Job Summary:

The Senior Administrative Manager is responsible for providing responsive, effective, and efficient administrative services - in support of the Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) mission to serve the poor and vulnerable. The Senior Administrative Manager promotes stewardship of resources, helps ensure principled compliance, proactively identify risk issues, and under supervision lead operational improvements related to administrative services.  

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Manage or coordinate administration functions – systems, processes and staffing – that meet CRS’ standards, donor requirements, and local regulations and support high-quality programming.Anticipate delivery challenges to ensure service continuity.
•  Collaborating with programming leads to ensuring appropriate project facility related expenditures in line with financial plans and proper stewardship of assets and rented facilities. 
• Coordinate and monitor day-to-day administrative services to ensure travel and logistics support and services to staff and visitors, are delivered with high quality in an efficient manner. Identify and help address challenges that affect the proper stewardship and optimal utilization of program assets and resources (financial, human, and material). 
• Collaborate closely with the Security Manager to proactively manage security and mitigate security risks related to facility management. Assume the duties of Security Manager in his absence.
• Effectively manage talent and supervise. Manage team dynamics and staff well-being. Provide coaching, strategically tailored individual development plans, and complete performance management for direct reports. Monitor and assess performance to ensure adequate capacity for successful support of high-quality programming.
• Provide guidance of internal processes for approving facility related expenses, monitoring spending, and making budget adjustments in line with operational and programmatic needs and with donor requirements.
• Contribute to effective staffing of CP needs and adherence to HR systems, policies and practices that support a high-performance culture, staff development and retention. Help ensure quality personnel administration and a work environment that truly reflects the agency’s guiding principles.
• Coordinate compliance with agency and donor requirements and local laws and regulations through periodic systems checks, review and assessment of administration policies and procedures. Coordinate response to issues that emerge from internal and external audits and provide guidance to implement improvements.
• Help maintain the proper conditions for learning - a safe environment for the sharing of ideas, solutions, and difficulties and the capacity to detect, analyze and respond quickly to small deficiencies. Identify capacity strengthening needs and provide guidance for project teams and partners, which includes cross-departmental learning.
• Act as liaison to follow up several relationship issues with Government of Nigeria such as host country agreement renewal, Corporate Affairs Commission registration, immigration, duty waivers, tax exemptions, equipment licensing etc.
• Serve as the key liaison and maintain relationships with relevant external stakeholders (landlords, service providers, etc.) on assigned administrative matters and ensure required authorizations and documents are up to date.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio), Web Conferencing Applications, and information and budget management systems.
• Good strategic, analytical, systems thinking, and problem-solving skills and ability to make sound judgment and decisions.
• Good relations management abilities. Ability to work collaboratively
• Ethical conduct in accordance with recognized professional and organizational codes of ethics
• Proactive, resourceful, solutions-oriented and results-oriented
• Demonstrate a high level of initiative, diplomacy and tact
• Strong customer service orientation with excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Office Management experience is a plus. Experience with an NGO preferred.
• Understanding of financial systems, including budgeting and budget/expense analysis experience preferred. 
• Knowledge of multiple public donors’ regulations, including USAID, is a plus.
• Staff management experience and abilities that are conducive to a learning environment preferred. 

Required Languages - English.

Travel - Must be willing and able to travel up to 25 %.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Senior Admin Officer, Admin Officer and Admin assistants. 

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Management Team, Operations staff and Program staff.

External: Church partners, Legal counsel, Representatives of other Projects, Contractors, Government representatives and clients of the CRS Nigeria Office.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Law, or other relevant field. 
• Minimum of 8 years work experience in administration support function with progressive responsibilities.
• Additional education may substitute for some experience; additional experience may substitute for some education. 

Agency Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions. 
• Acts with Integrity - Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission.  Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust - Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

What we offer

CRS offers U.S. based staff a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan.  Benefits packages for successful candidates employed outside the U.S. are based on the country of employment/in-country office where the candidate will perform the role.  CRS´ work culture is a collaborative, mission-driven culture committed to improving the lives of the poor throughout the world.

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Catholic Relief Services works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.  Catholic Relief Services’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding.  We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is committed to safeguarding program participants, community members, staff and volunteers from all forms of exploitation and abuse.  The successful candidate is expected to sign and adhere to CRS´ Code of Conduct.

CRS talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people - especially children and vulnerable adults - to live free from abuse and harm.

Disclaimer:  This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position. 

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

General Requirements

CRS offers are contingent on the selected candidate’s ability to legally work where the position is to be performed. Every government has a unique set of work permit eligibility requirements.  All positions requiring residence or frequent travel outside a home country must undergo and clear a pre-employment medical clearance; some work permit processes require clearing a separate government administered medical examination.

CRS prioritizes candidates who are citizens/ permanent residents of the countries where we have CRS offices.