Office Manager/PA to the COP at Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA)

Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture (CNFA) is an international non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium with offices in 16 countries throughout Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.

We work with businesses, foundations, governments and communities to build customized local and global partnerships that meet the world’s growing demand for food. Since our inception in 1985, we have designed and implemented enterprise-based, agricultural development initiatives to facilitate market access, enhance agribusiness competitiveness, increase productivity and improve access to inputs and credit across 45 countries worldwide.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position below:

Job Title: Office Manager/PA to the COP

Location: Nigeria

Position Descriptions

• The Office Manager/PA to the Chief of Party (COP) is a job with dual reporting and responsibilities.  First, as the Office Manager, s/he is responsible for the efficient and effective functioning of the Agribusiness Investment Activity’s office headquarters in Abuja and the 7 State-based offices. 
• In this role, the Office Manager will report to the Finance and Operations Director.  As the Personal Assistant to the COP, the main responsibility is supporting the COP with administration, research, and some management functions so that his productivity is optimized. 
• In both, quickly gaining a thorough understanding of the relevant USAID rules and regulations, as well as CNFA’s policies and procedures, internal controls and operations reporting systems will be vital. 

Program Description

• The five-year USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, implemented by CNFA as part of the United States Government’s Feed the Future Initiative, strengthens the business enabling environment to promote private sector investment in agriculture.
• To achieve this goal, the activity focuses on three interrelated components: improving the ease of doing business in the agricultural sector; broadening access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses; and promoting investment opportunities for agribusinesses to expand and scale up operations. In line with the U.S. and Nigerian Government’s commitment to growing the non-oil based economy, these efforts will increase the quality, quantity, market access, and diversification of Nigeria’s agribusiness sector.
• Beginning in December 2018 and closing in 2023, this $15.6 million project aims to integrate thousands of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and producer organizations as high-performing commercial actors in the value chains for rice, maize, soy, aquaculture, and cowpeas. As a result of streamlined regulations, more effective policies, improved production and processing practices, and significantly increased finance and investment flows, the project will increase the competitiveness and returns of both large and small sale agricultural enterprises.
• Employing a value chain approach, the Agribusiness Investment Activity aims to facilitate $100 million in new lending and $100 million in new investment across the 5 crops in the following 7 designated States: Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, and Cross River.  The USAID/Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity is a 5-year year, $15 million-dollar project implemented by CNFA as part of the United States Government’s Feed the Future Initiative. 
• The project’s goal is to strengthen the business enabling environment to promote private sector investment in agriculture. Activities will encompass three broad but interrelated components. First, the Agribusiness Investment Activity will improve the ease of doing business in the agricultural sector; second, the Activity will expand access to finance by mitigating the credit risks of agribusinesses; and third, the Activity will promote investment opportunities for agribusinesses to strengthen their readiness to expand and scale up their operations. Taken together, these efforts will increase the volume, added value, and diversification of agribusiness investments.

Job Responsibilities
Duties and Responsibilities - Office Manager:

• Ensure payment of office rent and utilities is completed on time.
• Manage and maintain office access controls including key records, access card records, and   other means used to enter and exit the office and building.
• Liaise with office suppliers, including landlord, cleaning service, utilities, internet and telecommunications provider, security provider, and others.
• Maintain office supplies, including stationary, groceries, washroom products, and water.
• Maintain chain of custody for office phones and access cards for visiting staff.
• Oversee administrative support staff.
• Maintain inventory and ensure that asset labels are affixed to all tracked property.
• Ensure airtime is allocated to staff per policy on a monthly basis (as applicable).
• Manage relationships with landlord and service providers ensuring that all items are invoiced and paid on time.
• Provide or organize the maintenance necessary to obtain high quality of production and the most useful service life of office equipment.
• Ensure the office is always clean, safe, and adequately stocked with operational supplies.
• Oversee the filing of project administration files and official CNFA and Project correspondence.

Duties and Responsibilities - Personal Assistant to the COP:

• Support the COP in booking, managing and maintaining his schedule; taking accurate messages, arranging for logistics for all trips local, regional and international; and more generally proving the necessary assistance to optimize his efficiency and effectiveness, including conduct web-based research and basic analysis, as needed.
• Assist in the greeting, logistical needs, and orientation of all visiting international and Nigerian short-term staff, including maintaining a safe, clean, organized and presentable reception area by complying with all security and other policies and procedures.
• Responsible for the creation and upkeep of the Project Master Contact List.
• Assist, when requested, in Project events planning, by creating and sending invitation emails to guests, tracking RSVPs and following up by email and phone on attendees.
• Organize and take minutes at staff meetings and other meetings as requested.
• Provide support to the Components & STTAs for accomplishment of their administrative requirements.
• Manage and maintain the Project master filing system, including being responsible for managing the SharePoint platform.
• Provide additional administrative support as needed (e.g. typing, photocopying, scanning, binding); and other duties as requested by the COP.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 5 years of relevant work experience
• Experience with donor-funded projects, and especially USAID, is an advantage
• A proven ability to be accurate, diligent and follow up on tasks until they are completed successfully
• Punctual and detail oriented;
• Ability to manage complex activities and complete tasks on short notice

Required Skills:

• Microsoft Office Skills - MS Windows, Excel, Word; and formatting letters and documents
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A friendly and outgoing nature able to support a large and international team of professionals
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize tasks as well as not hesitate to ask for guidance when needed
• Fluency in written and verbal English; other Nigerian languages is an advantage

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online