Background

We adopt a holistic approach to community mental health and wellness appreciating that addressing mental wellbeing and illness goes beyond psychiatric facilities, given that mental wellbeing and illness are not simply health issues, but have social and economic causes and effects.

Role Context

BNBR is seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Project Assistant to provide administrative and operational support throughout the project lifecycle. The ideal candidate is reliable, resourceful, and comfortable coordinating tasks, maintaining documentation, tracking deadlines, and supporting project teams to ensure activities are completed efficiently and on schedule.

The position will be for an initial period of nine (9) months, effective 1st October 2026, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding.

Job Summary

The Project Assistant will provide dedicated coordination and implementation support to the Project Coordinator in establishing the Community Mental Health Federation Forum, a national self-regulation platform bringing together mental health organizations under the Public Benefit Organizations (PRO) Act. The role exists to convert the Project Coordinator's workplans into organised, timely and properly documented implementation: coordinating meetings and workshops with founding member organizations, government counterparts and partners maintaining accurate records, trackers and stakeholder information; and supporting the monitoring, reporting and secretariat functions required to establish and operationalize the Forum. The primary duty station will be Nairobi County, with the possibility of regular travel within the country.

Responsibilities

• Support the Project Coordinator in coordinating day-to-day implementation of the Federation Forum workplan across its mobilization foundational-documents, registration/launch and consolidation phases.
• Track progress against the approved workplan and flag slippage in activities, milestones deliverables to the Project Coordinator.
• Maintain and regularly update an action tracker recording decisions, commitments and follow-up tasks arising from project meetings and consultations.
• Follow up with internal colleagues, founding member organizations and partners on agreed action points and outstanding commitments.
• Provide continuity to routine project coordination tasks during the Project Coordinator's absence, escalating matters requiring a decision to the Programs Manager.
• Organise logistics for alignment meetings, consultative meetings, co-creation workshops and the national launch event, including scheduling venue arrangements, invitations and participant confirmations.
• Prepare and circulate meeting agendas, briefing materials and participant lists in consultation with the Project Coordinator.
• Take and circulate minutes, resolutions and action points for project meetings, workshops and co-creation sessions.
• Coordinate travel, accommodation and allowance arrangements for participants attending workshops and consultations, in liaison with the Operations and Finance functions. Support onsite coordination during workshops, consultations and the national launch event to ensure smooth delivery.
• Maintain an up-to-date contact database and engagement log for founding member organizations, government counterparts and partner organizations.
• Support routine communication with founding and prospective member organizations, including meeting invitations, reminders and information-sharing.
• Track membership commitments, onboarding status and compliance submissions from founding and incoming member organisations.
• Draft routine correspondence, meeting invitations and follow-up communications for the Project Coordinator's review.
• Support coordination with legal and sector experts engaged to support development of the constitutive document, Code of Conduct and Sector Standards.
• Maintain organized project files and version-controlled records for the constitutive document, Code of Conduct, Sector Standards and related governance documents.
• Compile and format drafts, revisions and validation feedback on foundational Forum documents for review by the Project Coordinator and technical/legal experts.
• Maintain records of registration and compliance documentation required under the P80 Act, tracking outstanding requirements.
• Organize and archive project records, correspondence and meeting documentation in line with organizational records-management procedures.
• Support compilation of data and information required for project monitoring, donor reporting and management updates.
• Maintain records of Forum membership, compliance status and secretariat activities to support the monitoring frameworks established during the consolidation phase.
• Support the Project Coordinator in preparing narrative progress reports, presentations and briefs for management, donors and stakeholders by compiling inputs, data and supporting documentation.
• Document lessons, challenges and good practices emerging from Forum-establishment activities for the Project Coordinator's review.
• Support procurement follow-up for workshop materials, event supplies and secretariat requirements, in coordination with the Operations function.
• Track and compile activity-related expenditure documentation invoices, receipts, participant lists) to support budget monitoring by the Project Coordinator and Finance.
• Coordinate routine administrative requirements of the project, including correspondence, filing, scheduling and follow-up on approvals.
• Support the set-up of secretariat systems and administrative processes for the Federation Forum's ongoing operations.
• Support adherence to organizational policies, procedures and safeguarding requirements in all project-related engagements and events.
• Flag quality, compliance or safeguarding concerns observed during project implementation to the Project Coordinator.
• Support maintenance of accurate, complete and audit-ready project and financial documentation in line with donor and organizational requirements.
• Provide administrative and coordination support to wider Programmes Department meetings, events and initiatives as assigned by the Project Coordinator or Programs Manager.
• Support maintenance of shared Programmes Department documentation, calendars and action trackers.
• Provide surge support to other Programmes Department projects during peak implementation periods, as directed by the Programs Manager, provided this does not compromise delivery of the Assistant's primary project responsibilities.
• Support the wider department in preparing programme reports, knowledge products and documentation of achievements, as required.

Qualifications and Experience

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences, public health, community development, project management or a related field.
• A diploma-level qualification combined with substantial relevant experience will also be considered.
• Training in project management or administration, event or logistics coordination, or office management will be an added advantage.

Professional Experience

• At least two years of relevant professional experience in project or programme support, administration or coordination, preferably within an NGO, donor-funded programme or membership-based organisation.
• Demonstrated experience organizing meetings, workshops or events, including logistics, scheduling and documentation.
• Experience maintaining project records, trackers or databases.
• Experience supporting stakeholder communication and coordination.

• Support the Project Coordinator in coordinating day-to-day implementation of the Federation Forum workplan across its mobilization foundational-documents, registration/launch and consolidation phases.
• Track progress against the approved workplan and flag slippage in activities, milestones deliverables to the Project Coordinator.
• Maintain and regularly update an action tracker recording decisions, commitments and follow-up tasks arising from project meetings and consultations.
• Follow up with internal colleagues, founding member organizations and partners on agreed action points and outstanding commitments.
• Provide continuity to routine project coordination tasks during the Project Coordinator's absence, escalating matters requiring a decision to the Programs Manager.
• Organise logistics for alignment meetings, consultative meetings, co-creation workshops and the national launch event, including scheduling venue arrangements, invitations and participant confirmations.
• Prepare and circulate meeting agendas, briefing materials and participant lists in consultation with the Project Coordinator.
• Take and circulate minutes, resolutions and action points for project meetings, workshops and co-creation sessions.
• Coordinate travel, accommodation and allowance arrangements for participants attending workshops and consultations, in liaison with the Operations and Finance functions. Support onsite coordination during workshops, consultations and the national launch event to ensure smooth delivery.
• Maintain an up-to-date contact database and engagement log for founding member organizations, government counterparts and partner organizations.
• Support routine communication with founding and prospective member organizations, including meeting invitations, reminders and information-sharing.
• Track membership commitments, onboarding status and compliance submissions from founding and incoming member organisations.
• Draft routine correspondence, meeting invitations and follow-up communications for the Project Coordinator's review.
• Support coordination with legal and sector experts engaged to support development of the constitutive document, Code of Conduct and Sector Standards.
• Maintain organized project files and version-controlled records for the constitutive document, Code of Conduct, Sector Standards and related governance documents.
• Compile and format drafts, revisions and validation feedback on foundational Forum documents for review by the Project Coordinator and technical/legal experts.
• Maintain records of registration and compliance documentation required under the P80 Act, tracking outstanding requirements.
• Organize and archive project records, correspondence and meeting documentation in line with organizational records-management procedures.
• Support compilation of data and information required for project monitoring, donor reporting and management updates.
• Maintain records of Forum membership, compliance status and secretariat activities to support the monitoring frameworks established during the consolidation phase.
• Support the Project Coordinator in preparing narrative progress reports, presentations and briefs for management, donors and stakeholders by compiling inputs, data and supporting documentation.
• Document lessons, challenges and good practices emerging from Forum-establishment activities for the Project Coordinator's review.
• Support procurement follow-up for workshop materials, event supplies and secretariat requirements, in coordination with the Operations function.
• Track and compile activity-related expenditure documentation invoices, receipts, participant lists) to support budget monitoring by the Project Coordinator and Finance.
• Coordinate routine administrative requirements of the project, including correspondence, filing, scheduling and follow-up on approvals.
• Support the set-up of secretariat systems and administrative processes for the Federation Forum's ongoing operations.
• Support adherence to organizational policies, procedures and safeguarding requirements in all project-related engagements and events.
• Flag quality, compliance or safeguarding concerns observed during project implementation to the Project Coordinator.
• Support maintenance of accurate, complete and audit-ready project and financial documentation in line with donor and organizational requirements.
• Provide administrative and coordination support to wider Programmes Department meetings, events and initiatives as assigned by the Project Coordinator or Programs Manager.
• Support maintenance of shared Programmes Department documentation, calendars and action trackers.
• Provide surge support to other Programmes Department projects during peak implementation periods, as directed by the Programs Manager, provided this does not compromise delivery of the Assistant's primary project responsibilities.
• Support the wider department in preparing programme reports, knowledge products and documentation of achievements, as required.

• Highly organized
• Proactive
• Detail-oriented
• Reliable
• Resourceful
• Comfortable coordinating tasks
• Comfortable maintaining documentation
• Comfortable tracking deadlines
• Comfortable supporting project teams
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to multitask
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences, public health, community development, project management or a related field.
• A diploma-level qualification combined with substantial relevant experience will also be considered.
• Training in project management or administration, event or logistics coordination, or office management will be an added advantage.
• At least two years of relevant professional experience in project or programme support, administration or coordination, preferably within an NGO, donor-funded programme or membership-based organisation.
• Demonstrated experience organizing meetings, workshops or events, including logistics, scheduling and documentation.
• Experience maintaining project records, trackers or databases.
• Experience supporting stakeholder communication and coordination.