2 Job Positions at AKADEMIYA2063: (Deadline 18 October 2021)

TITLE:

Budget and Grants Officer

POSITION #:

RW-NR21-005

LOCATION:

Kigali, Rwanda

RECRUITMENT TYPE:

National

POSITION SUMMARY

AKADEMIYA2063 (A2063) was established to continue and expand the portfolio of policy research and capacity-strengthening support for implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). AKADEMIYA2063 overall mission is to provide data, policy analysis, and capacity-strengthening support that enables African Union member states to achieve inclusive and sustainable development and economic prosperity. AKADEMIYA2063’s programs portfolio consists of The Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems (ReSAKSS), the African Growth and Development Policy (AGRODEP) Modeling Consortium, and the Malabo Montpellier Panel (MaMo Panel).

AKADEMIYA2063 has a vacancy for a Budget and Grants Officer (BGO) who will provide support to the Chief of Staff (CoS) to ensure efficient management of the budgeting and grants aspects of the organization’ projects and Programs. S/he will assist with the initial set-up of a broad range of grants, including proper maintenance of documentation thereof, and in the day-to-day work of project grants and contracts processes in coordination with other staff. The BGO will support pre-award management, grants receivables, internal monthly life of grant reports, grant audits, and budget compliance.

Through management of information and documentation flow, organization of/preparation for meetings and follow-up on actions required and deadlines/commitments made, and maintenance of protocol procedures. The successful candidate should possess a very high degree of initiative, a proven ability to handle multiple demands of a dynamic and evolving office; demonstrated reliability and resourcefulness combined with an excellent work ethic, strong interpersonal skills, and commitment to work in a team-oriented, multi-cultural environment.. Interested applicants must have the proper authorization to work in Rwanda.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities

 Under the overall guidance of the CoS, the BGO will perform the following duties:

• Support the development of proposals budgets and provide support in the post-award grant management process by ensuring compliance to donor regulations and adherence to all internal policies and procedures.
• Receive and organize all documentation relating to new awards and modifications, summarize key donor conditions on a Grant Data Sheet and distribute appropriate key information to applicable staff in a timely manner.
• Proactively disseminate information about up-coming grant milestones (grants coming to an end, reports due, grants closed, etc.) to appropriate staff (Project/Program Managers, Finance & Admin Staff, etc..) to ensure compliance with grant conditions.
• Assign personnel and other direct costs distribution, administer the timesheet system, ensuring timesheet updates and adjustments are in accordance with the organizational approved operating budget.
• Support the development of subaward documents, grant, and contract agreements; conduct pre-award reviews/ due diligence assessment of possible partners and/or grantee organizations, in addition to periodic monitoring reviews during implementation and at close-out. Maintain systems for grant and sub-grant tracking and reporting.
• Run and share weekly/monthly grant spending reports and analyze for correct spending pattern and compliance to donor budget; flag any key highlights requiring action to Chief of Staff and Director of Finance & Administration. Ensure all grants spending are on track and provide reports on any budget risks promptly.
• Run bi-monthly/monthly grants receivable and advance reports to ensure accurate and timely donor invoicing and drawdowns.
• Manage project database and support Grants Managers and coordinators in keeping an accurate and up-to-date Grants/Proposals Filing system on the Shared Drive to ensure documents are easily accessible for day-to-day work and internal/external audit purposes.
• Conduct desk research on donor rules and regulations for new opportunities or existing grants, as needed.
• Assemble data required on a recurrent basis to assist in the preparation of reports, analysis, and presentations on grantee/activity performance.
• Support the Grant close-out process to ensure that grants are closed out within budget and established timeframes.
• Support other projects, initiatives, work streams, and any other work, as assigned.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• Degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or closely related field. M.Sc. strongly preferred but a bachelor’s degree will be considered with two additional minimum years of relevant experience
• At least 4 years of relevant working experience within a donor-funded nonprofit organization
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required, French is a plus
• Solid knowledge of   grant management principles, including U.S. government funding, European Union, and German donors
• Experience communicating financial information to a non-financial audience

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Ability to organize and present issues in a clear, concise, and logical manner
• Strong technical skills, including MS Excel, and ability to navigate within accounting systems and other databases
• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines, exercise good judgment, and quickly identify and resolve problems with minimum supervision
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with the highest level of professionalism
• Ability to provide good customer service with patience and a sense of urgency
•  Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with staff, partners, and donor
• Ability to organize and present issues in a clear, concise, and logical manner
• Strong technical skills, including MS Excel, and ability to navigate within accounting systems and other databases
• Ability to manage competing priorities, meet demanding deadlines, exercise good judgment, and quickly identify and resolve problems with minimum supervision
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with the highest level of professionalism
• Ability to provide good customer service with patience and a sense of urgency
• Ability to work as part of a team in a multicultural environment
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact professionally with staff, partners, and donor

APPLICATION DETAILS

If you are interested in this position, please send your detailed e-mail application: CV and cover letter in English, by October 18, 2021, to careers@akademiya2063.org . Please include the position title in the subject line.

We thank all applicants for their interest in working for AKADEMIYA2063. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the available position. AKADEMIYA2063 reserves the right to change, revise, omit, and add in part / in whole this document

AKADEMIYA2063 is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

 To find out more about AKADEMIYA2063 visit our website at https://akademiya2063.org/ 

TITLE:

Executive Assistant

POSITION #:

RW-NR21-004

LOCATION:

Kigali, Rwanda

RECRUITMENT TYPE:

National

POSITION SUMMARY

AKADEMIYA2063 (A2063) was established to continue and expand the portfolio of policy research and capacity-strengthening support for implementing the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). AKADEMIYA2063 overall mission is to provide data, policy analysis, and capacity-strengthening support that enables African Union member states to achieve inclusive and sustainable development and economic prosperity. AKADEMIYA2063’s programs portfolio consists of The Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support Systems (ReSAKSS), the African Growth and Development Policy (AGRODEP) Modeling Consortium, and the Malabo Montpellier Panel (MaMo Panel).

AKADEMIYA2063 has a vacancy for an Executive Assistant who will work with the highest level of discretion to provide effective and efficient support to members of the Executive Office (i.e., Executive Chairperson, Managing Director, and Chief of Staff) through management of information and documentation flow, organization of/preparation for meetings and follow-up on actions required and deadlines/commitments made, and maintenance of protocol procedures. The successful candidate should possess a very high degree of initiative, a proven ability to handle multiple demands of a dynamic and evolving office; demonstrated reliability and resourcefulness combined with an excellent work ethic, strong interpersonal skills, and commitment to work in a team-oriented, multi-cultural environment.. Interested applicants must have the proper authorization to work in Rwanda.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Chief of Staff, ensuring full confidentiality in all aspects of assignments, the Executive Assistant will perform the following duties:

• Responsible for highly proactive time, travel, and calendar management on behalf of the Executive Office Team, including effective prioritization and resolution of related conflicts and competing demands.
• Participate in and prepare minutes of meetings for the Executive Office Team, including the regular Management Committee (MC) meetings.
• Independently respond to diverse inquiries and make decisions when multiple courses of action are possible. Keep relevant parties informed of actions taken by the Executive Office by providing pertinent information, reports, or status updates.
• Assist with the coordination and logistical matters for all Board and committee meetings including managing travel, accommodation, and any other arrangements for Trustees.
• Assist in the planning of board meetings including the preparation and assembly of board documents and materials.
•  Assist in the planning of events for the Board and the Executive Office when needed as well as providing support on major events, where Board involvement is required.
• Coordinate the planning of local and international travel for the unit and process travel expenses.
• Lead in the preparation, execution, and follow-up for Unit meetings as well as events and other engagements for the team. Schedule regular meetings as directed, document minutes and action plans as required.
• Organize documents of the Executive Office for ease of retrieval and references and maintain the office’s database and documentation.
• Tracking of progress on agreed issues; follow-up with focal points on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken, and coordination of collection and submission of reports to members of the Executive Office Team as needed.
• Screening of incoming communications, filter outgoing correspondence for signature, clearance, and further action by other staff, wherever needed. Adherence to appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines when communicating with partners.
• Establish and maintain contacts with executive assistants of all relevant senior government officials, development partners, embassies, etc., relevant for the communications of the Executive Office Team.
• Lead and manage the Administrative Support Team (AST)
• Any other duties as assigned or required.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

 Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years work experience in an executive assistant, administration, or related role preferably with international development organizations.
• Bachelor’s degree in any relevant field.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Ability to process, handle, and communicate matters of a sensitive and confidential nature with a high degree of judgement and maturity.
• Ability to organize, coordinate, monitor, and implement tasks and projects. Demonstrate ownership and accountability for results. Demonstrate innovation and creativity in promoting effectiveness.
•  Ability to deal tactfully, diplomatically, and effectively with internal/external contacts at all levels in a multicultural environment. Demonstrated ability to independently respond to extensive and diverse inquiries and make decisions when multiple courses of action are possible.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to speak articulately and to write clearly, precisely, and concisely for various audiences, and a strong ability to work within a team environment.
• Excellent organizational, administrative, and time management skills with proven ability to work promptly and efficiently under pressure and meet tight deadlines. Ability to shift gears at short notice to work on a wide range of assignments, remaining flexible and effective with a clear understanding of objectives to be achieved.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to reorganize, edit and draft a variety of documents.
• Strong planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure.
• Strong interpersonal skills; courtesy, tact, patience, and team orientation.
• Commitment to accuracy and attention to detail.
•  Ability to multi-task and to prioritize work amidst competing demands.
• Computer proficiency, especially in MS Office applications; ability to learn new applications quickly.
• Good command of English; working knowledge of French would be an added advant
• Commitment to AKADEMIYA2063’s mission and core values.

APPLICATION DETAILS

If you are interested in this position, please send your detailed e-mail application: CV and cover letter in English, by October 18, 2021, to careers@akademiya2063.org Please include the position title in the subject line.

We thank all applicants for their interest in working for AKADEMIYA2063. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This Job Description only serves as a guide for the available position. AKADEMIYA2063 reserves the right to change, revise, omit, and add in part / in whole this document

AKADEMIYA2063 is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women are encouraged to apply.

 To find out more about AKADEMIYA2063 visit our website at https://akademiya2063.org/