USAID Administrative Assistant at the U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Mission to Nigeria comprises of the Embassy in Abuja, FCT, and the Consulate General in Lagos. U.S. Consulate General Lagos is the Mission’s representative to the Nigerian people in the southern region.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: USAID Administrative Assistant

Announcement Number: Embassy Abuja
Location: Abuja
Hiring Agency: Embassy Abuja
Series / Grade: LE - 4005 6
Work Schedule: Full-time - Work Schedule is 40hrs per week
Promotion Potential: LE-6
Telework Eligible: No

Overview

• Hiring Path: Open to the public
• Who May Apply/Clarification From the Agency:
  • Current Mission Nigeria Employees only
• Security Clearance Required: Public Trust - Public Trust - Background Investigation
• Appointment Type: Permanent
• Appointment Type Details: Five (5) years renewable, estimated to start on or after August 2022.

Summary

• The Administrative Assistant is assigned to the Mission’s Executive Office (EXO), and may report administratively to the USAID Executive office Administrative Management Assistant for assignment.
• The Administrative Assistant will perform work in lieu of administrative personnel who are ill, on vacation, or otherwise absent for varying periods of time. The Administrative Assistant will provide time and attendance (T&A) back-up and support of the Office of assignment, or to EXO/HR, as required. 
• The work schedule for this position is: Full Time (40 hours per week)
• Start date: Candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time (6 weeks) of receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances/certifications or their candidacy may end.
• Supervisory Position: No
• Relocation Expenses Reimbursed: Not Required
• Travel Required:

Duties
Administrative Support:

• As assigned, serves as Administrative Assistant (to an Office, Branch, or other Unit), with responsibility for providing the full range of administrative and clerical support to the organization staff. The Administrative Assistant receives phone calls, sends, and receives Emails and faxes, and arranges meetings and appointments at the request of the assigned organization’s staff with Mission, Host-Government, Implementing Partners (IPs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), donor organizations, private-sector, and other contacts; arranges transportation as needed; and takes minutes at meetings when requested. The Administrative Assistant maintains the organization Chief’s appointments based on a good knowledge of commitments, and maintains their calendar, reminding the Chief and others of meetings and appointments.
• The Administrative Assistant takes messages in the absence of organization staff, directing callers to other staff members, or answering questions personally, receives and assists visitors, answers questions, or directs them to a staff member who can assist them; schedules meetings and ensures that attendees are briefed or provided proper background material for meetings; and participates in maintaining conference room schedules, in coordination with other Mission administrative staff. 20%
• The Administrative Assistant maintains correspondence control for the organization, establishes and maintains computerized tracking systems to track actions, providing reports, receiving, and screening mail not addressed to a particular individual, drafting non-technical responses to routine correspondence and letters, distributing incoming official mail to personnel, and attaching pertinent background material, and searching files and records to assemble background information as requested. The Administrative Assistant reviews outgoing mail for proper address, routing, attachments, etc., prior to dispatch, reviewing correspondence for accuracy and conformance with Mission formatting procedures and special instructions.
• The Administrative Assistant distributes internal policies and procedures and, as necessary, maintains a tracking system of when staff received new policies and/or procedures. 20%
• The Administrative Assistant uses computer and web-based word processing, spreadsheets, and software applications in the performance of a variety of assignments.
• Types a variety of correspondence, creates electronic trackers, develops charts, and prepares other documents in draft and final form, proof-reading for format and consistency with standard formatting requirements prior to submitting for signature. As required, the Administrative Assistant locates documents routed for clearance, and obtains and tracks clearances and signatures. 20%
• The Administrative Assistant establishes and maintains files according to standards set by the Mission Correspondence and Records (C&R) Technician in the Executive Office (EXO) and by USAID/Washington, and marks correspondence and other documents for filing, and files accordingly.
• The Administrative Assistant reviews all correspondence prepared for signature, corrects errors by drafters and edits correspondence, and ensures that responding correspondence meets requirements posed by incoming correspondence to which it pertains.
• The Administrative Assistant maintains and updates handbooks, operating procedures, and other documents, such as visitors’ lists, telephone listings, personnel rosters, and leave, travel, and training schedules. 20%

Backup Support:

• As required by workload, the Administrative Assistant may be assigned to the Front Office, or as a second assistant, supporting other office Administrative Assistants in the performance of their official duties. Provides back-up and support to EXO/HR in completing Time and Attendance, and travel and hotel arrangements for the Mission, in the absence of the official Timekeeper and/or Travel Arranger. 20%

Qualifications and Evaluations
Education Requirements:

• Two or more years of post-secondary schooling in Secretarial Science or Business Administration, or other related field equivalent to a US junior college or community college diploma, is required.

Prior Work Experience:

• Minimum of two years of administrative, secretarial, clerical experience with a U.S. Government Agency, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), other donor organizations, host-government organizations, or private-sector institutions is required.

Pysical Demands: 

• The work requested does not involve undue physical demands. 

Prior Knowledge:

• The Administrative Assistant should be familiar, or able to quickly become familiar with Office/Division responsibilities and activities and possess a general knowledge of standard office procedures and practices. The Administrative Assistant should have the ability to develop an understanding of USG file management, mail handling, and correspondence formatting

Evaluations Factors:

• Knowledge: 15 points
• Skills and abilities: 10 points
• Communication and Language skills: 5 points
• Interview Performance: 70 points

Total Possible Points: 100 points:

• Applications that do not meet the required minimum qualifications will not be scored. Candidates meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application. USAID reserves the right to conduct interviews with the top ranked short-listed candidates. If the interview is conducted, the interview will be one of the determining factors in the final selection.
• USAID IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: All qualified candidates will be considered regardless of age, race, color, sex, creed, national origin, lawful political affiliation, non-disqualifying handicap, marital status, sexual orientation, affiliation with an employee organization, or other non-merit factor. Management may consider the following when determining successful candidacy: nepotism, conflicts of interest, budget, and residency status.

Skills and Abilities: 

• The Administrative Assistant must be proficient in keyboarding and in operating computers with standard software, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and other software programs as designated. The Administrative Assistant must be proficient in using the Internet and E-mail.

Language Proficiency:  

• Level IV (fluent) speaking/reading/writing in English Language is required. Language competency may be tested.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO):  

• The U.S. Mission provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Salary
N4,834,097 Annually.

Benefits:
Agency Benefits:

• LAs a matter of policy, and as appropriate, a PSC is normally authorized the following benefits and allowances:

Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Annual Salary Increase (if applicable)
• Annual and Sick leave
• Annual Bonus

Allowances (as applicable):

• Transportation Allowance
• Meal Allowance
• Miscellaneous Allowance
• Housing Allowance

Application Closing Date
26th May, 2022.

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

Important Information

• Eligible applicants are required to complete this on-line application process and submit any applicable required documents by 11:59 p.m. GMT on the closing date of this announcement. 
• Please note that all required documents must be received by the closing date online, and that we will determine your eligibility and qualifications based solely on the material received by the closing date. 

Required Documents
To qualify based on education, you MUST submit the requested degree and / or transcripts as verification of educational requirement by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide requested information, or the information is insufficient to verify eligibility, may result in disqualification for this position.

All Applicants:

• Current Resume
• Relevant Certificates
• University Degree Certificate
• Transcript
• List of References

Next Steps:

• After the closing date for the receipt of applications, applications will initially be screened for conformity with the minimum requirements and a short list of applicants developed. 
• Following this initial review and short listing, a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will convene to review applications that meet the minimum requirements and evaluate them in accordance with the evaluation factors.  Applications from candidates which do not meet the minimum requirements will not be evaluated.  As part of the selection process, finalist candidates will be interviewed.  Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.  No response will be sent to unsuccessful applicants.
• USAID reserves the right to interview only the highest ranked applicants in person or by phone OR not to interview any candidate. 
• Applicants are required to provide three (3) reference persons who are not family members or relatives, with working telephones and email contacts. The references must be able to provide substantive information about applicant’s past performance and abilities. Reference checks will be made only for applicants considered as finalists. If an applicant does not wish for the current employer to be contacted as a reference check, this should be stated in the resume.