Sr. Administrative Manager

The Senior Regional Administrative Manager supports democracy development programs in the Middle East & North Africa region and serves as the focal point for administrative management.

Essential Accountabilities/Responsibilities

• Manage team administrative functions, systems, and procedures, providing guidance and oversight on operational, logistical, and administrative matters in coordination with respective administrative teams.
• Draft, edit, and/or compile regional documents, to include but not limited to newsletters, web content, board memoranda, and regional director’s presentations/correspondence. Oversee updates and maintenance of the assigned team’s web content and internal staff portal.
• Manage recruitment processes for the region, including leading project assistant hiring and providing assistance, templates, and guidance on program staff hiring. Draft job descriptions and assessment exercises, screen resumes and candidates, and coordinate interviews. Ensure new team members are integrated into the MENA team and serve as point of contact for new hire-related activities. Provide guidance to program teams on assignment of work for project assistants.
• Coordinate activities with other departments to ensure appropriate preparation and administration of consultant contracts and procedures and maintain team databases of trainers, consultants and observer delegates.
• Prepare meeting minutes, policy memos and other relevant notes for distribution to the team, including field offices.
• Manage and coordinate team retreats, meetings and other events; work with program staff to coordinate or support delegations, retreats, conferences, and public events.
• Develop and maintain team-wide systems and procedures; streamline existing processes; and coordinate and harmonize information, documents, and policies across the region, including teamwide tracking systems, databases, briefing materials, schedules, calendars and other team-related information.
• Serve as team liaison and maintain relations with functional, administrative, and regional teams; serve as initial point of contact for public inquiries.
• Maintain system to track program spending and budget balances for the region at a glance for the regional leadership. Manage regional and special project funds, including budgeting, tracking, and reconciling expenditures.
• Standardize best administrative practices in DC and in field offices. Ensure consistent use of institutional systems and practices (shipping, procurement, timesheets, storage, leases, other field office management processes).
• Coordinate training, staff development, and team building events on a regular basis. Plan and coordinate teamwide employee orientation information on team systems, policies, and procedures.
• Manage logistical and administrative matters for Regional Director and Deputy Regional Director, including travel arrangements, financial reconciliations, and correspondence.
• Serve as a point of contact for team leadership meetings with donors, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Manage maintenance of relevant field office registration information and security plans. Ensure all offices in the region have an updated and detailed security plan, including phone trees, emergency contacts, etc.
• Manage inventory of team equipment and supplies, including computers and other electronic hardware, in coordination with the technology team.

Peripheral Accountabilities/Responsibilities (Non-essential)

• Perform other duties and projects as assigned

Parameters

• Act as a back-up for other team members as needed.
• Participate in cross-functional initiatives as needed.
• Actively seek and engage in professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and maintain a general working knowledge of relevant program trends and issues occurring external to NDI.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in business administration, international relations, political science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Experience

• Seven years of relevant administrative experience.
• Experience in international development is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and project a professional image when giving and taking information in writing, in person, and through various communication media. The ability to present to varying sized audiences in a manner that influences and drives understanding is critical.
• Working knowledge of budget and accounting procedures.
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English
• Spoken and written Arabic fluency strongly preferred; professional proficiency in spoken and written French a plus
• Ability to apply discretion and maintain confidential information.
• Knowledge of USAID and other donor regulations and ability to analyze and interpret government and organization rules and regulations preferred.
• High action-orientation with a high level of initiative and a superior level of proficiency in the ability to multitask and prioritize; manage time, perform project management, problem-solving, and organizational skills; and flexibility to adapt and respond to shifting priorities.
• Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
• Capacity to work effectively both independently and as a member of a team, as well as provide guidance and coordination with and among lower level staff.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity to effectively interact with all levels of staff, US and foreign government personnel, members of donor organizations, funders and policy makers.
• Ability to be creative and to proactively identify procedures and policies to improve the overall efficiency and organization of programs and activities.
• Knowledge of event planning and management.
• Knowledge of or experience with political development and/or the Middle East and North Africa region a plus
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office to include Word, Excel and PowerPoint; knowledge of Google Suite tools preferred.

Certifications/Licenses (desired)

• None required.

Work Environment

This position generally is performed in an office environment and may be suitable for partial telework.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required, as well as attendance at external events.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting/mobility—to work at a desk and move around work areas.
• Speaking/hearing—to engage orally in conversation with others and conduct presentations.
• Seeing—to effectively use a computer screen and for reading and interpreting printed materials, memos and other paperwork.
• Reaching/handling—to input information into computer systems and retrieve and work with appropriate paperwork, equipment and supplies.

ADA Notation:

The physical demands and work environment that have been described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Comments

To comply with tax and legal obligations, all candidates for DC-based positions must reside in Maryland, DC or Virginia. While there may be flexibility for remote/hybrid work environments, candidates must be residents of MD, DC or VA or relocate prior to the start of employment at NDI.

Candidates must be legally eligible to work in the U.S. NDI does not provide sponsorship.

NDI is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). As such, NDI makes employment decisions and provides equal employment opportunity without regard to an applicant’s or employee’s race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state and local laws. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please notify NDI’s Human Resources department.

To apply please visit our website at www.ndi.org/careers.