Senior Executive Officer at icipe – International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
Overall Purpose of the Job
The Senior Executive Officer (SEO) will provide high-level
executive and administrative support to ensure the efficient and effective
operation of the Office of the Director General (DG). He/she serves as the
primary point of contact for the DG’s internal and external stakeholders,
manages the DG’s schedule and priorities, coordinates institutional
communications from the DG’s Office, and ensures timely follow-up on decisions.
The role demands exceptional organizational skills, discretion, and the ability
to anticipate needs, enabling the DG to focus on strategic leadership. The SEO
works closely with the icipe Events and Travel Coordination Officer to ensure
seamless logistical arrangements for meetings, travel, and official
events.
Specific Duties
Executive Support
- Manage
the flow of communications and documentation to and from the DG’s Office,
including telephone calls, emails, and official correspondence, through a
well-maintained and efficient system.
- Review,
prioritize, and delegate a variety of complex and confidential requests,
ensuring appropriate and timely responses.
- Prepare,
proofread, and edit correspondence, presentations, briefing notes, and
reports for the DG.
- Ensure
the DG is fully briefed and prepared for meetings, missions, and public
engagements by providing background materials and talking points.
Calendar, Meetings, and Travel
- Maintain
and coordinate the DG’s calendar, including planning and scheduling all
appointments, meetings, conferences, and travel.
- Organize
meetings for the DG, including preparation of agendas, collation of
documents, minute-taking, and follow-up on action points.
- Work
closely with the Events and Travel Coordination Officer to arrange travel
logistics (flights, accommodation, visas, ground transport) and prepare
comprehensive travel packs.
- Maintain
an up-to-date record of the DG’s travel schedule and manage frequent flyer
accounts.
Governance Support
- Coordinate
the logistics of Governing Council meetings, including travel,
accommodation, visas, and per diems for members, in close collaboration
with the Events and Travel Coordination Officer.
- Prepare
and distribute meeting documents, support notetaking, and monitor
follow-up on Governing Council action points.
Institutional Communications
- Draft,
edit, and coordinate official communications from the DG to internal and
external stakeholders.
- Prepare
briefing notes, speeches, and talking points for DG-led meetings,
conferences, and public events.
- Coordinate
the timely dissemination of DG-related announcements, updates, and
messages to staff.
- Liaise
with the Communications Unit to facilitate the DG’s participation in media
engagements, interviews, and public statements.
- Manage
the DG’s official correspondence, ensuring accuracy, professionalism, and
timely follow-up.
Budget and Resource Management
- Contribute
to budget preparation and monitor expenditures for the DG’s Office.
- Manage
procurement and inventory of office supplies for the DG’s Office.
Relationship Management and Liaison
- Serve
as the first point of contact for high-level visitors and stakeholders,
ensuring appropriate protocol arrangements, in coordination with the
Events and Travel Coordination Officer.
- Liaise
with senior staff, donors, Board members, and government officials on
behalf of the DG.
Records and Information Management
- Maintain
electronic and physical filing systems for the DG’s Office, ensuring
efficient retrieval and secure storage of sensitive documents.
- Process
correspondence for appropriate distribution, filing, and follow-up.
- Foster
effective communication and collaboration between the DG’s Office and
other icipe units.
Other Duties
- Supervise
the DG’s chauffeur and the Administration Assistant.
- Support
special projects and initiatives as assigned by the DG.
- Provide
cover for other senior-level administrative functions as required to
ensure continuity of operations.
Requirements / Qualifications
- Bachelor’s
degree in Business Administration, Communication, International Relations,
or related field.
- A
relevant postgraduate qualification will be an added advantage.
- At
least 8 years of progressively responsible executive-level administrative
experience, preferably in an international or research organization.
- Demonstrated
experience in supporting Board/Governing Council-level governance
processes.
- Proven
track record in stakeholder engagement, event coordination, and
collaboration with travel and event management functions.
- Excellent
written and verbal communication skills in English; working knowledge of
French will be an advantage.
- High
level of integrity and commitment to confidentiality.
- Proficiency
in Microsoft Office Suite, virtual meeting platforms, and document
management systems.
Other Desirable Skills
- Exceptional
organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to handle
multiple priorities under tight deadlines.
- Strong
interpersonal skills and the ability to work with tact, diplomacy, and
discretion.
- Ability
to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and anticipate needs.
- Professionalism
and commitment to organisational values.
- Attention
to detail and accuracy.
- Client
service orientation and relationship building.
- Adaptability
and problem-solving skills.
- Team
spirit and intercultural sensitivity.
Research Officer II at icipe – International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
Overall Purpose of the Job
- To
support research activities under the SYMBIOVECTOR project, particularly
in the domains of vector surveillance, insecticide resistance monitoring,
mosquito colony maintenance, and molecular diagnostics. The role combines
field and laboratory tasks with a strong focus on implementation and
training.
Specific duties
The successful candidate is expected to:
- Lead
and coordinate field collections of Anopheles mosquitoes and manage
insecticide resistance monitoring (e.g., WHO tube tests, CDC bottle
assays).
- Oversee
mosquito colony rearing, including maintenance of resistant strains and
infection studies (e.g., membrane feeding).
- Conduct
molecular laboratory analyses, including PCR, qPCR, and ELISA for vector
species identification, resistance markers, and Plasmodium detection.
- Develop
and maintain SOPs for laboratory and field activities; ensure compliance
with biosafety and quality standards.
- Train
and supervise junior staff, students, and technicians on entomological and
molecular methods.
- Manage
laboratory inventory, prepare reagents, and maintain accurate records of
protocols and results.
- Assist
with data analysis, reporting, and manuscript preparation.
- Any
other duties assigned.
Requirements/ qualifications
- Bachelor
of Science in Public Health or any other related field.
- At
least 5 years’ experience in entomological research, including molecular
lab work and semi-field trials.
- Good
Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) certified.
- Familiar
with data analysis tools (e.g., R, STATA) and inventory management.
- Additional
training in vector taxonomy, medical entomology, and bioinformatics.
- Proficient
in laboratory diagnostics, mosquito infection assays, and behavioral
bioassays.
- Strong
expertise in insecticide resistance testing and net durability evaluation.
- Demonstrated
ability to contribute to peer-reviewed publications.
Research Officer I (Mathematical Modellers) at icipe – International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
Overall Purpose of the Job
- The
Mathematical Modelers will be responsible for formulating, programming,
and deploying mathematical models that comprehend complex processes in
animal-related problems. They will leverage existing data resources within
icipe and its partners and use their skills to deliver high-quality
data-driven decision-making.
Specific duties
The successful candidates are expected to:
- Work
closely with experts (e.g., entomologists, statisticians, GIS,
surveillance, data scientists, and disease experts) across the
project/unit to acquire domain knowledge and data for model
parameterisation and calibration.
- Perform
descriptive and exploratory statistical analysis of individual-level or
aggregate-level data to parameterize models for suitability analysis and
spatial decision tools.
- Develop
mathematical models for drivers and present scenarios/(un)certainties for
spatial decision tools.
- Perform
analytical (counterfactual) simulation experiments using mathematical
models for various animal-health outcomes.
- Maintain
high-quality coding practices, version control, and documentation of
coding for reproducibility.
- Contribute
to manuscript and report writing.
- Any
other duties assigned.
Requirements/ qualifications
- BSc/BA
in Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science or any other related field
from a recognized University.
- Minimum
of one year of proven work experience in a more or less similar position.
- Previous
experience at an international/ regional research organization is an added
advantage.
- Good
understanding of mathematical modeling.
- Good
understanding of computer programming.
- Strong
written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
How to Apply:
Applications will be accepted up to 24 th September 2025.
Interested applicants should submit: (a) a confidential cover letter; (b) a
detailed CV with names and addresses of 3 referees (including e-mail
addresses); and (c) a statement illustrating suitability against the listed
qualifications/competencies/abilities, and skills.
Candidates are required to apply online through:
http://recruit.icipe.org or by email: recruitment@icipe.org (Kindly
quote the Ref. No. and the position title on the email subject).
Business Support Officer II (Programme Support Officer) at icipe – International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
Overall Purpose of the Job
- The
Programme Support Officer will provide essential program management and
administrative support to the Insects for Food, Feed and Other Uses
(INSEFF) Program, with a strong emphasis on stakeholder engagement, budget
coordination, financial and technical reporting, and program
administrative support. This role is critical to ensuring effective
project delivery through streamlined processes, timely reporting, and
consistent engagement with development partners and other internal and
external stakeholders.
Specific duties
Programme Management
- Support
the various Principal Investigators (PIs) within the INSEFF Program in
monitoring project outputs and deliverables to ensure alignment with
agreed milestones, timelines, and donor requirements, while assisting in
identifying and addressing any implementation delays or risks.
- Follow
up with project teams and partners to ensure timely submission of inputs
required for high- quality technical reports, workplans, and other project
deliverables, emphasizing completeness and alignment with project
objectives.
- Facilitate
the consistent and effective flow of project-related information among all
stakeholders by coordinating communication, preparing and disseminating
project updates, maintaining project documentation, and ensuring timely
follow-up on action points and decisions.
- Track
and enforce reporting timelines to guarantee the timely submission of both
financial and technical reports by partners.
- In
liaison with the Project Accountant, monitor budgets and spending on
different line items, follow up to ensure the timely preparation and
delivery of financial reports to the grants team for onward submission to
the donor.
- Follow
up on partners’ due diligence processes to ensure their timely and
thorough finalization, preventing delays that could impact project
implementation.
Budget Coordination
- Coordinate
the preparation, review, allocation, and realignment of the project budget
in collaboration with the PIs and Finance Office, ensuring all changes are
accurately updated in accordance with donor guidelines and reflect in the
ERP system.
- Monitor
budget expenditures against planned allocations, track financial
transactions, and support timely budget revisions where necessary.
- Responsible
for informing supporting units and platforms about their budget
allocations in consultation with the PIs.
Programme Reporting and Closure
- Support
the annual financial and technical reporting process through collating
inputs from implementing teams to develop initial drafts.
- Support
annual financial and technical reporting by consolidating inputs from
implementing teams and developing an initial report draft.
Programme Administration and Coordination
- Maintain
effective communication and ensure timely follow-up on the flow of
documents and information between project teams and Corporate Services
units, including Legal, Finance, and
Communication.
- Liaise
with partners to support the timely development of coherent workplans and
budgets aligned with project goals.
- Coordinate
the development, processing, and management of partner sub-agreements and
consultancy contracts, ensuring timely contract approvals and payment
processing.
- Facilitate
the preparation of the project procurement plan by collating inputs and
ensuring timely execution.
- Initiate
procurement requests and proactively follow up to ensure the timely
delivery of goods and services in alignment with project timelines and
requirements.
- Provide
comprehensive day-to-day administrative support to project teams by
managing travel schedules, coordinating logistics, processing travel
advances, and ensuring timely liquidation of advances through submission
and verification of receipts and supporting documentation.
- Organize
and facilitate project meetings, events, and partner engagements.
Requirements/ qualifications
- Bachelor’s
degree in business administration or its equivalent from a recognized
University.
- Project
Management training.
- At
least 4-5 years’ project/programme management experience.
- Proven
experience in coordinating projects with partners and stakeholders.
- Experience
in the development and implementation of projects.
- Experience
working in an international organization.
- Excellent
people management skills in a multicultural setting.
Core competencies
- Stakeholder
engagement skills
- Effective
negotiation skills
- Problem-solving
skills.
- Ability
to plan effectively and manage risks.
How to Apply:
Applications will be accepted up to 24 th September 2025.
Interested applicants should submit: (a) a confidential cover letter; (b) a
detailed CV with names and addresses of 3 referees (including e-mail
addresses); and (c) a statement illustrating suitability against the listed
qualifications/competencies/abilities, and skills.
Candidates are required to apply online through:
http://recruit.icipe.org or by email: recruitment@icipe.org (Kindly
quote the Ref. No. and the position title on the email subject).