Business Support Officer II (Programme Support Officer)

Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Application Deadline: 16th June 2026

Job Summary

The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) seeks to recruit a Business Support Officer II (Programme Support Officer) in the Project Management Office. The position is tenable in Nairobi at the icipe Duduville campus.

This is a one-year contract, renewable subject to continued position needs, availability of funding, and satisfactory performance. This is a nationally recruited position, and a competitive compensation package will be offered to the successful candidate.

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.

The role is critical in ensuring effective project delivery through streamlined processes, timely reporting, and consistent engagement with development partners and other internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Programme Management

• Support Principal Investigators (PIs) within the INSEFF Program in monitoring project outputs and deliverables to ensure alignment with agreed milestones, timelines, and donor requirements.
• Assist in identifying and addressing implementation delays and risks.
• Follow up with project teams and partners to ensure timely submission of inputs required for technical reports, work plans, and project deliverables.
• Coordinate communication and facilitate the flow of project-related information among stakeholders.
• Prepare and disseminate project updates, maintain project documentation, and follow up on action points.
• Track and enforce reporting timelines to ensure timely submission of financial and technical reports by partners.
• Work closely with the Project Accountant to monitor budgets, spending, and financial reporting requirements.
• Follow up on partner due diligence processes to ensure timely completion and avoid implementation delays.

Budget Coordination

• Coordinate project budget preparation, review, allocation, and realignment in collaboration with PIs and the Finance Office.
• Ensure budget updates comply with donor requirements and are accurately reflected in the ERP system.
• Monitor budget expenditures against planned allocations.
• Track financial transactions and support timely budget revisions where necessary.
• Communicate budget allocations to supporting units and platforms in consultation with PIs.

Programme Reporting and Closure

• Support annual financial and technical reporting processes by collating inputs from implementing teams.
• Develop initial drafts of annual financial and technical reports.

Programme Administration and Coordination

• Maintain effective communication and ensure timely follow-up of documents and information between project teams and Corporate Services units, including Legal, Finance, and Communications.
• Liaise with partners to support development of coherent work plans and budgets.
• Coordinate development, processing, and management of partner sub-agreements and consultancy contracts.
• Ensure timely contract approvals and payment processing.
• Facilitate preparation of project procurement plans.
• Initiate procurement requests and follow up on delivery of goods and services.
• Provide day-to-day administrative support including travel management, logistics coordination, travel advances processing, and liquidation of advances.
• Organize and facilitate project meetings, events, and partner engagements.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or an equivalent qualification from a recognized university.
• Project Management training.
• At least 4–5 years of project/programme management experience.
• Proven experience coordinating projects with partners and stakeholders.
• Experience in project development and implementation.
• Experience working in an international organization.
• Excellent people management skills in a multicultural environment.

Core Competencies

• Stakeholder engagement skills.
• Effective negotiation skills.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to plan effectively and manage risks.

Reporting Line

This position reports to the Research Support Manager.

How to Apply

Applications will be accepted up to 16th June 2026.

Interested applicants should submit:

• A confidential cover letter.
• A detailed CV with names and addresses of three (3) referees, including email addresses.
• A statement illustrating suitability for the position, highlighting qualifications, competencies, abilities, and skills.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.