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Senior Administrative Officer – KEMRI CGHR
- Advertised Date: 09/11/25
- Closing Date: 10/01/25 5:00:00 PM
- Applications: 85
Job Tite/Designation
Senior Administrative Officer – KEMRI CGHR
Key Responsibilities:
- Ensure compliance with KEMRI policies, NACOSTI, SERU/IRB approvals, KPPB, and international research ethics standards.
- Oversee contracts, sub-awards, MTAs, DTAs, and data protection compliance across projects.
- Support audits (internal/external), risk management, and governance frameworks to ensure accountability and transparency.
- Lead preparation, monitoring, and reporting of project budgets in coordination with finance teams.
- Oversee financial tracking, expenditure reviews, donor reporting, and cost recovery in line with funder requirements (e.g., USG, Gates Foundation, CDC, UNC, Emory).
- Administer the grants cycle including pre-award assessments, sub-award monitoring, financial reporting, and closeout.
- Ensure procurement processes, workshop logistics, and field activity resources are cost-effective and compliant with regulations.
- Monitor use, maintenance, and accountability of project assets and resources.
- Lead and coordinate administrative functions including office management, procurement, logistics, and compliance.
- Oversee infrastructure readiness and cross-study resource allocation (staff, vehicles, equipment) at multiple sites (Siaya, Kisumu).
- Supervise administrative staff, set performance goals, conduct evaluations, and ensure accountability.
- Develop and implement policies, systems, and SOPs to improve efficiency and operational excellence.
- Oversee staff recruitment, contracts, payroll, and performance management in line with project needs.
- Ensure mandatory training (GCP, biosafety, ethics) for research staff.
- Provide mentorship, training, and career development opportunities for junior researchers and administrative staff.
- Promote staff motivation, retention, succession planning, and team collaboration.
- Liaise with MoH, County Health Departments, and regulatory bodies to align research with national priorities.
- Strengthen collaborations with international partners and donors (CDC, Gates, Task Force, UNC, Emory, GWU).
- Support community engagement frameworks including Community Advisory Boards (CABs) and sensitization forums.
- Act as a central communication link across departments, partners, and external stakeholders.
- Represent the PI/Project Director in high-level stakeholder and donor forums.
- Establish systems to track project performance, milestones, and deliverables.
- Ensure compliance with data security, integrity, and sharing requirements.
- Support development of research databases, repositories, and publication processes.
- Document and disseminate lessons learned to strengthen ongoing and future research.
Vacancy Requirements:
| # | Description. | Requirement Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Public Health, Human Resource Management, or related field | Mandatory |
| 2 | A Master degree will be an added advantage | Added Advantage |
| 3 | Strong knowledge of research governance, compliance, and donor regulations | Mandatory |
| 4 | Proven experience in research management, grants administration, and compliance with international funders | Mandatory |
| 5 | At least 7 years’ relevant experience, with 3 years in senior management within research or donor-funded programs | Mandatory |
| 6 | Demonstrated ability to manage multi-site clinical trials, surveillance studies, or large-scale research programs | Mandatory |
| 7 | Excellent leadership, negotiation, communication, and report-writing skills | Mandatory |
| 8 | Proficiency in MS Office, grants management systems, and research databases | Mandatory |
| 9 | High integrity, professionalism, and accountability | Mandatory |
| 10 | Strong leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills | Mandatory |
| 11 | Ability to manage multiple projects under pressure and meet tight deadlines | Mandatory |
| 12 | Effective stakeholder engagement and diplomacy skills | Mandatory |
| 13 | Strategic thinker with adaptability to dynamic research environments | Mandatory |
| 14 | Team player with proven ability to mentor and foster collaboration | Mandatory |
| 15 | Commitment to advancing KEMRI’s mission and contributing to global health impact | Mandatory |
