Organization Background

JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world. Founded in 1978, JSI collaborates with government agencies, the private sector, and local nonprofit and civil society organizations to identify and implement solutions to the most pressing public health and education challenges. Over the last 30 years, JSI has partnered with the government of Ethiopia and the Ministry of Health to improve health systems and primary healthcare (PHC) service delivery, implementing more than 60 projects and working in every region. JSI has historically managed a large portfolio of projects focusing on the quality, and equity in excess of, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) services, primary health care (PHC) including community health program, digital health, health information systems (HIS), supply chain management, public health emergency responses, and social and behavior change. 

JSI works at every level of Ethiopia’s health system to support national commitment to health equity. We partner with the Federal Ministry of Health (MOH); donors, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Gavi, MasterCard; and work across public and private sectors to help strengthen and transform the health system.

Projects Overview 

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), JSI is implementing twin projects -improve PHC Service Delivery (IPHCSD) project and the Strengthening Service Delivery (SSD) project in nine regions of Ethiopia.  JSI’s Improve Primary Health Care Service Delivery (IPHCSD) is a five-year project, launched in 2022, and co-implemented with Amref Health Africa, and operationalized with local partners and national organizations. IPHCSD aims to improve the efficacy of, and linkages between, PHC delivery platforms, including health posts, community health actors, health centers, primary hospitals and private facilities for improved reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health, and nutrition (RMNCAH-N) outcomes across Ethiopia. SSD, on the other hand is designed to improve the quality of downstream, supply-side integrated RMNCAH-N services at PHC levels, and supply in three high-impact areas- provider competencies, service delivery structures and processes required for high-quality care; and last-mile delivery of the supplies & commodities. JSI’s International, regional and local partners-Amref Health Africa, Engender Health, Think place, in Supply Health, Women and Children First UK (WCF), International Institute for PHC Ethiopia (IPHCE), Ethiopian Midwives Association and local universities and development associations are essential to these efforts.

Currently, with funding from Child Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), we are also implementing the Electronics Community Health Information System (eCHIS) Scale-up for Health Extension Program Improvement is JSI’s other project. eCHIS is a five-year project that builds on the Government of Ethiopia’s efforts to leverage the power of digital technology to improve the coverage and quality of healthcare in Ethiopia. The eCHIS project digitizes existing community health manuals, tools, and service workflows, along with all reporting forms.

OVERVIEW OF THE POSITION

The Receptionist and Program Assistant shall serve as the receptionist and support the program teams, including assisting Program and Operation team in managing the Program administration activities, logistics, personnel, and finance. S/he will assist with managing several response teams as deemed appropriate. The position holder will provide administrative support for senior management including documentation and facilitation of key financial and logistics documents and facilitating. The Receptionist and Program Assistant will be based in Addis Ababa and supervised by the Administration Manager.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative functions:

• Receive and answer telephone calls and greet all visitors using a professional and courteous manner and direct them to the appropriate person.

• Monitoring all entrances and activating doors for entrance and directing delivery personnel, guests, etc., to the appropriate destination.

• Distribute office mail and send out mail/packages to the appropriate persons and couriers.

• Maintaining an organized filing system and filing all documents daily. Ensure that copies of all outgoing/incoming letters is maintained;

• Ensure that the reception area/office is neat and clean

• Maintain an up-to-date address book for all JSI’s correspondences (telephone, fax, e- mail). 

• Maintain an up-to-date list of internal lines/extensions; maintain an up-to-date telephone tree (landline and mobile number of staff)

• Properly handle all incoming and outgoing letters and memos; register date and time and route to the concerned manager

• Maintaining an organized filing system and filing all documents on a daily basis. Ensure that copies of all outgoing letters is maintained;

• Handle visitors and telephone calls on straightforward matters; ensure priority for cases to be presented to the PD, Directors & others. Inform staff to be contacted before sending visitors in.

• Ensure the communication systems like e-mail, telephone, fax lines work properly. Report timely to the Administration Manager in case of failure

• Responsible for all secretarial activities

• Preparing monthly Telephone bills with PR

• Any other duties assigned by the immediate supervisor.

Program Support functions; 

• Create and manage the project's welcome packages for visitors.

• Prepare and manage welcome materials for new staff including staff ID cards, business cards, office keys, office telephone directory, and vehicle parking permits.

• Provide support to ensure smooth daily operations in the areas of, administration, procurement, asset management, logistics, travel, tickets, and hotel reservations.

• Organize and schedule meetings, appointments interviews, project training activities, and workshops, and act as secretary during key project meetings.

• Work with the Admin Manager to assist preparation of key agreement documentation and reports and maintain office files for the program, ensuring the confidentiality of all documents.

• Assist the project team in scheduling and planning meetings, trainings, workshops and teleconferences, compiling and organizing relevant background materials for meetings.

• Maintain the Project Director and teams’ calendar and schedule and maintain a diary of appointments for senior staff as designated by the PD. 

• Typing of correspondence, reports, proposals, etc as required.

• Arrange for refreshment items in cases of meetings, training, and workshops held in JSI premises/meeting room and when required out of JSI premises.

• Keeping the office diary up-to-date with staff information on leaves, field trips, training, workshops, meetings, special events, etc.

• Perform any secretarial duties, like typing, filing, keeping diary of appointments, meetings, handling telephone communications, etc

Job Requirements

Required Experience:

• BA/BSC in Business Administration, Communication, Information Science, Social Science, or a related field. 

• A minimum of three (03) years of relevant work experience 

• Experience working in an international NGO program is strongly preferred.

Required Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal skills including courteous frontline communication, ability to work with varied team, and demonstrated ability to multitask and meet deadlines with minimal supervision and direction.

• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) and familiarity with the Internet.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English is mandatory. 

Preferable Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrated effectiveness producing accurate work product with attention to detail, even while under deadline pressure.

• Ability to prioritize work.

• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.

• Commitment to excellent customer service.

• Proven success in establishing effective working relationships with employees at all levels of the organization, with collaborating partners, and with representatives of donor agencies and government ministries.

• Demonstrated ability to manage data and files.

• Flexible, detail-oriented, organized, adaptable to changing priorities, and able to take the initiative and meet strict deadlines.

JSI  is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.

JSI  is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or military status (special disabled veterans or veteran status) in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D.

How to Apply

Interested applicants who met the above minimum requirements should send and apply online using THIS LINK.  Please submit Only your application letter and CV in English detailing your experience and skills that are relevant to the post. Please do not attach copies of your transcripts, academic degrees or recommendation letters with the application. You will provide them upon request.

WOMEN ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY!

NB. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Application Deadline:  June 23, 2024