Program Assistant

At the World Bank, a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), you’ll join a diverse, global community working across cultures, disciplines, and borders to address the world’s most pressing development challenges. With 1.2 billion young people reaching working age in the decade ahead, the challenge of job creation has never been greater. Through partnerships across 145 countries and more than 182 offices worldwide, we work with governments, private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to invest in people, strengthen markets, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions that generate more and better jobs and improve lives. For more information, visit https://www.worldbank.org/en/who-we-are/ibrd VPU Context: The Country Management Unit (CMU) for Africa East Central East Countries 2 (AECE2), includes Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Somalia. The AECE2 CMU Office is in Nairobi, Kenya, and covers the Kenya and Somalia, Offices. Unit Context: as applicable: Kenya Country Context The World Bank’s program in Kenya comprises a large and active portfolio of operations, including projects and programs financed through credits and grants from the International Development Association (IDA), IBRD and Trust Funds (TFs), as well as knowledge products and technical assistance. The Kenya Country Office is looking to hire a highly seasoned professional to work as a Program Assistant (GC level—Locally Recruited Staff) on an 3 -year Term appointment, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Duties and Accountabilities: The successful candidate will work under the overall leadership of the Operations Manager, with day to day supervision from the Senior Executive Assistant, who provides guidance to Administrative Client Support (ACS) staff. The selected candidate will provide administrative and client support to operational staff working across multiple sectors in Kenya and in close coordination with Task Team Leaders (TTLs). The Program Assistant duties and accountabilities include, but are not limited to, the following: Operational and Administrative Support The selected candidate will be assigned to support a set of sectors, as well as for tasks associated to the Unit’s overall work program for which ad-hoc support may be needed from time to time. The Program Assistant will be expected to: • Work on interpreting existing procedures and processes, independently determine which should be used, and apply these appropriately. • Extensively coordinate with other World Bank Group (WBG) units, and frequently liaison with team members regardless of location, and with external counterparts. • Provide primary assistance in the implementation of the unit's work program, including some specialized support in a specific area(s), e.g. task management, procurement, database management, knowledge management, information technology, etc. • Work regularly including drafting a variety of standard documents, applying effective proofreading and grammar skills in English. • Identify and resolve diverse issues/problems as they arise, while following and independently applying existing procedures and processes. • Suggest ways to enhance work organization and effectiveness. • Exercise quality enhancement function for project and other documents by ensuring adherence to departmental, Vice-President Unit (VPU) and institutional guidelines. • Participate in developing project/product timelines, using appropriate software. • Attend meetings, draft minutes, and ensure timely clearance and distribution. • Serve as an information resource on status of project/products (e.g. procurement, disbursement, audit, trust fund/co-financing, and legal issues) and draft a variety of standard project-related correspondences. • Monitor task budget/trust funds for specific projects on behalf of the team. • Undertake ad hoc inquiries in standard and non-standard databases, retrieves, manipulates and presents data. • Participate in mission field work as required. • Coordinate schedules taking priorities into account, monitor changes, and communicate the information to appropriate staff, inside and outside the immediate work unit, including officials outside the WBG. • Assist in preparation and logistical planning for various events, e.g. conferences, workshops, negotiations, etc. • Maintain current distribution lists, phone/address lists of project/product contacts, and distribute documents for the team. • Maintain up-to-date work unit project and other files (both paper and electronic). • Responsible for submitting travel requests, following up on approvals, and arranging bookings through designated office travel agent. • Mentor less experienced staff. • Undertake ad-hoc assignments and provide support to other staff in the unit as required. Other Duties • Serve as a back up to other ACS staff and Task Team Assistants, as needed, to ensure continuity of operational and administrative support.