Consultancy- Project Administrative Assistant

Introduction and Context

The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a specialized technical office of the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) of the African Union Commission. AU-IBAR provides leadership and integrated support for the sustainable development and utilization of animal resources in Africa, with the aim of strengthening food and nutrition security, livelihoods, trade, investment and prosperity in African Union Member States.
Under this mandate, AU-IBAR implements the Africa Pastoral Markets Development (APMD) Platform, a continental initiative designed to accelerate the integration of pastoral producers and operators into formal, structured and high-value livestock markets. APMD focuses delivery on two prioritized pastoral market pathways: (i) linking pastoralists to export-grade meat value chains; and (ii) linking pastoralists to enhanced regional livestock trade corridors, with a specific Sahel-to-Nigeria corridor focus.
APMD organizes pathway delivery through a common Evidence-to-Adoption process: Evidence Assessment, Pathways Validation, Decision Materials, Interest Generation and Adoption Support. These pathway stages are reinforced by Continental Pathways Mobilization, which uses AU-IBAR's continental mandate and convening role to engage Member States, Regional Economic Communities, private-sector actors, investors, financial institutions, technical partners and other stakeholders around validated market pathways and defined adoption or investment decisions.
The APMD Results Framework seeks to achieve three outcomes: (1) increased access of pastoral producers and operators to formal, structured and high-value livestock markets; (2) increased private-sector investment and commercial activity in pastoral livestock markets; and (3) increased adoption of proven pastoral market approaches by Member States and continental institutions. By February 2028, APMD aims to support the integration of at least 25 pastoral producers/operators into structured market channels, identify and actively advance a qualified pathway-linked investment pipeline of at least US$500 million, and support adoption or application of validated pastoral market approaches by at least three Member States or continental institutions.

Purpose of the Assignment

Provide the administrative, procurement-tracking, governance, documentation, logistics and execution-control support required to maintain APMD delivery discipline and ensure that approved decisions, procurements, meetings, missions, contracts and follow-up actions move through AU-IBAR processes within required timelines.

Results Accountability

The position contributes to the approved APMD Results Framework as follows:

Result	Approved APMD result	Role	Required Contribution
All three outcomes	APMD market-integration, investment and adoption outcomes.	Execution enabler	Maintain reliable administrative systems that prevent avoidable procurement, governance, travel, contracting and action-closure delays.
Evidence Assessment / Output 1.1	External Evidence Assessment Team and evidence-cycle logistics.	Administrative lead	Maintain procurement, contracting, meeting, travel, deliverable and payment documentation for the externally sourced Evidence Assessment Team.
Evidence Assessment / Output 1.1 Project governance	Platform Secretariat, Project Delivery Committee and Project Steering Committee.	Administrative Lead	Maintain calendars, packs, records, actions, decisions and document control to support timely management decisions.
Output 2.3 / Continental Pathways Mobilization	High-value pathway-linked platform moments, including APMF.	Administrative support	Execute approved logistics, procurement, participant records, action-note circulation and follow-up documentation.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Function / stage	Lead responsibility	Required collaboration / handoff
Procurement and contracting administration	Maintain a live procurement tracker; prepare/route approved administrative documentation; follow TOR, requisition, solicitation, evaluation, contracting, deliverable and payment milestones. The external Evidence Assessment Team procurement is an immediate critical-path priority.	Work with Project Coordinator, AU-IBAR Procurement, Finance and responsible technical lead.
Governance administration	Maintain meeting calendars and administrative records for Platform Secretariat, Project Delivery Committee, Project Steering Committee and other approved governance forums; circulate packs and record actions/decisions.	Work with Coordinator and M&E/Secretariat; technical owners remain accountable for substantive content.
Action and decision control	Maintain the official administrative action and decision registers; assign agreed owners/dates; issue reminders; escalate overdue administrative actions to the Project Coordinator.	Coordinate with all Pillar Leads and Country Adoption Leads.
Document and version control	Maintain the controlled repository for approved plans, TORs, contracts, evidence products, validation records, governance documents, official correspondence and final decision materials.	Work with KM&A and M&E on controlled copies and evidence records.
Missions, meetings and APMF logistics	Execute approved travel, venue, invitation, participant, interpretation, procurement and logistical arrangements; maintain complete records and follow-up correspondence.	Work with the relevant technical leads
Administrative financial follow-up	Track commitments, procurement status, consultant invoices, approved mission settlements and administrative dependencies affecting delivery; flag delays.	Work with Finance and Project Coordinator; does not replace Finance controls.

Other field-related responsibilities. Undertake other responsibilities within the professional scope of the assignment, and directly relevant to approved APMD pathways, results, governance or continental mobilization, as may be assigned by the APMD Project Coordinator and the Director of AU-IBAR.

Cross-Functional and Country Interfaces

The position shall collaborate through defined functional interfaces; collaboration does not create parallel reporting lines.

Interface	Required Interaction
Kenya and Nigeria Country Adoption Leads	Support approved travel, meeting, correspondence, documentation and action-tracking requirements; maintain one central record rather than parallel country administrative systems.
All Pillar Leads	Maintain procurement/admin actions and due dates for approved work packages and escalate administrative blockers through the Coordinator.

Governance and Continental Pathways Mobilization

All APMD personnel operate as one integrated delivery team. Technical functions organize expertise; the prioritized pathways organize delivery; and the Results Framework defines success. The position is therefore expected to work through the APMD Platform Secretariat, contribute to the monthly Project Delivery Committee, provide technical and performance inputs for the Project Steering Committee, and support the African Pastoral Markets Forum (APMF) and other approved continental pathway-mobilization moments.

1. Platform Secretariat: circulate agendas/packs, maintain attendance, decisions and action logs, and update records within one working day of agreed changes.
2. Project Delivery Committee: prepare meeting logistics and documentation, consolidate the action register and track closure of decisions.
3. Project Steering Committee: support official correspondence, meeting packs, records and approved follow-up actions.
4. APMF: execute approved administrative and logistical requirements and maintain participant, procurement, commitment and follow-up records.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

Timing	Required Deliverable
Immediate / Q4 2026	Live procurement/action/decision calendars; external Evidence Assessment Team procurement tracker; controlled APMD document repository; governance calendar; APMF administrative workplan.
Weekly	Current procurement, contracting and administrative action tracker with overdue items highlighted.
For each governance meeting	Pack circulated at least 48 hours before the meeting where inputs are available; action/decision record issued within 48 hours after the meeting.
Monthly	Administrative status note covering procurement, contracts, travel/events, overdue actions and decisions requiring escalation.

Operating Boundaries

1. hall not make technical, financial or procurement decisions reserved for authorized officers.Shall not initiate meetings, missions or procure
2. ment activities without an approved workplan/action and required authorization.
3. All activities must be linked to an approved APMD pathway, Results Framework output, continental mobilisation requirement or governance obligation.

Duty Station

AU-IBAR offices in Nairobi, Kenya, with travel on specific assignments approved by AU-IBAR Management.

Duration

The duration of this assignment is 6 months.  Any renewal is subject to availability of funds, continued need for the assignment and satisfactory performance. 

Remuneration

The remuneration for this Consultancy shall be an all-inclusive monthly fee equivalent to GSA5 Step 10 on the AUC Salary Scale and shall not exceed US$ 2,360.58 per month. The consultant will be responsible for his/her medical and travel insurance cover for the duration of the consultancy. Expenses for travel on official missions will be covered separately by AU-IBAR in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations. 

Supervision and Reporting

The Consultant shall work under the direct supervision of the APMD Project Coordinator and under the overall supervision of the Director of AU-IBAR. The Consultant shall operate as part of the integrated APMD delivery team and maintain the functional relationships required by the approved workplan and Results Framework.

Requirements

Academic and Professional Qualifications

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional qualification in Business Administration, Project Administration, Procurement, Finance, Office Management, Public Administration, Law  or a closely related field. Relevant project-management or procurement training is an advantage.

General Experience

Minimum seven (7) years of relevant experience in project administration, procurement/contract tracking, office management or programme support, preferably in an international, governmental or development organization.

Specific / Relevant Experience

1. Demonstrated experience in project or programme administration within an international, intergovernmental, governmental or development organisation, preferably supporting pastoralism, livestock, agriculture, trade or market-development programmes. 
2. Practical experience in procurement and contract-process tracking, including administrative follow-up from initiation through contracting, deliverables, payments and closure. 
3. Experience providing administrative and secretariat support to programme governance structures, including steering or delivery committees, technical processes and management meetings. 
4. Demonstrated experience coordinating official travel, field missions, workshops, validation processes, stakeholder meetings or other programme activities involving Member States, RECs, technical experts, pastoral or livestock-sector actors and development partners.
5. Strong experience in document control, records management, version control and maintenance of complete programme and contractual records. 
6. Relevant experience supporting programmes operating at African continental or regional level, including work with African Union institutions, Regional Economic Communities, Member States or other intergovernmental organisations. 
7. Experience supporting partnerships and official engagements involving development partners, private-sector organisations, technical institutions and other regional or continental stakeholders.

Skills and Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate excellent organisation, attention to detail and deadline management, with the ability to support a fast-moving multi-country pastoral-market programme. The candidate should be able to manage procurement and administrative workflows, maintain accurate records, prepare professional correspondence and track multiple actions simultaneously. Strong discretion, document-management and logistical skills are required, together with the ability to support AU, REC, Member State and partner engagements efficiently and professionally.
 

Language

Proficiency in one African Union working language is required. Working knowledge of an additional AU working language is an advantage. English proficiency sufficient for technical drafting, reporting and stakeholder engagement is required where English is the working language of the assignment.

Performance Assessment

Performance shall be assessed against agreed deliverables and due dates; contribution to assigned APMD outputs and indicators; quality and usefulness of technical work; cross-functional delivery and handoffs; timely action closure and risk escalation; and compliance with the APMD operating model, governance requirements and approved workplan.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated on the basis of relevant technical qualifications, experience and competence. The weighting below retains the established AU-IBAR evaluation structure while making the role-specific experience criterion decisive.

Criterion	Assessment Basis	Score (%)
Academic and professional qualifications	Relevance of academic and professional preparation to the assignment	15
General professional experience	Depth of relevant professional experience, including multidisciplinary and institutional delivery	20
Specific experience relevant to the assignment	Role-specific experience, scored using the subcriteria.	40
Technical, analytical and delivery competencies	Judgement, analytical ability, execution discipline, stakeholder management, drafting and cross-functional delivery	20
Language	Required AU working-language capability and relevant additional language capacity	5
Total		100

Applicants who meet the technical requirements may be invited for a structured interview. Where used, the interview should test technical judgement through a realistic APMD scenario, cross-functional delivery, stakeholder judgement and communication.
 

Gender Mainstreaming

The African Union Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Submission of the application.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 12th October 2026, 23.45 hours, Nairobi Local Time.

Applications should be submitted through email to: procurement@au-ibar.org with a copy to emmah.boro@au-ibar.org and should include the title “APMD Project Administrative Assistant” in the subject of the email

Applications should include the following:

a)    A Letter of Interest highlighting competence and suitability for the consultancy;
b)    Detailed curriculum vitae;
c)    Copies of academic and professional qualifications;
d)    Completed declaration on exclusion criteria in the format attached;
e)    Copies of identification documents.

A Personal Data Protection and Privacy Statement is attached as information for the applicants.