1698 – Executive Assistant & External Affairs Coordinator-Mat cover

Closing date: 26th April @ 23:59 GMT+1

Interviews: TBC

Job Type:  Fixed term until 31st July 2018  (Maternity Cover)

Location:  Nairobi

Grade: C2

Salary: 3358992 KES gross per annum (negotiable)

Candidates must possess and be able to retain the right to work in Kenya prior to application. Oxfam International is not able to provide a Kenyan work permit for this position.

Oxfam International is an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity within the workplace.

One person in three in the world lives in poverty. Oxfam is determined to change that world by mobilizing the power of people against poverty.

Around the world, Oxfam works to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive. We save lives and help rebuild livelihoods when crisis strikes. And we campaign so that the voices of the poor influence the local and global decisions that affect them. In all we do, Oxfam works with partner organizations and alongside vulnerable women and men to end the injustices that cause poverty.

Oxfam is an international confederation of 20 organizations networked together in more than 90 countries, as part of a global movement for change, to build a future free from the injustice of poverty. The Oxfam International Secretariat is currently headquartered in Oxford, with advocacy and campaigns offices in Washington DC, New York, Brussels, Geneva, and a liaison office with the Africa Union in Addis Ababa.

This post will be part of the OI Secretariat Advocacy & Campaign team and based in the OI Secretariat Office in Nairobi, Kenya.

Oxfam International is looking for an Executive Assistant and External Affairs Coordinator to be responsible for the coordination of the high-level external representation strategy of the OI Secretariat. The role holder will lead on developing a confederation-wide spokesperson-strategy and will support Southern EDs and senior staff in building capacity for high level external engagement. The Executive Assistant and External Affairs Coordinator will support the governance of Advocacy and Campaigns within the confederation, as well as providing project management / research support on specific Advocacy and Campaigns projects.

The successful applicant will have strong managements and analytical skills and experience in implementing organizational strategy in own area of expertise as well as developing and managing budget.

Fluency in English required and competence in French and/or Spanish is desirable.

Job Purpose

To coordinate the high-level external representation strategy of the OI Secretariat ; to lead on developing a confederation-wide spokesperson-strategy and support Southern EDs and senior staff in building capacity for high level external engagement; to support the governance of Advocacy and Campaigns within the confederation. as well as project management / research support on specific Advocacy and Campaigns projects.

Job Dimensions

• High skill level across a range of administrative areas and all core EA skills.
• Professional specialist required to implement Strategy in a distinct area in order to achieve specific goals or deliver a high level specialist advisory service
• Management may involve an Oxfam wide project, analyzing solutions to recommendation level and serve as first line decision maker on OIED’s external activities
• Communicates with senior people both within Oxfam and   with key external targets, incl. UN offices, International Financial Institutions, Regional Organizations
• Works with reasonable autonomy within established standards but may be required to review and make improvement
• Problem solving within agreed parameters requiring considerable information which may be complex
• Provides front line/operational advice to managers and specialists, influences decisions that can affect OI, Oxfam Confederation and Donors

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Manages the coordination of the high-level external representation strategy of the OIS (50%)

• Defining, implementing and managing  a rolling high level representation action plan and calendar together with Director of Advocacy and Campaigns, the Public Engagement Director,  the OI Executive Director.
• Liaising with the EA of the OI Executive Director to ensure adequate scheduling and prioritization of high-level representation opportunities for the OIED.
• Liaising with OIS target managers and policy leads of global campaigns to ensure adequate briefing and follow up of high level meetings.
• Liaising with global ambassador coordinator to ensure coherence with global ambassador strategy.
• Following on other high-level representation issues as required (with affiliate EDs)
• Support OI ED in managing key external relationship with influential government officials, senior UN representatives and donors
• Project management of external engagement events

Lead on developing spokesperson strategy across the confederation and support southern EDs / senior staff in building capacity for high level external engagement (20%)

• Support the EBIC Chair and A&C director to keep the ED’s High Level External engagement grid current.
• In consultation with EDs, Target mangers, to develop a spokesperson strategy across the confederation.
• Working with PE and Global External Affairs team to develop capacity building package on external engagement for senior southern staff and EDs

Support to governance of Advocacy and Campaigns within the confederation (20%)

• Support the director in the management of Advocacy and Campaigns key governance groups, including Executive Board Influencing Committee and Influencing Platform by:
  • Scheduling regular teleconferences, agenda setting and note taking
  • Organizing face2face meetings where needed
  • Facilitating delivery of agreed plans and assisting with planning processes
  • Drafting inputs, preparing presentations and project-managing discrete tasks where appropriate

 Project management / research support (10%)

Technical Skills, Experience & Knowledge

Management

• Experience of implementing organizational strategy in own area of expertise
• Good project management skills
• Strong stakeholder analysis and management skills  and strong analytical skills
• Experience of developing and managing budgets

Other

• Awareness of all OI campaign areas and processes
• Knowledge of protocol in international relations
• Strong communication skills and diplomacy
• Good understanding of global development issues and multilateral institutions and processes
• Capacity to do horizon scanning and trend-spotting
• Computer literate; highly proficient in the use of word processing software (ideally MS Word), Power Point as well as e-mail software and the internet.

Key Behavioral Competencies
(based on Oxfam’s Leadership Model)

Please note that applications that do not have a covering letter and Résumé/CV will not be considered (you will need to combine your Résumé/CV into one document before attaching it to your application) Thank you in advance for your interest in this position.