Program Assistant, Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, Integrated Portfolio and Financial Management
PATH
Remote
PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.
PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access (CVIA) brings together our expertise across every stage of the long and complex process of vaccine research, development, and delivery to make lifesaving vaccines widely available to children and communities across the world. CVIA’s current portfolio encompasses more than two dozen vaccines either in development or already in use to protect against fifteen different diseases. Our focus is on vaccines to address the leading diseases that claim children’s lives worldwide: pneumonia, diarrheal disease, and malaria; as well as other global health priorities, such as polio and meningitis. We work in partnership with national health ministries, pharmaceutical manufacturers, donors, international financing and regulatory organizations, and many others. PATH has led numerous global partnerships, including the award-winning Meningitis Vaccine Project and the Malaria Vaccine Initiative, which helped develop the first malaria vaccine candidate recommended for pilot implementation.
PATH is currently recruiting for a Program Assistant (SPA) who will provide administrative support to a portfolio of vaccination introduction and delivery projects in Nigeria. The position is based in Kebbi State, provides direct support to project teams in-country and reports to project managers on a day-to-day basis with line reporting to a supervisor with the Project and Portfolio Management team (PPM). The successful candidate will be required to obtain the PATH Proofreaders Certification within 120 days of employment.
The Program Assistant will provide comprehensive administrative, logistical, and clerical support to ensure effective and timely delivery of project activities. This role will enhance operational efficiency, ensure compliance with PATH and donor procedures, and facilitate coordination among national and state-level stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
- Administrative and Documentation Support
- Support internal and external correspondence, including drafting responses or triaging queries as appropriate.
- Proofread, format, and manage project documents including proposals, reports, work plans, presentations, and meeting materials.
- Organize and collate project information to support timely donor reporting and internal updates.
- Prepare and manage administrative forms, including travel requests, payment forms, and other required documentation.
- Maintain organized electronic and hard-copy filing systems using PATH platforms (e.g., SharePoint, Box, Smartsheet).
- Logistics and Travel Coordination
- Coordinate and manage travel arrangements for project staff and consultants, including flights, accommodation, ground transport, and itineraries.
- Provide logistical support for meetings, trainings, workshops, supervision visits, and stakeholder engagements.
- Arrange meeting logistics including venues, catering, participant lists, meeting materials, and virtual meeting platforms.
- Finance and Procurement Support
- Support PATH finance and procurement teams with administrative tasks related to project activities.
- Track documentation related to procurement, payments, and expense processing.
- Support timely submission and organization of financial and procurement records in line with PATH policies.
- Meeting and Coordination Support
- Manage scheduling and planning of meetings.
- Assist with drafting and distributing agendas and minutes.
- Track follow-up actions, decisions, and task assignments arising from meetings.
- Systems and IT Support
- Support team members in using PATH systems and software tools.
- Liaise with IT as needed to resolve basic hardware or software issues.
- Serve as a focal point for ensuring project information systems are current and well maintained.
- Cross-Team Coordination
- Support coordination across CVIA projects and country teams as assigned.
- Provide backup support to other CVIA Program Assistants when required.
- Bachelor's and a minimum of two years of progressively responsible administrative experience required; or an associate’s degree and four years of strong administrative support experience. Candidate must demonstrate exceptional organizational, coordination, and administrative skills in a fast-paced professional environment.
- Articulate communicator, excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
- Demonstrated history of being proactive and ability to work independently.
- Proficiency in the application of Microsoft Office Suite with an emphasis on proficiency in Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Experience with Smartsheet preferred.
- Proven ability to learn and help others use new software.
- Proven success drafting, proofreading, and editing documents.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multi-site organization and a team-based structure.
- Proven effectiveness prioritizing competing demands and remaining flexible and adaptable with changing priorities.
- High level of integrity, attention to detail, and commitment to compliance and accountability standards.
- Experience with or willingness to learn science-related terminology and concepts related to immunology and vaccines.
- Extremely detail oriented.
- Strong interpersonal and organizational skills with a proactive nature.