Executive Assistant Position Announcement

Overview of IITA

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food-secure future.

Position Details

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for a position of Executive Assistant (Reference: IITA-TZ-2025-DSM-010-NRS-DAR ES SALAAM). The overall responsibility of the Executive Assistant is to manage the general administration of the Hub Director’s office and provide administrative support to the IITA Tanzania Country Representative’s office.

Duty Station: The position will be based at the IITA Mikocheni Office in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Key Responsibilities

Coordination of the Administration Function of the Hub Director’s Office

• Manage EA Hub Director’s calendar of events, ensuring that day-to-day priorities are met effectively.
• Coordinate all travel arrangements for the Hub Director, including travel itineraries, visas, hotel bookings, among others.
• Provide administrative support and act as secretary to meetings organized by the Hub Director as may be requested, including preparing agendas, inviting attendees, taking minutes, generating and distributing reports on a timely manner, and following up on key action items to ensure their timely implementation.
• Welcome, direct, and manage visitors’ appointments to the Hub Director’s and Country Representative’s offices, coordinating all necessary logistics for such visits.
• Assist in event planning and coordination for workshops, conferences, and stakeholder meetings organized by the Hub Director or Country Representative.
• Assist in processing and tracking expense reports, travel claims, and procurement requests relevant to the Hub Director’s activities.
• Draft, coordinate with the admin team on courier, and follow up on responses of letters, mails, and correspondences originating from the Hub Director’s and Country Representative’s offices.
• Manage an effective electronic and physical filing system of all administrative documents within the Hub Director’s and Country Representative’s offices.
• In liaison with Director and Country Representatives, maintain a database of key partners, stakeholders, and collaborators of EA Hub, ensuring it is kept up-to-date.
• In liaison with the communications office, compile and update presentation materials as may be requested by the Hub Director and Country Representative from time to time.
• Compile the monthly EA hub report ensuring timely submission.

Support for the EA Hub and Genetic Innovation (GI) Science Area Management

• In liaison with capacity development and knowledge sharing office, maintain data on students, trainings, and publications for EA Hub and GI Science Area.
• Support the compilation of the EA Hub’s contribution to the institute’s annual reports.
• Work with the EA Hub Communication Officer as necessary to ensure EA Hub information is up-to-date and relevant.
• Generate and provide information relating to EA Hub as requested for both internal and external audiences.
• In liaison with Project Development and Administration Unit (PDAU), follow up for updated information on project and program implementation.
• Compile and update the list of ongoing projects and project pipelines in EA Hub and GI.
• Support the Director and Project Leaders in compiling information for proposal development and completing PDAU project initiation forms as may be required from time to time.
• Supporting Director with tracking financial expenditures of projects.
• Any other duty as may be assigned.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, or public administration.
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in a similar executive or administrative support role, preferably within an international multicultural organization.
• Experience in the management of donor-funded projects is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in liaising with stakeholders, including government agencies, donors, and international partners.
• Demonstrated experience handling senior-level calendar management, logistics coordination, and office communication.
• Experience in organizing events and meetings, including preparation of documentation and follow-up on action items.

Core Skills and Competencies

• Strong organizational and multitasking skills, with keen attention to detail and ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and with good judgment.
• High level of discretion, professionalism, and confidentiality in handling sensitive matters.
• Demonstrated expertise in both written and verbal communication in the English language.
• Strong ability to coordinate, prioritize, and organize workload; take initiative and work under pressure.
• Ability to liaise effectively across departments and diverse teams, and support senior management with minimal supervision.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); familiarity with tools such as iCalendar, SharePoint, Teams, Zoom, and electronic filing systems.
• Comfortable managing logistics for travel, reporting, and stakeholder engagements in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work across teams.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment.

General Information

The duration of the contract is two years, renewable subject to performance and availability of funds. This is a nationally recruited position, and IITA offers a competitive remuneration package.

Application Process

The application pack should include an application letter, copies of certificates, and a curriculum vitae which contains a telephone number, email address, and contact details of two referees. Applications should be sent by email to IITA-Tanzania@cgiar.org and addressed to:

The Country Representative, IITA-Tanzania
Plot No. 25, Mwenge-Coca-Cola Road,
Mikocheni Industrial Area,
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Applicants are requested to include the reference number for the position (IITA-TZ-2025-DSM-010-NRS-DAR ES SALAAM) in the subject of their application letter, as well as in the subject of their email. Please note that any applications without the reference number indicated will be automatically disqualified.

Closing date for applications: Monday, 28th July 2025. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.