David Abuto
Nairobi,C
Summary
Detail-oriented Team Assistant with advanced clerical and organizational abilities. Keeps team members on track by diligently handling support tasks. Skilled at managing team communications, appointments, and supplie Committed Liaison professional looking to serve as company liaison to promote positive business relations with potential vendors and clients. Organized and experienced to complete reports. Strong skills in time management and prioritizing tasks. Experienced Liaison professional identifies opportunities to expand business relationships with entities outside the business. Specialties include developing partnerships and collaborative agreements through negotiation and ensuring all services are delivered effectively. Skilled and mature with sound judgment.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Team assistant - Protocol Liaison
International Finance Corporation
01.2014 - 08.2023
- Liaison with relevant Ministries, Government Departments and International staff members on matters relating to Residence, Entry Permits, Re-Entry Pass, Referred Visas and Entry Visas to and outside Kenya, as well as other diplomatic issues and processes
- Build diplomatic and protocol networks for IFC
- Meet and escort visiting VIPs arriving at the Airport
- Process documents for procurement of duty free items
- Process documentation for Value Added Tax Exemption
- Process and follow up with the relevant Ministries on visa requests for staff coming from countries with no Kenya diplomatic representation
- Liaise with HR on matters relating to staff contracts and entitlements
- Brief new staff members on visa and immigration requirements of the Host Country
- Process Drivers Licenses including renewals
- Process Personal Identification Number (PIN)
- Process diplomatic identification cards for new staff
- Process Pro1B Form and other shipping documents for duty free importation of Goods
- Process Pro 1B Form for Vehicle Importation Duty Free & Duty Paid including obtaining Diplomatic License Plates or Civilian License Plates
- Process Transfer of Vehicles; Duty Free to Duty Free and Duty Free to Duty Paid
- Process Pro 1C for duty free disposal
- Process Staff Notification of Departure
Assistant Protocol Officer
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
02.2012 - 01.2014
- Oversee the outsourced administrative services for the office, including regular and periodical needs for housekeeping services and support the transition i.e
- Travel agency, office cleaning services, cafeteria services, airlines corporate agreements, newspapers supply, drinking water supply and office coffee/tea service
- Responsible for application of new work permits, Diplomatic identification cards, Alien Identity cards for new international staff and their dependants and ensuring that they are processed within the stipulated time frames
- Processing the documentation and forwarding the same for appointment booking with senior government officials for purposes of Credentials presentation, courtesy calls and generals meetings with i.e
- Ministry of foreign affairs and the Immigration department in line with the status agreement
- Preparation of arrival and departure notifications for new and departing international staff and submission of the same to the relevant authorities at both the immigration ministry and their Foreign Affairs Ministry counterparts
- Apply and collect from various Embassies, Government Ministries and Departments all such documents that are required for the processing of visas and permits and process travelling visas for all official travels for the Africa zone head office
- Process and follow up payment for all Federation utilities bills including but not limited to electricity, water, telephone, and other office supplies
- Ensure visas and permits are promptly processed; all details filled on and that the necessary forwarding note verbales are prepared and signed
- Work with facilities officer in ensuring timely repairs and maintenance of Federation facilities and premises, International staff houses
- Keep an updated (monthly) inventory of all the different services provided by the Unit including numbers of: visas and permits processed those in-process, complaints received, tickets issued, hotel reservations made, etc
- And prepare monthly reports accordingly
Administration Officer
Care International
01.2005 - 01.2012
- Vehicles repairs & maintenance, fuelling, licensing (TLB, annual inspections, disposals in line with various donor requirements, Insurance and daily allocations
- Co-ordinate with workshop/garage personnel and ensure effective and efficient repairs and maintenance of all the organization vehicles
- Coordinate fuel usage and consumption of office vehicles this includes management of fuel cards, receipts and reconciliation of fuel invoices and preparation of monthly efficiency reports
- Coordinate renewal of insurance policies for both vehicles and properties for the country office - involves assessing the risks and identifying the appropriate covers
- Ensure that all accidents/incidents are reported to the insurance company and all claim documents forwarded on time and followed as appropriate until settled
- Maintenance of office buildings and international staff houses includes major and minor renovations; assist in provision of office space for new staff and visitors
- Also responsible for provision of international staff housing includes identifying and negotiating rental terms
- Liaise with USAID and other tax exempted donors on tax exemption matters e.g
- VAT and excise duty exemption and application for refunds through relevant government institutions coordinating filling DA1 forms for various exempted donors
- Manage lease/tenancy contracts for offices and residential premises including negotiations and refund of deposits and overseeing execution of the leases/contracts/agreements for the same
- Maintenance and installation of utility services and also ensuring that expenditure is within the budget
- I.e
- Water, electricity and telephone and also ensuring that all the bills are paid promptly to avoid interruptions
- Responsible for the general repair and maintenance of office equipment and machinery
- Copiers, faxes, PABXs etc
- Supervision and mentoring of support staff-review JDs, conduct performance planning & appraisals
- This includes drivers, Mechanics, Office assistants and the front office
- Work on logistics of movement/transfer of international staff i.e
- Forwarding and clearing of their goods, payment of the importation taxes by obtaining the relevant documents and also application for visas and work permits
- Work closely with the department's head to draw up budget for Unit and ensure adherence to budget limits
- Oversee maintenance of efficient filing and documentation system for the unit, keeping confidential documents under lock and key of which includes, vehicles logbooks and files, lease agreements and other related documents deemed sensitive in the unit
Administration Assistant
Caare International
01.2003 - 01.2005
- Reconciliation and payment of all the head/sub offices utility bills
- Coordinating renewal of vehicles statutory licenses
- Facilitating renewal of international staff work permits, driving licenses and alien cards through the relevant ministries
- Fuelling and reconciliation of fuel vouchers for Nairobi station vehicles on a monthly basis and generating the necessary reports
- Coordination of workshop venue bookings and staff local transfers
- Issuance of stationeries for the head office and reconciliation of the same on a monthly basis
- Updating of the asset database and carry out annual physical counts of the assets for insurance purposes
- Procurement of goods and services for the head office support departments
- General filling of office documents in an orderly manner
- Manage the phone system and ensuring that all phone problems are rectified in good time
- Review the monthly telephone bills before forwarding to Finance for payment and at the same time ensuring that they paid in time to avoid disconnections
- Assist in distribution of in-coming mail in a timely manner
- Ensure that all outgoing mail (local and in-country) is correctly addressed, recorded and sent out/collected and also dispatch and distribution of all international couriers
- Obtain notification of arrivals and departures and residency permits for international staff and their families
- Collect from the various Embassies, Government Ministries and Departments forms and documents that are required for the processing of visas and permits
- Process and follow payment for all utilities bills i.e
- Electricity, water, and other office supplies and ensuring that they are promptly paid to avoid disruptions
- Ensure visas and work permits and alien cards are processed in good time, all details captured on the respective forms
- Maintaining proper filing records for all administration Department
- Keeping and maintain a data base for visas and permits granted, those in-process, complaints received, tickets issued, hotel reservations, airport transfers and prepare monthly reports
- Assist in making taxi bookings and other travel arrangements (both for staff & office guests) and international transfers from the airport
- Receiving office supplies and verifying for quality, quantity by ensuring that they conform to the PO details
- Maintain office Inventory by ensuring all supplies are efficiently utilized and within the set budgets
Education
Diploma - Business Management
Kenya Institute of management
Diploma - International Relations
Kenyatta University
Skills
- Warehouse and inventory management
- Analytical skills
- Networking skills
- Computer skills
- Logistics
- Written communication
- Oral communication
- Multi sector donor regulations
- Liaison and relations
- Cross cultural environment
- Multi ethnic environment
Hobbies and Interests
Avid reader of informational journals and current affairs
Training
- MS Office packages proficiency: Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, email, Internet and Basic troubleshooting techniques in LAN.
- Personal safety and Security
- Emergency Preparedness and Planning
- Procurement and Budgeting
- Protocol and humanitarian diplomacy
- Security in Emergencies
References
On Request
Secondaryschooleducation
Otieno Oyoo High School, Kisumu, Attained secondary school Certificate
Timeline
Team assistant - Protocol Liaison
International Finance Corporation
01.2014 - 08.2023
Assistant Protocol Officer
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
02.2012 - 01.2014
Administration Officer
Care International
01.2005 - 01.2012
Administration Assistant
Caare International
01.2003 - 01.2005
Diploma - Business Management
Kenya Institute of management
Diploma - International Relations
Kenyatta University
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