Reports To:                       Head of Office – Turkana 

Length of Contract:         One Year renewable

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Catholic Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

CRS is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting relief and development work in over 100 countries around the world. CRS programs assist persons on the basis of need, regardless of creed, ethnicity, race or nationality. CRS works through local church and non-church partners, including the Government to implement its programs.

CRS opened operations in Kenya in 1965. For over 50 years, we have worked throughout the country to implement programs in agriculture, livelihoods, health and nutrition, water, sanitation, emergency relief and peace building. We have built deep relationships with the Government of Kenya and the Catholic ChurchKenya and the Catholic Church through ongoing collaboration and support.

Job Summary:

The Administrative Assistant will provide service in the day-to-day delivery of responsive, effective and efficient administrative activities in support of the CRS mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. S/he will provide consistent and high-quality service and contribute to the proper stewardship of resources to help ensure operational effectiveness in support of high-quality programming in Turkana especially on areas of operations. The administrative assistant will support in the achievement of CRS Kenya Program vision 2023 five priority areas; Livestock and Climate Change Adaptation: Health, Nutrition and Social Services System Strengthening:  Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene: Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship: Gender Mainstreaming, Disability Inclusion, MEAL and Emergency.

Job Responsibilities:

• Facilitate communication with all units of the organization and external stakeholders as relevant and maintain a logical catalogue of the organization’s filing system.
• Assist with day-to-day administrative tasks, including filing, data entry, and record-keeping (e.g. translate, type, proofread, and/or format documents; record and transcribe meeting minutes; draft simple correspondence messages).
• Coordinate travel arrangements and accommodations for staff and related stakeholders.
• Order office supplies and maintain inventory levels.
• Assist with project management tasks, such as tracking deadlines and deliverables.
• Compile data, perform data entry and data verification in relation to general administration processes (e.g. various contact lists, employee leave balances, staff attendance reports, Vehicle Log Sheets review, visitors’ welcome packages, etc.).
• Routine communication, coordination, and planning with the relevant requesting staff / programs regarding the order and delivery of supplies.
• Assist with event planning and coordination including management of calendars, schedule appointments, and coordinate meetings.
• Excellent computer skills and experience working with procurement software.
• Ensure timely collection of utility bills for payment.
• Assist with procurement requests emanating from the Office through tracking, scanning and follow up for approvals.
• Support implementation of property management processes, such as property receipt and distribution, property labeling, physical counts, etc.
• Provide support to managers and employees as needed.
• Perform other administrative duties as assigned.

Personal Skills & Abilities

• Good time management skills with ability to work on multiple tasks
• Strong customer service orientation with good communication and interpersonal skills
• Good writing, organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions oriented and results-oriented
• Ability to learn and adopt new systems and software quickly
• Demonstrated commitment to respect, equity, diversity and inclusion including gender equality.

Required/Desired Foreign Language: 

Advanced level of written/oral communication in English and Swahili

Travel Required: 

Up to 10% within Turkana and Between CRS offices

Key Working Relationships: 

Supervisory: Supervise Drivers and Cleaners

Internal: All Staff and partners

External: Callers, Partners, Visitors, Vendors among other relevant relationships

Typical Background, Experience & Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Minimum Diploma in Business Administration, Office Management or related field required.  Degree in Business Administration or related field and Certification in Project Management will be an added advantage.
• At least 2 years’ experience working in an office environment in a clerical or administrative role.
• Proven experience in front office management with a local or international NGO a plus.
• Experience with typing/word processing, data entry into online databases and forms, and working with various office equipment. Experience in PABX system is an added advantage.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio) and information management systems.

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

What we offer: 

CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to work in a collaborative, mission-driven culture that is committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation. 

CRS Kenya strives to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come and work, stay, and do their best.

CRS provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability or handicap, medical condition and any other status protected by law. As an equal opportunity employer, CRS will recruit, hire, train and promote persons solely on their qualifications and abilities.

CRS’ emphasis on family values supports benefits, including maternity and paternity leave, policies that promote exclusive breastfeeding, the availability of a baby room at the office, and flexible working hours where possible.  Women and persons with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply.

By applying to this job, I understand and acknowledge that CRS requires its staff to treat all people with dignity and respect and to actively prevent harassment, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. Further, I understand that if I am a successful candidate, I will be subject to a comprehensive background check, and my personal/professional references will be asked to evaluate my behaviors related to the above safeguarding-related topics.

Catholic Relief Services is committed to ensuring the security and protection of the personal information that we process, and to provide a compliant and consistent approach to data protection.

The protection of your personal data is important to CRS. By submitting your application, you consent to CRS using your personal data only for the recruitment process to have all the information and documents necessary to proceed with the recruitment, validation of your application and selection of the most suitable candidate. Your personal data will be treated confidentially. CRS will not use your personal data in any other way other than for purposes of recruitment.

We wish to notify that CRS do not demand or charge any fee from the aspiring candidates for considering their candidature or at any time during the recruitment process, nor have we authorized any individual, agency or firm for recruiting candidates for us. Any person seeking employment with CRS needs to be cautious and not trust any agency or individual, claiming to be our representative, and charging fees for providing/securing employment with us.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer