Operations and Administrative Assistant

Job description

Overview

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.

CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.

At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication, and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skill sets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Senior Human Resources and Administration Manager, the Temporary Operations and Administrative Assistant will play a central role in the smooth day-to-day running of the CHAI Zambia office. Serving as the first point of contact for visitors and callers, the post-holder will manage the front office with professionalism and warmth, while providing broad administrative and logistical support to the country team. This is a fixed-term position through 31 December 2026.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the reception area professionally including answering the telephone and placing outgoing calls for CHAI staff, welcoming the organization’s guests, relaying messages, and projecting a professional image of the organization.
• Support the distribution of incoming and outgoing mail and forwarding to the relevant staff.
• Receive and send correspondence and maintain logs of all office correspondence in a confidential and secure manner.
• Support development and maintenance of client relationship database of key contacts at the Ministry of Health (MOH), donors, and partners.
• Maintain a proper, user-friendly filing and document control system for recording and tracking all documents.
• Coordinate logistical support for conferences, site visits, workshops, and accommodation, including arranging transport and airport pick-ups and drop-offs for local, visiting, and travelling staff on request.
• Facilitate country team meetings, ensuring meeting rooms, equipment (e.g., projectors, speakers), and refreshments are set up and ready in advance.
• Provide secretarial support as requested, including photocopying, printing and scanning documents for staff.
• Obtain quotes and process payment requests for limited procurements such as office supplies and car hire services, in line with CHAI guidelines and donor requirements.
• Monitor contracted services such as garbage collection, cleaning to ensure they are delivered in accordance with contractual obligations.
• Help maintain the general cleanliness of the office to support a good working environment at all times.
• Perform other duties as requested or assigned.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Business Administration, Office Management, Secretarial Studies, or a similar qualification from a recognized college or university.
• At least three years of experience in a similar role in a reputable organization.
• Good planning and organizational skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills.
• Professional appearance and manner.
• Computer literacy, specifically Microsoft Word, Excel, and email