Executive & Board Coordinator

Organisational profile

Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa) is a feminist, pan-African Rapid Response Fund committed to transforming power relations through resourcing African feminists and womn human rights defenders and their formations as an act of solidarity. Recognizing the need to move resources rapidly on a continent where opportunities and threats arise and decline quickly, UAF-Africa uses a Rapid Response Grantmaking mechanism to support unanticipated, time-sensitive, innovative, and unique initiatives that promote womn’s agency in peace and political participation, social and economic power building as well as natural resources governance and stewardship. The Fund works to support African Womn Human Rights Defenders (AWHRDs), particularly in the feminist and womn’s rights movements, in their actions, which enable them to support and sustain themselves, each other, and their work before, during, and after urgent situations.

UAF-Africa mobilises resources from a broad base of international and increasingly local funders committed to protecting and advancing womn’s rights and feminist agendas in Africa. Our primary purpose is to provide funding to AWHRDs and their groups, organisations and the movements to help them prepare for and navigate urgent situations with appropriate actions.

UAF-Africa is registered in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Operating as a virtual organisation, the Fund boasts of strategic physical presence in East Africa: Nairobi, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda; North Africa: Cairo, Egypt; Central Africa: Bujumbura, Burundi and Yaoundé, Cameroon; Southern Africa: Harare, Zimbabwe, Antananarivo, Madagascar and West Africa: Abuja, Nigeria, Cotonou, Benin and Dakar, Senegal.

Position Overview

The position provides efficient and effective smooth functioning within the Office of the Executive Director (ED) through day-to-day strategic administration. With the guidance of the ED, the role will further provide coordination of the UAF-Africa Board engagements through developing and maintaining an up-to-date calendar of meetings, ensuring agendas are developed, board committees run efficiently and effectively, minutes are kept, deadlines are met, and follow-up is consistent. This position will report to the Executive Director.

Specific Responsibilities.

1. Office of the Executive Director Coordination

• Acting as a strategic advisor and counsel to the ED assessing issues that serve as barriers to the team or organisation operating at maximum effectiveness and safeguarding the ED’s office.

• Engaging, creating and maintaining cross-portfolio relationships to enable leadership success of the Fund.

• Supporting the ED to be more productive through efficient diary management, optimising travel schedules, preparing material in advance of meetings, and facilitating remote decision making and prioritization.

• Troubleshooting in the ED’s office, being on the lookout for issues that may require the Executive Director’s attention as well as handling difficult or unexpected situations.

• Manage the ED’s office and act as the liaison person between the ED and the Senior Management Team (SMT), staff, board members and other external stakeholders.

• Representing the ED by attending meetings in their absence as assigned.

• Acting as a liaison between the ED’s office and all parties, both internal and external.

• Routing correspondence, visitors, calls, and responding to emails on behalf of the ED.

• Assess all inquiries directed to the ED and determine the proper course of action.

• Traveling with the ED to conferences and meetings, locally and internationally, as necessary.

• Conserving the ED’s time by reading, researching, and routing correspondence, drafting letters and documents, collecting and analysing information and initiating telecommunications.

• Improve current processes and coordinate organisational procedures for optimized efficiency and productivity.

• Collaborating with the senior management team members to determine and prioritize business strategies.

• As instructed and guided by the ED, providing portfolio heads with recommendations and consultation to improve teamwork.

• Maintaining comprehensive and accurate organisational records, documents, and reports, ensuring that critical documents are backed up.

• Vetting requests for time and routing requests to other departments as appropriate to balance between focus and collaboration time for the ED’s office.

• Supporting in the day-to-day general ED’s office operations.

• Maintaining confidentiality of all information and documents within their care.

• As guided by the ED assigning work to relevant offices and following up on results for reporting.

• Providing historical reference by developing and utilizing filing and retrieval systems, recording meeting discussions, and follow-up for action.

• Any other duties as assigned by the ED.

  Board Coordination

• Providing strategic support to the Board of Directors: agenda setting and approvals, preparing for Board meetings, and sending out materials in advance, following up on outstanding issues action items, and sending reminders as necessary.

• Sit in on all governance meetings and record minutes for review and finalisation by the board.

• Collect and document for records keeping all board resolutions.

• Drive board functioning – through consistent support of the board’s functioning, including assisting the Chair and ED in developing agendas for a minimum of three meetings per year, compiling, editing, and publishing the board book for each meeting, taking or editing meeting minutes, and coordinating all meeting logistics. Codify board policies and any policy changes and ensure smooth implementation and compliance.

• Working with Board Consultants on governance work, providing information, following up on materials, and facilitating meetings.

• Facilitating recruitment and onboarding of new board members, monitoring term lengths, and supporting ED and the Board in researching and recruiting new board members.

• Maintaining executives’ (Executive Director & Board of Directors) appointment schedule by planning and scheduling meetings, conferences, teleconferences, and travel plans effectively.

• Coordinating with the relevant offices all board travel logistics and operations.

• Maintain an up-to-date board list with complete personal details and ensure to update records as necessary.

  Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and or related fields.

Project management qualification an added advantage.

Skills and Experience

• At least 5 years experience in a similar position.
• Passionate about UAF-Africa’s mission, committed to teamwork and achieving results.
• Class four drivers’ license with a minimum of 3 years driving experience mandatory.
• Good command of written and verbal English (Bilingual English/French an added advantage).
• Administration and project management – high degree of organization, ability to keep groups and individuals on task, and support successful execution and follow-through of meetings by documenting and creating action plans.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to listen actively and speak clearly, to read and comprehend a variety of communications and resources, to write clearly on administrative and other matters, and to summarize and communicate information efficiently and accurately.
• Problem-solving – including thinking ahead to identify opportunities and propose solutions and knowing when to seek input and when to make independent decisions.
• Collaboration and diplomacy – ability to build rapport with others, especially in senior positions, and Relationship building – with donors, peers, and staff. Patient, discreet, and able to maintain high levels of confidentiality.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and maintain administrative systems and to create and maintain accurate and complete records.
• Bookkeeping experience helpful, or ability to understand and utilize systems for managing financial transactions, donations, and vendor records; and ability to enter information accurately and efficiently.
• Strong ability to multitask and management an effective work calendar.
• Flexible and willing to perform other tasks as assigned.

Work Environment

This is a regional position that involves some national, regional and international travel. UAF-Africa is an equal-opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices. To build the strongest possible workforce, UAF-Africa actively seeks a diverse applicant pool. The Fund is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The position will be based in Harare, Zimbabwe.