Executive Officer – ARO

Background

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) is a global leader in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and a staunch advocate for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) worldwide. With a network of 120 national organizations, referred to as Member Associations (MAs), IPPF works tirelessly to serve communities and individuals, providing essential contraception services in 89 of 120 countries. In 64 of these countries, IPPF stands as the sole large-scale international provider, delivering over 1 billion cumulative services between 2016 and 2022.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the overarching goal of IPPF Africa Region (IPPFAR) is to increase access to SRHR services to the most vulnerable youth, men, and women in sub-Saharan Africa. For more information, please read our 2022 profile (in English and French) here.

Role Purpose:

IPPF ARO is seeking a dynamic, versatile, and highly-organized Executive Officer to perform personalized administrative duties for senior management, specifically the Regional Director’s Office (RDO). The Executive Officer will be responsible for planning, budgeting, and reporting within the RDO, as well as organizing workshops, events, and official meetings. The role also entails maintaining the highest degree of integrity, flexibility, teamwork, and confidentiality.

Role Deliverables:

• Reporting to senior management and performing secretarial and administrative duties.
• Developing, coordinating, and implementing the Regional Director’s office program budget.
• Typing, formatting, and editing reports, documents, and presentations.
• Entering data, maintaining databases, and keeping records.
• Liaising with internal departments, answering calls, and making travel arrangements.
• Managing internal and external correspondence on behalf of senior management.
• Scheduling appointments, maintaining an events calendar, and sending reminders.
• Copying, scanning, and faxing documents, as well as taking notes.
• Preparing facilities for scheduled events and arranging refreshments, if required.
• Organizing and overseeing official meetings and conferences, including preparation and reporting.
• Coordinating the planning, budgeting, and logistics for workshops, events, and travel.
• Any other reasonable duties as may be requested from time to time.

Key Skills/Expertise:

• A first degree in Social Sciences, International Relations, Communication, Business Administration, or any other related field.
• A minimum of one-year executive-level support experience, ideally in an international setting, including office management, administration, and secretarial support is desirable.
• Excellent office management skills, including proficiency in appointment scheduling software such as MS Outlook, as well as conference call apps (Teams/Zoom, etc.).
• Strong interpersonal skills for effective communication with diverse, multicultural, and multilingual groups – articulate, tactful, and diplomatic.
• Demonstrates a high degree of integrity, flexibility, and an understanding of the importance of confidentiality.
• Supportive of a woman’s right to choose and to have access to safe abortion services.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills to handle multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines.
• Flexible and a team player.
• Excellent writing/drafting skills.
• Fluent in English; good working knowledge of French desirable.
• Advanced-level IT skills – Extensive experience in creating documents and spreadsheets using office software such as MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Commitment to safeguarding in both local and international contexts.
• Ability to thrive in a diverse, multicultural, multilingual, and intergenerational environment that promotes anti-racism and respect for others.

Competencies:

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of (related field). Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.