REPORTING TO: CED
LOCATION – DAR ES SALAAM
INSTITUTE OVERVIEW:
Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) is a Tanzanian non-governmental Institute with a mission ofgenerating new knowledge and relevant information for public health policy and action. IHI is
one of the leading health research outfits in Africa and has ongoing collaborations with multiple
global centres of research excellence. IHI is recruiting for the position of Executive Assistant to
the Chief Executive Director (CED) in Dar es Salaam.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
The post holder is responsible for providing high quality support to the CED, while working
closely with the Deputy Director of Research (DDS) and Deputy Director of Administration
(DDA).
The post holder must be highly experienced in executive support, have a good understanding of
the national and global environments, be motivated, proactive, able to work without close
supervision and maintain complete confidentiality. She/he will often be the first point of contact
for people approaching the CED and needs to be organised and enthusiastic, with good
attention to detail. Excellent communications skills are essential and the post holder will be
required to attend meetings and take minutes.
Specific Duties - not limited to the following:-
• Manage diaries and exercise judgment in arranging meetings on behalf of the CED in order
to ensure that urgent and important matters are prioritized. This involves checking diaries
against each other, checking minutes of meetings on receipt to identify dates of future
meetings, maintaining an awareness of dates of relevant conferences and organising
appropriate cover for meetings in the case of absence. Understanding the Director’s
commitments and prioritising scheduled events or meetings.
• Deal with highly confidential issues, recognising the sensitivity and possible reputational
implications of such matters and ensuring appropriate liaison with managers and other
internal and external colleagues. This will include human resources related issues
concerning staff.
• Ensure that the CED is fully prepared and briefed for meetings and travel, reviewing
background information and producing drafts of documents and/or briefing papers. This will
include scanning websites or printed documentation, and interacting with staff for relevant
information and presenting this information in an appropriate format.
• Manage internal and external contacts for the CED including making, receiving and
screening telephone calls, processing incoming mail and e-mails, highlighting urgent and
important items, and drafting replies or replying directly when required.
• To manage the filing system of correspondence and other papers as well as reviewing
existing files and organising long term storage as required.
• To provide support for the CED‘s meetings, including collating and distributing papers,
drafting minutes and following up action.
• At all times when communicating, be responsive, polite, friendly and efficient; the image of
the Office represents the image of the IHI.
• Organise financial arrangements including payment and reimbursement of funds on behalf
of the CED, liaising with the finance office and external organisations as necessary.
• To make arrangements for the frequent travel by the CED, including all logistical and
substantive aspects. .
Person Specification
Essential Skills and Experience
• Proven and extensive experience (not less than 6 years) of supporting a senior executive,
including experience of organising and streamlining the workload and timetable of a busy
professional.
• Ability to maintain complete confidentiality
• Excellent written English and good presentation skills, with a proven ability to draft and
proof-read documentation, including correspondence and briefing documents.
• Efficient record keeping and records management
• Good oral communication skills, including confident presentation during meetings and the
ability to communicate clearly with visitors from all parts of the world
• Excellent organizational abilities, able to work under pressure, and ability to assess
priorities, organise own workload without supervision, meeting deadlines and initiating
action, where appropriate
• Experience of servicing committees and/or meetings, including taking minutes
• Working well in a close team and establishing a high effective network both in the
organisation and beyond with colleagues at all levels of seniority.
Desired Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in secretarial studies; business administration; or
management.
REMUNERATION AND MODE OF EMPLOYMENT
• An attractive and competitive remuneration package will be offered to successful candidates
as per IHI scales.
MODE OF APPLICATION:
Candidates meeting the above job requirements should send their applications with detailed
curriculum vitae (CVs) showing contact address, e-mail, telephone numbers, names of three
referees with their addresses & contacts; also, scan/photocopies of academic and professional
certificates to the following address:
Chief Human Resources Officer
Ifakara Health Institute,
Kiko Avenue, Mikocheni,
P.O.Box 78373,
Dar es Salaam.
E mail: recruitment@ihi.or.tz
The dead line for submission of application is 07th June 2016. Only successful candidates will
be notified.