Administrative and Logistics Assistant- USAID/Policy LINK Ethiopia

The Feed the Future Policy LINK project will strengthen the capacity of local actors and institutions to lead and manage the agricultural transformation process and contribute effectively and collectively to improved, broad-based food security policy outcomes.

Specifically, the program aims to strengthen food security policy systems by investing in and reinforcing productive human and social capital and developing strategic partnerships that help bring these innovations and capacity investments to scale in order to achieve a critical mass of local actors with the ability and opportunity to effect positive policy change through collective action.

Policy LINK’s general approach is grounded in facilitative leadership and collaborative governance, which emphasize engaging stakeholders from civil society and public and private sectors in consensus-oriented decision making, collaborative problem solving, and adaptive learning.

Policy LINK in Ethiopia

USAID/Policy LINK Ethiopia is a five-year activity with the overall objective of supporting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and other policy system actors in their aspiration to develop an inclusive policy development process. Specifically, the activity will facilitate the transition towards a policy development paradigm driven by multiple stakeholders.

This approach to policymaking will strengthen the capacities of Ethiopia’s main agricultural policy system actors and institutions, and support them to engage stakeholders traditionally excluded from decision-making, including academia, financial institutions, the judiciary, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector representatives from the national, regional, and local levels.

This approach is underpinned by Policy LINK’s overarching theory of change focused on increasing human and social capital, engaging policy system actors in collaborative processes, and developing mechanisms for collaborative governance and dynamic learning systems and platforms to sustain collective action.

Position Objectives

The Ethiopia Administrative & Logistics Assistant will support all Activity operations. S/he will provide administrative, financial, logistical, and clerical support in the Addis Office. S/he will handle petty cash disbursements, advances, and maintain accurate records of payments and replenishments. S/he will also provide assistance to the shared operations team to maintain daily office functions.

S/he will be expected to liaise with operations and technical points of contact in the LINK/Ethiopia office and the LINK team remotely based as well as home office staff in Bethesda/Washington.

S/he will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in those purpose and principles. S/he will contribute to foster a learning environment in which personal and team growth is supported, with a shared understanding that the “team” always comes before the “individual.”

Responsibilities

The Administrative & Logistics Assistant will be responsible for the following for the LINK/ Ethiopia office:

· Act as the receptionist and handle routine administrative tasks, to include calls, mail, photocopying, maintaining updated program contact lists, keeping bulletin boards orderly, and electronic communications and routing messages and information to appropriate individuals.

· Organize, manage, and process official DAI correspondence and other project documents, including incoming, outgoing and interoffice mail as per the project’s filing protocol/record map;

· Reserve conference room and assist arrange meetings, interviews, trainings and/or project events;

· Maintain log of office and communication supplies purchases and distributions to staff;

· Book and confirm all hotel reservations, and other travel arrangements for project staff and official visitors.

· Manage travel logistics for all staff, including processing work and residence permit and visa requirements for expatriate staff and STTA;

· Assist consultants visiting the project, provide local information on transportation, lodging and any other accommodation as needed.

· Update and maintain office calendar of events;

· Organize logistics for office meetings, including taking notes as needed.

· Manage the petty cash account, ensuring that all transactions are recorded on the petty cash log;

· Monitor petty cash account usage, reconciled, and participate as required;

· Ensure that proper approval signatures are obtained and that both parties: Payer and Receiver verify the cash amount of the transaction.

· Accurately record petty cash transactions and report disbursements weekly to Finance and Operations Manager.

· Submit procurement requisitions and support administrative requirements of procurement.

• Coordinates with IT support to ensure that computer equipment is operational including Internet access, email, electronic filing and retrieval system, etc.
• Manages the driver and use of the project vehicle(s) based on USAID and DAI’s policies and procedures.
• Coordinates with local HR support and manages the onboarding of new hires including benefits administration and the exit of departing of project employees.
• In coordination with the DAI home office global security team, in the role of Regional Security Focal Point the Administrative and Logistics Assistant will monitor and advise on day-to-day security situations and issues in Ethiopia:

o Coordinating with USAID security (Partners Liaison Security Organization, or PLSO) to share security alerts and other relevant information;

o Attending USAID implementing partner security coordination meetings;

o Conducting security assessments for proposed LINK activity venues, coordinating with PLSO and other relevant bodies to receive any required official clearance;

o Sharing relevant security alerts with LINK staff and consultants traveling outside their duty station;

o Keeping the LINK security plan updated (in coordination with the Global Finance and Operations Manager) with relevant inputs from Ethiopia;

o Communicating security updates from LINK’s Ethiopia team to the home office global security team.

· Perform other duties as assigned.

Reporting

The Administrative & Logistics Assistant will report to the LINK/Ethiopia Finance and Operations Director.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Administrative & Logistics Assistant will not have any supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

Education:

· High school diploma required, Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) preferred;

Work Experience:

· 2 + years of administrative, clerical and/or office management experience for Assistant (Grade 5); 4+ years for Officer (Grade 6); 6+ years for Coordinator (Grade 7)

· Prior work experience on donor-funded programs (USAID preferred);

· Preference for experience supporting fast-paced donor-funded programs focused on agriculture, value chains, digital tools, food security, or similar technical areas.

Skills:

· Attention to detail;

· Ability to balance competing priorities and information shared by colleagues, policy and procedure manuals, stakeholders, etc.

· Accuracy in working with large amount of data;

· Ability to respond effectively to time sensitive demands and inquires;

· Proficiency using Microsoft office suite, and other relevant software;

· Demonstrate strong problem-solving skills as well as exceptional customer relations both internal and externally;

· Excellent organizational skills with a willingness to take initiative and be proactive;

· Excellent communication and personnel management skills and ability to relate to people at all levels of an organization and of different multi-cultural backgrounds;

· Professional fluency in English and Amharic.

Qualified FEMALE candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please submit applications electronically via this website: https://fs23.formsite.com/OLJTgx/jvhipwp5om/index.html?1618955315786

Only applications submitted by October 24 will be considered.

Candidates will be required to answer certain qualifying questions before uploading their CVs and cover letters to the application form for consideration.

Only candidates who are shortlisted for interviews will be contacted. No email enquiries please.