times.
• Incoming and outgoing mail management, record and dispatch cheques and other payments made by the office for collection/delivery.
• Manage the office diary, i.e. booking the meeting rooms, recording workshop dates, travelling dates and manage staff movement.
• Maintain and update the Practical action contact lists for stakeholders and service providers.
• Accurate filing of documents and correspondence while ensuring there is efficient movement of documents within the office.
• Preparation of requisitions for office stationery, kitchen items and toiletries.
• Attend meetings as expected and participate accordingly.
• Manage the general e-mail addresses, incoming & outgoing official calls and ensure that information is distributed to appropriate staff in a timely manner.
• Work closely with the Office Assistant and provide cover for each other as appropriate.
Logistics & Procurement Support
The administrative assistant, in conjunction with the Procurement and Logistics officer will assist in performing procurement and logistics functions including and not limited to:
• Support in the strengthening of internal controls around asset management ensuring Practical Action’s assets are safeguarded at all times.
• Assist in the preparation of procurement requests of office supplies for onward processing to the Procurement and Logistics officer.
• Assist in tracking orders and ensuring timely delivery of the same.
• Provide support in receiving goods and services while ensuring right quantities are delivered and quality services are rendered as per respective purchase orders.
• Take part in preparation of project procurement plans.
• Assist in responding to queries from internal and external clients regarding procurement matters.
• Manage and monitor office stock levels and identify office purchase requirements.
• Facilitating travel/transport arrangements for staff and visitors including airline tickets, office vehicles and taxis, subject to appropriate approvals.
• Arranging/making reservations of hotel accommodation for staff and visitors and process the associated costs.
• Provide support in identifying and booking suitable meeting venues for official Practical Action meetings and ensure availability of all materials and equipment required at competitive rates.
• Assist in maintaining relevant internal databases and procurement files in a chronological order
• Assist in maintaining and tracking vendors’ contractual agreements on an annual basis
• Receiving approved invoices and ensuring payments are processed on a timely basis and forwarded to finance for remittance.
• Conduct regular checks on office maintenance (furniture and fittings) and report any defects to the Procurement and Logistics coordinator.
• Provide support in international travel requirements for staff and visitors to Kenya.
• Keep record and collate information for updating the Carbon footprint measurements tool (paper consumption, LPG use)

PERSON PROFILE
To be successful in the role, the ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate:
Experience & Knowledge
• Bachelor’s in business administration, Supply Chain, or related field.
• At least 3 years relevant working experience in a similar position

Essential
• Excellent administrative skills
• Good communication (verbal and written) skills in English.
• Good inter-personal skills and ability to work in a team with minimal supervision.
• Ability to organize multiple tasks and prioritize appropriately.
• Ability to handle confidential information in a discreet and professional manner.
• Practical experience in the use of the Internet, email and MS Office applications (spreadsheets)
• Time management skills.

A detailed job description can be accessed here- https://practicalaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/JD-Administrative-Assistant.pdf