Training Administrator needed at African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)

Reports to:  Director of Training

Duration: 3-year term (Renewable)

Description
The AERC Training Administrator serves as a personal assistant to the Director of Training and is responsible for providing administrative and logistical support to the Director’s office. The position also provides technical programmatic support to the Managers in the Training Department for the efficient and effective implementation of planned activities of the Training Programme, report writing, development of funding proposals and programme monitoring and evaluation. She/he also provides logistical support during the organization and implementation of training workshops and short-term training, as well as data/information management. The incumbent works closely with the Director of Training (immediate supervisor), the Managers, other Programme Administrators and Assistants to ensure that high Departmental performance standards are achieved and maintained.

Administrative Support to Director of Training

• Providing administrative and secretarial support to the Director of Training including diarizing meetings/activities, drafting, and typing correspondence and other documents as instructed.
• Handling routine correspondence and confidential communications on behalf of the Director of Training’s office, both incoming and outgoing, filing and maintaining a secure filing system of all training records.
• Organizing and preparing the Director of Training’s folders for various meetings, missions, and calendar of events, within and outside the office.
• Liaison for training inquiries and communication of programme activities.
• Ensuring delivery of high-quality communication materials to Communications Department for external audiences on behalf of the Training Department.
• Regularly collate and update Training Department information on the AERC website.
• Preparing Training Department’s Calendar of Activities in consultation with other Programme Administrators, Managers for Training Programmes and Director of Training.

• Providing support in preparation of grant letters and documents for payments of grants to institutions and individuals.
• Following up, with the support of other responsible staff, awards, contracts and agreements for the training programmes with stakeholders, members of the network and beneficiaries of the programme on issues of concern.
• Assisting in the logistical arrangements for the presentations of the PhD thesis research proposals and best chapter/papers by CPP students at the Biannual Research Workshops.
• Assisting in the administration of the review process of the PhD thesis research grant applications for African Non-CPP students admitted in other doctoral degree programmes to ensure compliance with the award conditions
• Under the supervision of the Managers in training, facilitate the preparation, consolidation, review, and dispatch of documentation for the Programme Sub-Committee meetings in an efficient and timely manner.
• Assisting Managers for Training Programmes with the logistical support of all African governments’ capacity building projects.

Programme Database & Administration

• Organizing training database on intake and output of students as well as needs assessments for short-term training for use in preparation of projections of programme and short-term modular course demands over the medium and longer term.
• Maintaining an accurate database of PhD thesis grant applicants to facilitate the grant and award selection process by the Programme Committee.
• Together with Programme assistants, assisting in ensuring that the AERC database always holds accurate information about short course programmes in retooling for economists and development policy. This will include setting up course records.
• Working closely with the Programme Assistants to make sure the training alumni directory is updated.

Report Writing

• Preparing initial inputs for all donor/client narrative reports as well as other periodic and technical reports (quarterly, annual reports).
• Preparing initial inputs for funding concept notes and proposals.
• Preparing initial draft reports for periodic monitoring visits for the purposes of programme planning and management.
• Ensuring that proceedings of workshops and short-term courses are produced on a timely basis.

Secondary responsibilities

• Taking part in Evaluation Committees.
• Processing Visas for participants attending programmatic activities of the Training Department.
• Undertake any other duties as may be directed by the Director of Training and Managers of Training.

Key Qualifications and Experience

• A Master’s degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, or any other related field
• At least 5 years in academic administration and/or programme administration.
• Demonstrated experience of proposal development and good document writing skills (some publications in reputable journals would be an added advantage).
• Demonstrated experience in programme/project monitoring and evaluation.
• Computer literacy including standard office applications such as MS Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access and experience in working with databases and management systems software.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong administrative and organizational skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Strong integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Fluency in written and oral English.
• Excellent inter-personal and influencing skills at all levels.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to work in French as well as English is desirable.
• Prior relevant experience of working with or within institutional donor agencies, Trusts and Foundations would be an advantage.

• Director of Training
• Managers of Training
• Lead Programme Administrator
• Programme Administrators – Training
• Programme Administrator (JFE/SFSE)
• Programme Assistants
• Finance department staff

Main External Contacts

• Heads of Departments in Universities
• Grant beneficiaries: Students, lecturers, and participating universities
• Service providers: hotels and travel agencies
• Workshop participants
• General public

All applications must include a cover letter and a resume which has at least three referees which should be sent to recruitment@aercafrica.org by Friday 28th January 2022. Due to the expected volume of applications, AERC will only enter further correspondence with short-listed candidates.

For all details see; https://aercafrica.org/careers/