State Programme Assistant at Centre for Newborn Health Research and Innovation (CeNHRI)

• The State Programme Assistant will provide administrative, logistical and project support for CeNHRI’s activities in the assigned state. The postholder will help organise facility visits and meetings, maintain project records and trackers, follow up on routine actions, and ensure that information from state activities is documented and accessible.
• The Assistant will work under the direction of the State Programme and Data Coordinator and support timely communication between CeNHRI staff, participating facilities and other stakeholders.

Scope of the Role

• The role covers meeting and visit arrangements, document management, activity tracking, routine correspondence, administrative follow-up and support for programme reporting. The Assistant may help organise data submissions and check that required fields and documents have been received.

Authority

The State Programme Assistant is authorised to:

• Arrange meetings, visits and other approved activities as directed by the coordinator.
• Request routine scheduling information, attendance lists and agreed documentation from facility focal persons.
• Follow up on actions assigned by the coordinator and update administrative trackers.
• Prepare draft meeting notes, visit records and routine correspondence for review.
• Flag missing documents, overdue actions and scheduling problems to the coordinator.

Key Responsibilities

Activity and Logistics Support

• Assist the Coordinator in maintaining calendars and schedules for facility visits, training, meetings and other state activities.
• Confirm dates, venues, participants and practical requirements with relevant focal persons.
• Prepare meeting materials, attendance sheets, visit packs and other approved documents.
• Support travel and logistics arrangements in line with CeNHRI’s procedures.
• Keep an organised record of completed activities and supporting documentation.

Expected outputs: Updated activity calendar, confirmed logistics, attendance records and complete activity files.

Documentation and Records Management

• Take accurate notes during meetings and facility visits and prepare draft minutes or visit records for review.
• Maintain organised electronic and physical files for state activities, correspondence, approvals and deliverables.
• Apply agreed file naming, version control and document storage procedures.
• Record decisions, assigned actions, responsible persons and deadlines in the relevant trackers.
• Check that required documents are complete and filed after each activity.

Expected outputs: Draft minutes, updated action trackers and complete, accessible state project records.

Routine Follow-Up and Communication

• Follow up with facility and partner focal persons on meeting confirmations, outstanding documents and routine actions assigned by the coordinator.
• Draft routine emails, letters and updates for the coordinator’s review.
• Maintain contact lists and circulate approved meeting information and documents.
• Alert the Coordinator to overdue actions, unanswered requests and issues that may delay planned activities.
• Provide administrative support for state coordination and review meetings.

Expected outputs: Current contact lists, follow-up logs, draft correspondence and timely updates on outstanding actions.

Data and Reporting Support

• Track receipt of expected facility reports and supporting documents against agreed submission dates.
• Organise received reports in the approved filing system and flag missing submissions or incomplete documentation.
• Assist with data entry or compilation in approved tools when assigned, following instructions from the Coordinator and MEL team.
• Check entries against submitted forms for transcription errors and refer discrepancies to the coordinator.
• Help prepare tables, charts, presentation materials and report annexes using data reviewed by the coordinator.
• Handle programme data confidentially and follow approved procedures for access, storage and sharing.

Expected outputs: Updated submission tracker, organised facility reports, accurately entered data where assigned, and draft reporting materials.

Reporting and Working Relationships

• The State Programme Assistant will report to the State Programme and Data Coordinator, who will assign tasks, review outputs and set priorities. The Assistant will liaise with facility and stakeholder focal persons on routine administrative matters as directed by the coordinator.
• The Assistant may interact with the PMO state representative to arrange meetings or share approved documents.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in public health, health administration, social sciences, business administration, project management or a related field.

Experience

• At least 2 years of experience in programme administration, project assistance, health programme support or a similar role.
• Experience organising meetings, maintaining project records and following up on activities across multiple stakeholders.
• Experience working with health facilities or public health programmes is an advantage.
• Experience handling routine programme data or digital reporting tools is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong organisation, attention to detail and ability to follow through on assigned tasks.
• Good note-taking, document management and professional writing skills.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email and shared digital filing systems.
• Ability to maintain accurate trackers and identify missing or overdue items.
• Professional communication and discretion when working with facility staff and sensitive information.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and seek guidance when priorities are unclear.
• Fluency in English. Ability to communicate in a language commonly used in the assigned state is an advantage.