Job # 112238
Job Title Program Assistant
Job Family Administration
Location Nairobi, Kenya
Appointment Local Hire
Closing Date 04-Dec-2011
Language Requirements English [Essential]
Background
The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), is a multi-donor trust funded program administered by the World Bank, comprising a field-based network of over 70 professionals based in four regional teams (Africa, East Asia Pacific, Latin America, and South Asia) managed from a small headquarters team in Washington, DC. The WSP-Africa regional team (WSP-AF) has its HQ in Nairobi, with a sub-regional hub in Dakar.
WSP’s mission is to support the poor in obtaining sustainable access to water and sanitation services. WSP believes that improved water and sanitation services and hygiene practices are integral to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on poverty reduction, health, gender equality, and the environment. WSP is committed to being part of the collective efforts of the development community to achieve Targets 10 and 11 of the MDGs as an intermediate milestone of the vision of the sector. WSP will bring this mission into reality in two ways: (a) Direct means, to support implementation of sector dialogue, knowledge exchange, and capacity building; and (b) Indirect means, to help immediate counterparts and partners to build large-scale sustainable programs, support policy development and sector reforms, engage in action-learning innovative pilot projects that serve in particular the poor. For more information on WSP’s strategy, operations and products please visit: www.wsp.org.
Background for the Program Assistant Post – Nairobi, Kenya
WSP has a 5-year business plan that covers the following 6 business lines:
1. Scaling up rural sanitation and hygiene
2. Creating Sustainable Services through Domestic Private Sector Participation
3. Supporting poor-inclusive WSS sector reform
4. Targeting the urban poor and improving services in small towns
5. Mitigating and adapting WSS delivery to climate change impacts
6. Delivering WSS services in fragile states
Each business area is anchored with a focus of helping governments monitor for improved service provision to ensure sustainability, make the best use of available resources, and inform sector planning. Assessing progress towards targets and reporting the results is vital and is an important step towards achieving the water and sanitation MDG targets.
In Africa, WSP is recognized as a leading source of knowledge and expertise on WSS policy and practices. Through its country and thematic work, WSP-Africa seeks to develop new and comparative bodies of knowledge in areas that are judged most likely to assist achieving the WSS MDGs. Thematic support to countries is consolidated within the framework of national action plans to meet the WSS MDGs, whilst specific country support is focused on neglected sector components, such as rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene services to the urban poor, and sector finance. WSP-Africa also supports advocacy and sharing of best practice information across the region.
WSP-Africa seeks to appoint a Program Assistant who will provide bilingual support to the office of the Principal Regional Team Leader in the delivery of the Unit’s work program covering 12 focus countries. Located in Nairobi, the Program Assistant will provide administrative and client support services.
Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2 year coterminous term appointment. Internal applicants with open ended or regular appointments must obtain a re-entry to their current unit.
Duties and Accountabilities
The Program Assistant will:
a) Serve as a first contact point (bilingual) to the office of the Principal Regional Team Leader for both staff and external clients;
b) Manage the schedule of the Principal Regional Team Leader, including effective prioritizing and resolving time conflicts and competing demands;
c) Draft/finalize correspondence on a range of topics on behalf of the Principal Regional Team Leader and prepare minutes of meetings as needed;
d) Supervise the Administrative and client support staff including coaching, mentoring and evaluating the staff; and be accountable for the smooth operation of the office support work and related systems (back – ups) assuming primary responsibility for organizing and coordinating workflow;
e) Coordinate closely with the Principal Regional Team Leader on a range of human resource issues including recruitment of Administrative and client support staff /temporaries, including back up for leave and time recording;
f) Coordinate closely with the Resource Management Officer on a range of office administrative issues including management and allocation of resources (office space etc);
g) Support and work collaboratively with members of the WSP Africa team as well as with colleagues in the Kenya Country Office and other World Bank Group offices on a range of administrative issues;
h) Identify and resolve diverse issues/problems especially of an administrative nature, which often require interpretation of existing procedures and processes and independently determine the appropriate action;
i) Play a lead role in organization and coordination of corporate events emanating from the office of the Principal Regional Team Leader such as national, regional and international meetings;
j) Travel, as needed, both nationally and internationally, on official business;
k) Perform additional tasks on an ad hoc basis, such as providing support to Task Team Leaders, translations and other unit requirements;
Selection Criteria
Essential:
The Program Assistant should:
a) Minimum of bachelors’ degree and/ or college diploma preferably in Business Administration or other related field;
b) Have seven years experience in similar or related positions, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility in a large international organization;
c) Have strong written and verbal communication skills in English and French to draft correspondence on a range of topics and ensure quality of documents requiring signature of Principal Regional Team Leader;
d) Thorough knowledge and use of all relevant computer software, including advanced functions of standard computer applications such as Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes, internet software and the ability to help organize data and information retrieval system;
e) Strong interpersonal skills in order to deal tactfully and effectively with internal/external contacts at all levels;
f) High degree of integrity, maturity, judgment and tact in handling sensitive and confidential material;
g) Effective analytical, research and problem solving skills;
h) Proven ability to lead, coach and supervise Administrative and Client Support staff, including training and mentoring, promoting excellence and managing conflicts;
i) Proven skills in planning, prioritizing and coordinating work and other activities internally and externally;
j) Ability to work effectively in a multicultural environment and able to produce high quality work under pressure;
k) Ability to carry through initiatives independently;
l) Successfully complete World Bank tests in place at the time of recruitment as required
To Apply
http://extjobs.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64778838&pagePK=64273550&piPK=64778831&theSitePK=1058433
Closing Date 04-Dec-2011
