Country: Ethiopia

Organization: DAI-Policy LINK

Closing date: 16 Aug 2023

Project Background

The seven-year (2019 – 2026) 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 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 Regional Administrative & Logistics Coordinator will support the smooth implementation of activity operations within the assigned region. S/he will provide regional administrative, financial, logistical, and clerical support in the assigned regional office, coordinating closely with the central team in Addis Ababa to proactively flag any regional logistical and administrative needs and issues affecting activity implementation in the region. S/he will handle petty cash disbursements, advances, and maintain accurate records of payments and replenishments. S/he will also provide assistance to maintain daily office functions.

S/he will be expected to liaise with operations and technical points of contact in the assigned office as well as the LINK central team in Addis Ababa.

S/he will continually reinforce Policy LINK’s agreed-upon core purpose and principles, and ensure all decision-making is rooted in those purposes and principles. S/he will contribute to fostering 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 Regional Administrative & Logistics Coordinator will be responsible for the following within the assigned Policy LINK regional office:

• Ensure that daily administrative support is provided to the program team;

• Handle routine administrative tasks, including calls, mail, photocopying, maintaining updated program contact lists, keeping bulletin boards orderly, and electronic communications, and routing messages and information to appropriate individuals;

• Create, update, and maintain organized files and records including a system for tracking, monitoring and prioritizing tasks;

• 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;

• Ensuring the confidentiality of information and management records is guaranteed;

• Reserve conference room and assist arrange meetings, training, and/or project events;

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

• Coordinate with the Addis Ababa operations team to book and confirm all hotel reservations, and other travel arrangements for project staff and official visitors;

• Assist consultants visiting the project regional office, provide local information on transportation, lodging, and any other accommodation as needed;

• Keep inventory up to date in required systems, ensure that asset labels/tags are affixed to all project inventory, and conduct regular inventory audits;

• Update and maintain office calendar of events at the regional level and share with Addis Ababa-based team;

• 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, reconciliation, 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 daily and report disbursements weekly to Finance Manager;

• Submit procurement requisitions and support administrative requirements of procurement, working with the Addis Ababa Procurement and Subawards Manager as needed;

• Collect invoices and follow up with vendor for submission of CRV;

• Request advances and process per diem payment for participants for events within the assigned region.

• Responsible to reconcile and settle any advance taken within the allowed timeframe as per the Field Operations Manual.

• Coordinate with IT support in Addis Ababa to ensure that computer equipment is operational including Internet access, email, electronic filing, and retrieval system, etc.

• Share relevant security alerts with LINK staff and consultants traveling within the region and proactively feed security updates and issues to the Addis-based Security Focal Point

• Ensure all security protocols and requirements are followed within the respective region;

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Reporting

The Regional Administrative & Logistics Coordinator will report to the LINK/Ethiopia Regional Program Manager for the assigned region with a dotted coordination line to the Addis Ababa-based Program Manager, Activity Implementation.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• The Regional Administrative & Logistics Coordinator will not have any supervisory responsibilities.

Job requirements

Education:

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in business management, administration or logistics / supply chain required;

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 6 years of administrative, logistics, and/or office management experience required

• Prior work experience in the respective region 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 amounts of data;

• Ability to respond effectively to time-sensitive demands and inquiries;

• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office suite, and other relevant software;

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

• Excellent organizational and planning 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 multicultural backgrounds;

• Professional fluency in English, Amharic, and the Local language of the respective regional offices.

How to apply

Please submit applications electronically via this WEBSITE

Applications will be considered in the order received till 16th August 2023

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.