Project Administrator

<p>The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture seeks suitable Nigerian nationals for the position below at the Institute’s Headquarters in Ibadan.</p><p></p><p><strong>Position:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Project Administrator</strong></p><p><strong>Contract:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2-years renewable contract&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Location: Ibadan</strong></p><p><strong>Closing Date: 15 September 2026</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>DUTIES</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>A.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Program-Wide Administrative Leadership </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide overall administrative and operational coordination for I-Youth 2.0 across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Develop and maintain a Program-wide administrative framework that supports implementation across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate administrative requirements arising from the Program work plan, ensuring that operational needs are identified and addressed ahead of implementation. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Establish and maintain administrative trackers, calendars, workflow systems, and follow-up mechanisms for the three-country program. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate administrative inputs from the country teams and ensure timely submission, processing, and follow-up of Program requirements. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monitor the status of key administrative actions across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone and escalate delays, bottlenecks, and operational risks to the Country Coordinator and relevant Program management. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide administrative guidance to country teams and ensure consistency in the application of relevant institutional and Program procedures. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>B.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordination with Country Teams </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Serve as the central administrative link between the Program management team and administrative/project support personnel in Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate and consolidate country-level administrative requirements and provide regular updates to Program management. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Support Country Coordinators in planning and sequencing administrative requirements for Program activities. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure that country teams initiate administrative processes in accordance with agreed implementation timelines. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Facilitate the resolution of cross-country administrative issues that require coordination with IITA's institutional support units. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Promote consistent administrative practices and documentation standards across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain a consolidated view of Program-wide administrative priorities, outstanding actions, and deadlines. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>C.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Planning and Operational Coordination </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Translate the approved Program work plan and activity schedules into corresponding administrative and operational requirements. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate the preparation of administrative action plans for major Program activities across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monitor administrative readiness for trainings, workshops, field missions, stakeholder engagements, meetings, and other Program activities. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anticipate operational requirements, proactively initiate follow-up with responsible teams, and support units. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate administrative arrangements for Program start-up, implementation reviews, donor engagements, missions, and Program closeout activities. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Develop and maintain Program-wide administrative calendars to facilitate the timely delivery of activities. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify operational constraints and recommend practical solutions to Program management. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>D.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Procurement and Contract Administration Coordination</strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate with the Procurement Officer and technical teams to ensure that procurement requirements arising from Program activities are identified and communicated in a timely manner. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Track the administrative status and timelines of procurement-related actions and follow up on outstanding requirements with the responsible officers. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate the administrative documentation required to facilitate procurement and contracting processes. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain appropriate records of procurement-related administrative correspondence and supporting documentation. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Work with the Procurement Officer to ensure that procurement-related actions are aligned with Program implementation timelines. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Escalate procurement-related delays or operational bottlenecks that may affect Program implementation to the appropriate Program management level. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate the administrative aspects of consultant and service-provider engagements while leaving procurement decisions, vendor selection, and procurement compliance to the Procurement Officer. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>E.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Financial and Administrative Coordination </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Work closely with the Project Accountant to coordinate the administrative requirements associated with Program budgets, activities, commitments, and expenditures across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure that administrative documentation required for payments, advances, retirements, and other financial processes is prepared and submitted in a timely manner. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Track the administrative status of payment requests, advances, retirements, and other operational financial processes and follow up with responsible units. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Provide the Project Accountant and Program management with relevant administrative information required for financial planning and reporting. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate administrative inputs required for country and consolidated Program financial reporting. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain appropriate records supporting administrative and financial processes. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Flag administrative issues that may affect timely expenditure or Program implementation. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>F.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Travel, Meetings, Events, and Program Logistics </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lead the coordination of Program-wide administrative arrangements for meetings, trainings, workshops, field missions, conferences, stakeholder engagements, and other events across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate local and international travel arrangements for Program staff, consultants, partners, and other authorized participants. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate flights, accommodation, transportation, visa support, and other travel documentation in collaboration with the relevant IITA support functions. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Develop administrative and logistical plans for major Program events and missions. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate logistical requirements for donor, partner, and senior management visits across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure that country teams receive timely guidance and support for Program events and missions. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain records of Program travel, meetings, missions, and major events. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>G.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Institutional Coordination and Compliance </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Serve as the central administrative interface between I-Youth 2.0 and relevant IITA institutional support units. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate with Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, Travel, ICT, Legal, and other institutional functions to facilitate the timely delivery of Program requirements.</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure that Program administrative processes are consistent with IITA policies, donor requirements, and approved Program procedures. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Communicate relevant institutional procedures and administrative requirements to country teams. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monitor compliance with administrative requirements and escalate significant issues to Program management. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate responses to administrative reviews, audits, and other requests for Program documentation. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure that required administrative records are complete, accurate, and readily available for audit and review. </p><p></p><p><strong>H.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Program Records and Documentation </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Establish and maintain a central Program administrative records management system covering Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure consistent filing and documentation standards across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain Program-level records relating to contracts, correspondence, approvals, travel, meetings, events, administrative processes, and other operational documentation. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Coordinate with country teams to ensure timely submission and proper filing of country-level administrative records. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain an up-to-date repository of key Program administrative documents. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ensure that records are appropriately maintained in accordance with IITA and donor requirements. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>I.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Management Reporting and Risk Monitoring </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Prepare regular updates for Program management on the status of administrative activities across Nigeria, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maintain consolidated administrative action trackers and provide periodic status reports to the Country Coordinator. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Track outstanding administrative actions arising from Program management meetings and ensure timely follow-up. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify recurring administrative challenges across countries and recommend improvements to Program management. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Monitor administrative and operational risks and ensure that significant issues are promptly escalated. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Contribute administrative information to Program progress reports, annual workplans, reviews, audits, and donor reports. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>J.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Administrative Systems and Continuous Improvement </strong></p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Develop and maintain tools, templates, procedures, and standard administrative practices to improve Program efficiency. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Identify opportunities to streamline administrative processes across the three countries. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Promote harmonization of administrative practices while taking into account legitimate country-specific institutional requirements. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Document administrative lessons and good practices for application across the Program. </p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Perform any other administrative duties assigned by the Supervisor.</p>