Susan Muchai

ABOUT ME Susan Muchai Date of birth: 31/01/1978 Nationality: Kenyan Gender: Female CONTACT  Box- Nairobi, Kenya (Home)  -  (-  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ susanmuchai/  - (Whatsapp) Performance-driven project coordination and administrative professional with 15+ years’ background in a diverse and multidisciplinary international environment with proven ability in coordinating multiple projects and meeting competing deadlines in a demanding environment. Adept at managing office operational and logistical services, supporting high level cross functional teams make project decisions, stakeholder relations and managing the research and report writing process. Seeking opportunities to support teams strategically meet goals through provision of solid organizational, collaboration and communication skills with a commitment to uphold standards and achieve results. WORK EXPERIENCE 01/05/2022 – 31/07/2022 Nairobi, Kenya 1. Data Officer UoN/USAID Fahari ya Jamii Project • Brought on the project during the rapid results initiative (RRI) to upscale Covid19 vaccination uptake in Nairobi County. • Mobilized communities in Kasarani sub-county to boost community members’ intake of the Covid19 vaccine by conducting both inreach and outreach exercises. Increased the vaccination intake by 80%; • Reestablished the documentation, compiling and uploading of program data to the DHIS system; • Worked with a large data set and ensuring quality and accuracy during data entry, capturing and registration of vaccinees in MOH - Mchanjo system and supporting the team in M&E and reporting; • Advising potential vaccinees on their rights and seeking consent before the vaccination process. 01/04/2021 – 30/06/2021 Nairobi, Kenya Fieldwork Supervisor USAID/ United States International University (USIU) – Africa • Mapping of the study area to assess and allocate resources and ensure inclusion of all levels of study participants and ethical considerations. Project target was achieved within timelines and constrained resources. • Managed the recruitment, training and site allocation of 100+ research assistants to meet project quality, standards and ethical requirements; • Guided research assistants on ethical administration of the study tool including participant informed consent processes, compliance and storage of study data; • Oversaw the preparation and management of Kshs 500,000 project budget; • Tracked and monitored data collection exercise and site visits to ensure adherence to study protocols; • Facilitated reporting, data submission and coordinated the data cleaning and coding exercise and entry of 1,500+ collected questionnaires into the SPSS system for analysis. 01/09/2018 – 31/03/2021 Nairobi, Kenya Senior Research Officer United States International University (USIU) – Africa • Coordination and monitoring of 20+ projects valued at ksh 100,000,000+ spanning diverse donor portfolio such as DAI, IDRC, USAID, N.W.O, Amplify Change, RBA, NRF and internally funded 1/4 university to assess project accountability, and track progress towards achieving results. • Collaborated with 20+ multi-disciplinary teams and guided Principal Investigators (PIs) in project implementation, developing work plans, scheduling, monitoring and tracking project indicators, milestones, reporting and budgets resulting in an 80% rate in meeting of objectives, quality, timelines and compliance; • Collaborated with finance department and project PIs in writing and periodic submission of project reports through reviewing timelines, preparing Excel spreadsheets, work plans and schedules to monitor progress and compliance; • Developed, updated and guided users on M&E systems and tools to track and report projects progress which led to a 30% increase in achievement of objectives and compliance for budgets exceeding Ksh 100,000, 000; • Facilitated the planning and execution of proposal writing process and concept notes, conducted desktop reviews and updated literature to support new proposal development and quality controls for 20+ teams and 8 successful projects; • Supported the team in team training and capacity building efforts, facilitated in preparation and editing of content for presentation and developed platforms for the documentation, information dissemination and sharing and learning for sustainability beyond the project phase; • Spearheaded the pre-award due diligence process for 70+ university’s internally funded grants by supporting the contractual process, team onboarding meetings, resource planning and overall management, finance monitoring and partnership management to ascertain conformance to requirements, project quality and adherence to standards and guidelines; • Facilitated access to relevant and accurate information to stakeholders on project implementation as well as managing information storage, filing, updating records and management of documents on SharePoint; • Developed and leveraged productive relationships with stakeholders by continuously reviewing and updating partners, supporting in ToRs preparation and facilitating agreement signing, contract and relationship management and managed a stakeholder database with 100+ active partners. 01/01/2015 – 31/08/2018 Nairobi, Kenya Office Administrator United States International University (USIU) – Africa • Office administrative oversight, team support and served as the primary contact personnel for the office and acted as the interface with other stakeholders facilitating work processes, communication and logistical planning. • Provided administrative support and facilitated project operations including planning meetings and action plan follow-up, scheduling, calendar management, project communication and liaison, document approval follow-up, transport and travel planning, customer and database management and processing of contracts and procurement; • Planned and coordinated high profile University boards including the university’s 2015 – 2020 strategic planning team and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) with a 50+ member committee charged with team coordination and follow-up and management of SOPs and managing team progress and reporting; • Managed an office budget of Ksh 50,000,000+ monitoring utilization, variance and compliance and making recommendations; • Managed the office policies and standard operating procedures and supported in its reviewing, updating, dissemination, monitoring and implementation; • Charged with the university’s research office quarterly newsletter ReGGS Times publication entailing soliciting of news, editing, proofreading and collaboration with marketing team for website updating http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke/handle/11732/661 • Facilitated 100+ meetings between cross-functional teams, led and executed 10 high profile conferences, 2 university round table discussions and numerous event planning and coordination; • Coordinated field research exercises, conducted market research and guided researchers on the research process to ensure compliance and quality standards. 16/09/2004 – 31/12/2014 Nairobi, Kenya Senior Library Assistant United States International University (USIU) – Africa • Specialized reference, readers' advisory services, information processing and promotion of library services in consultation with other Librarians, faculty and other stakeholders. • Provided lead direction to the library front office service unit including customer care services, conflict resolution, stakeholder communication, satisfaction surveys and managed interdepartmental and inter- library partnerships and the database; 2/4 • Delivered effective acquisition, cataloging and physical processing of library materials to develop, manage and disseminate information materials; • Executed strong user research support and facilitated the induction and training of new library users. 08/05/2002 – 15/09/2004 Nairobi, Kenya Library assistant United States International University (USIU) – Africa • Effective management of the front desk including front office administration; customer care, loaning and exchange of information materials. • Library support management and update of user records, stock maintenance and supporting user research and information retrieval. EDUCATION AND TRAINING 03/09/2011 – 06/08/2013 Nairobi, Kenya Masters of Organizational Development United States International University Africa Address Box 14634, Nairobi, 00800, Nairobi, Kenya Website https://www.usiu.ac.ke/ 04/01/2003 – 08/04/2010 Nairobi, Kenya BSc. International Business Administration United States International University Africa Website https://www.usiu.ac.ke/ 06/01/1997 – 09/04/2000 Nairobi, Kenya Diploma in Library Information Science Jomo Kenyatta University of Africulture and Technology Website https://www.jkuat.ac.ke/ LANGUAGE SKILLS MOTHER TONGUE(S): Swahili OTHER LANGUAGE(S): English DIGITAL SKILLS Written and Verbal skills Microsoft Word Good listener and communicator Google Drive Zoom Skype Microsoft Office package: Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access Facebook work oriented Google Docs Organizational and planning skills Outlook Team- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Publications USIU Research, Grants and Graduate Studies Office 2015 This was newsletter by the United States International University's Research, Grants and Graduate Studies (REGGS) produced on a quarterly basis by the office and entailing all the activities for the quarter. http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke/handle/11732/661 Link https://erepo.usiu.ac.ke/handle/11732/661 Conferences and seminars 24/10/2019 – 26/10/2019 Nairobi Third Biennial African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA) Conference The theme of ASAA’s 3rd Biennial Conference 2019 was African and Africana Knowledges: Past Representations, Current Discourses, Future Communities. The conference was held for the first time in East Africa at the United States International University-Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, from October 24-26, 2019. The aim of the conference was to invite and initiate a scholarly stocktaking of the knowledge produced by Africans in Africa and the Diaspora in various forms—from scholarly work to artistic expressions—and to 3/4 examine representations and current African realities and emerging futures with African knowledges. In other words, by stocktaking accomplishments and challenges facing African peoples globally and to address the ideological basis of the current disproportions in the distribution of worth, power and wellbeing affecting Africans and diasporic Africans. Links http://as-aa.org/ https://www.usiu.ac.ke/1076/3rd-biennial-conference-african-africana-knowledges-pastrepresentations-current-discourses-future-communities/ https://www.usiu.ac.ke/1018/african-studies-conferencecoming-usiu-africa-in-october/ Hobbies and interests Hobbies and Interests Cycling, Hiking, yoga, visiting new places, meeting and appreciating new people, cultures and ways of life . 4/4