Administration Assistant

Reporting to: Finance Officer

Location: Tunis, with occasional travel

Type of position: L2 S1

Application closing: 09 October 2022

Background

Interpeace is an international organization for peacebuilding that supports locally led peacebuilding initiatives around the world. Interpeace tailors its approach to each society and ensures that the work is locally driven. Together with local partners and local teams, Interpeace jointly develops peacebuilding programmes and helps establish processes of change that connect local communities, civil society, government and the international community.

As a strategic partner of the United Nations, Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has offices around the world.

For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Position within the Organization – Administration Assistant

The Administration Assistant is a member of the Global Operations Unit which encompasses Finance, IT, Administration, Legal, Internal Audit and HR. The Global Operations Unit is led from the Headquarters office in Geneva, although team members are based in different locations around the world including in Bosnia, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Switzerland, Kenya, and Tunisia.

Under regular supervision from Finance officer, the Administration assistant works closely with the Finance officer to create a more efficient and effective administration function in MENA Region that responds to the requirements and needs of staff members in MENA Region as well as partners in the region.

Purpose and General Overview

Reporting to the Finance Officer, the Administration Assistant is responsible for the optimal day-to-day administrative operations related to information management, logistics and procurement in the Tunis and Libya offices and for the MENA region. The position liaises with external service providers.

The Administration Assistant is the link between various departments and ensures the smooth flow of administrative information from one part to the other. Thus, without effective administration, operations within an organization will not run smoothly.

Working together with the finance team and the Global HR Support Officer, the Administration Assistant facilitates the Officer-in Charge’s ability to manage and organize the office effectively and professionally, ensuring that filling is done properly, implementing administrative procedures, plans and controls addressing administrative issues, preparing and initiating the procurement process for commonly used services and goods in the office (e.g. airlines, taxis, office supplies) and initiating the annual vendor selection process.

Duties and responsibilities

Specific Duties

Regional Entities and information management

• Provide support in maintaining an up to date filing system.This includes both Administration and Programme related files
• Coordinate offices activities and operations to secure efficiency and compliance with the organization’s policies
• Gather and file in Sharepoint documents relating to office space rental, logistics, etc.
• Prepare correspondence on administrative matters
• Assist with maintenance of records and portfolio lists as requested
• Provide document photocopying and binding support as called upon

Logistics

• Coordinate Travel Authorizations (TAs), this includes liaising with the travel agency for flight ticket purchases (this involves all International and regional flights to cater for the MENA programme teams and partners), with HR for required insurances, with finance for travel advances and filing the TAs
• Coordinate airport transfers and hotel transportation from and to different locations.
• Coordinate the acquisition of visas, this includes drafting letters and compiling the dossiers for partners, consultants and staff in the region
• Oversee transportation needs for the office while considering cost effectiveness, including preparing taxi vouchers while ensuring authorization
• Provide cover to the Finance Officer when he/she is out of office
• Support staff on administration and logistics when needed
• Manage the inventory

Procurement

• Prepare, co-ordinate and implement the consolidated annual procurement plans
• Coordinate the receipt, opening and evaluation of quotations or proposals for goods, services or works
• Maintain up-to-date regional information on preferred vendors and rosters in coordination with relevant staff members, monitoring that approval processes have been conducted
• Prepare and manage service contracts in liaison with the Finance Officer for its legality and ensure proper authorization in accordance with the procurement policies
• Conduct market surveys, monitor and evaluate performance of the supply chain function
• Ensure sound partnerships with suppliers and clients
• Ensure timely, efficient and effective procurement of goods, services and works, while strictly adhering to the procurement policy
• Establish, in liaison with the relevant units and end-users in Tunis and Libya quality specifications of goods and services required
• Conduct designated checks on quality and security aspects of procurement in coordination with relevant technical expertise in the organization
• Support the disposal of obsolete and disposable items with authorization from the Finance and Admin Manager
• Prepare supplier’s and consultant contracts and purchase orders and submit for approval
• Maintain files in Sharepoint and records for all procurement processes, procurement evaluations, contracts, Purchase orders and all correspondences relating to the procurements.
• Submit procurement documents, contract for payment processing.
• Any other duty as may be assigned

Scope and Impact

• Responsibilities and objectives are assigned with some latitude for administrative decision-making using defined guidelines from the direct manager, written policy, signed/agreed documentation and administrative directives. Unusual problems are discussed with supervisor for clarification, conclusion or escalation

Qualifications

Education

• Completion of Secondary School Education supplemented by commercial training in bookkeeping, accounting, and business administration or equivalent experience. Tertiary education considered an asset.

Experience

• Minimum 2 years of relevant experience in administration, logistics or procurement administration. Relevant international exposure demonstrating a capacity to work in a multicultural environment.

Competencies

• Strong knowledge of and ability to apply office procedures. Proficient in using office equipment including, but not limited to: copiers, fax machine, printers, and postage machine
• Proficient in computer software use, primarily MS Office tools
• Understanding of basic Accounting principles
• Strong knowledge of and ability to apply practices and procedures for data entry, preparing administrative documents and maintaining file systems
• Good writing, presentation, and time management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Efficient, professional and results driven.
• Strong office management skills
• Ability to prioritize work assignments from different units, perform routine work independently, meet deadlines and adapt to changing demands and multitasks
• Ability to determine relevant background and reference materials for others, and to screen for urgency and priority
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Arabic. French considered an asset
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender-responsive and non-discriminatory behavior and attitudes
• Excellent ability to interact with people respectfully and with tact
• Ability to deal with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and good judgement.
• Strong organization and coordination skills

Interpeace Competencies

• Collaboration and Weaving
• Communication
• Drive for results
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Respect for Diversity

Other requirements

• Ability to travel when required
• Experience in a Non-Governmental Organization

Assets/desired

• Customer service experience to provide courteous, prompt and efficient responses to internal and external parties
• Basic knowledge of personnel management principles

Success factors

• Identifies with and is committed to Interpeace’s core values and working principles
• Calm and collected even under stressful working conditions
• Commitment to inclusiveness
• An innovative, critical thinker with extensive problem-solving skills
• Reliable, honest, approachable and a team player

Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims at achieving greater gender parity in all levels of its work. We welcome applications from women and men, including those with disabilities.