Senior Program Assistant

The Foundation
We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team
The Africa team works to enable the foundation's ambitious goals of scaling evidence-based interventions that target a range of diseases and socio-economic conditions that are endemic across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

The team executes its responsibility through direct country engagement to deploy interventions and delivery models, and by building the partner architecture to replicate successful interventions and models across multiple countries.

Your Role
The Senior Program Assistant (SPA) role will provide high-quality wide and varied senior-level administrative and organizational support to ensure seamless support and smooth team operations for the Africa Program Advocacy & Communication Director, Deputy Director and team.

This role will facilitate and coordinate a range of critical tasks and projects in support of the Africa Program Advocacy & Communication teams, in coordination with other S/PAs in the foundation. As a core member of the Africa Advocacy team, the ability to work with and represent the Africa PAC Director/Deputy Director with internal and external partners and colleagues will be critical.

The role will report to Deputy Director - Policy, Advocacy and Communications (Health) for Africa. This is a 12-month limited-term role, and while extensions are not guaranteed, any continuation beyond this period would be subject to future business needs.

What You'll Do
Executive and Leadership Support

• Manage complex calendars across multiple time zones and participants, strategically prioritize and schedule a high volume of appointments, meetings, and travel.
• Partner with teams across the foundation to ensure the Africa PAC leadership is well-prepared for upcoming meetings (meeting agenda, pre-reads, etc.), including the need to "connect dots" and flag vital information, when appropriate.
• Prepare agendas, materials, and follow-ups for leadership meetings and decisions

Project and Program Delivery Support

• Provide project management support to manage team workloads, coordinate projects and provide consistent administrative support across the team.
• Work on division-specific special projects as needed.
• Drive execution of pivotal initiatives, ensuring alignment with Africa regional priorities.
• Track project timelines, deliverables, and proactively address risks or delays.

Meeting and Event Management

• Coordinate high-level meetings and events involving internal teams and African leaders.
• Manage team meeting logistics; take and synthesize meeting notes; track and ensure follow-up of action items. Provide communications support to ensure timely responses to inquiries, including answering and prioritizing correspondence for the Africa PAC Director/Deputy Director.
• Lead the logistics, planning, and coordination for internal and external events, meetings, conferences, retreats, and presentations, which may include coordinating arrangements for participants, handling logistics, and preparing and disseminating materials and in-the-moment problem solving.
• Maintain meeting cadence and negotiate scheduling with PSTs and other stakeholders.

Communication and Briefing Support

• Interact and communicate clearly and consistently with grantees and partners in the field.
• Develop concise, tailored briefing materials for events and leadership engagements.
• Anticipate information needs and ensure leaders are well-prepared.

Operational Excellence and Planning

• Provide operational support including but not limited to, maintaining organized files and records, developing a system for tracking, monitoring, and prioritizing tasks and projects, and managing the team SharePoint site to ensure knowledge management across the team.
• Perform basic financial duties, including expense, budget, invoice reconciliation, and adherence to organizational policies.
• Maintain oversight of team calendars and ensure seamless coordination of workstreams.

Stakeholder Engagement and Coordination

• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to support Africa's strategic presence.
• Facilitate clear communication and timely resolution of cross-team issues.
• Partner with team leaders to execute team priorities, establish team processes, and deliver against tight deadlines, while helping develop a strong and cohesive team culture.

Strategy Execution and Problem-Solving

• Support strategy reviews and planning processes with analysis and coordination.
• Identify challenges, recommend solutions, and support effective decision-making

Your Experience

• A bachelor's degree is required; an advanced degree is a plus. Equivalent experience may be considered. Must have a minimum of 5 years' experience supporting senior executives in a complex and fast-paced environment.
• Experience in an environment requiring diplomacy and good judgment in managing interactions inside and outside an organization, with individuals at all levels, including senior executives and other high-level officials.
• Sense of initiative, robust organizational and project management skills, ability to work autonomously and cross-functionally while remaining flexible to changing tasks, priorities, and roles and responsibilities.
• Clear and consistent communication skills, both verbal and written; bias for collaboration and partnership.
• Results oriented. Works with a sense of purpose and consistency and is able to reliably set and meet deadlines.
• People oriented, open-mindedness and eager to engage with partners, colleagues and stakeholders with whom principals interact.
• Knowledge of the wider African business environment and standards is desirable.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint is required. Experience in learning and mastering new software applications.

Other Attributes

• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Hiring Requirements
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations
If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement
We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.