Project and Administrative Assistant

Position description

Contract Type: Fixed Term – 1 Year
Department: ODI Europe – Project Management

Purpose Of Job

The Projects and administrative assistant will provide administrative and logistical support to the ODI Europe team across project management, and office management. They will provide administrative support in line with ODI Europe policies and practices for the management of projects: namely supporting the contracting with subcontractors, partners and donors; and processing purchase orders, expense claims, credit card reports and invoices and monitoring project expenditure. The Projects and administrative assistant will also be involved in managing projects’ documentation for audit trail purposes and supporting Project Managers (PMs) during external audits.

In addition, the assistant will support the management of the ODI Europe office – such as rent payments, adequate office set-up, or supporting the ODI Europe senior management with discrete tasks related to Entity governance or finances.

They will report to the Senior Operations and Impact Manager for ODI Europe and will provide support to the Director of ODI Europe. The assistant will contribute to the establishment of new processes and support organisational growth while being part of a dynamic team which values well-being and growth of its members.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Project, financial and contractual administration:

• Coordinate the set-up of new subcontractors/partners in the ODI Europe subcontractors’ database and SharePoint (notably risk screenings, new supplier forms etc.) for submission to Finance, with inputs from the project management team;
• Coordinate the set-up of new donors (notably risk screenings, new donor forms etc.) in SharePoint for submission to Finance, with inputs from project management team;
• Prepare contracts for subcontractors and partners for the project management tea’s review;
• Check subcontractor/partner invoices against budgets and contracts, as well as ODI Europe/donor expenses policies, including timesheets and expenses (as relevant), and get the appropriate approvals;
• Support the project management team with the coordination and submission of donor narrative and financial reports;
• Raise purchase orders, and submit invoices for processing by the Finance Dept, working with the latter to solve any issues;
• Check staff expense claims against budgets, ODI Europe and donor expenses policy;
• Monitor and process monthly credit card reports;
• Track project expenditure (actual and committed) against budgets;
• Carry out other administration tasks for contracts for ODI Europe subcontractors and partners;
• Assist the project management team in reconciling and consolidating data for monthly, quarterly and year-end financial procedures;
• Assist with the gathering of project information/documentation for audits and other tasks during and after the audit fieldwork, under the responsible supervision;
• Prepare documentation needed to accompany proposals and bids (organisational documents, programme related information, CVs) and support with the proposal editing/formatting and submission;
• Support the filing of project documents after project closure.

General Administration:

• Assist in organising meetings, team retreats and events, including overseas events: finding and booking venues, arranging facilities and block hotel booking, liaising with participants, taking minutes etc.;
• Support with office lease management and office furnishings/provisions;
• Documents and file management;
• Support to the ODI Europe Director’s diary management and admin support across the ODI Europe team;
• Any other ad-hoc administrative tasks as may be required.

Communication and knowledge management:

• Contribute to the maintenance and updating of programme/project web pages and project worksites on Sharepoint;
• Contribute to PM team and wider ODI Europe communications process.

Qualifications

Essential:

Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Fluent French or Dutch;
• High level of numeracy.

Experience:

• Experience of project administration (including financial administration);
• Proven secretarial and administrative experience.

Skills/Abilities:

• Strong organisational skills and self-motivation;
• IT skills, to include Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook;
• Ability to learn to use new software quickly;
• Data management skills;
• High standard of written and verbal communication;
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and team-working skills and ability to interact effectively at all levels with tact and diplomacy;
• Ability to work autonomously and multitasking capabilities;
• Ability to work to work under pressure and to strict deadlines.

Desirable:

• University degree;
• Foreign language skills (German, Spanish, French, Arabic in particular);
• Interest in international development or public administration;
• Knowledge of international development;
• Experience with project and/or financial management software.

Key Relationships and Contacts

• Head of Strategic Operations Project Management Officers/Senior/Project Managers;
• Directors of Programmes and projects’ Technical Leads;
• Other functions (Finance, Business Development, Risk and Compliance and Public Affairs and Communication).

All staff are expected to:

• Positively support equality of opportunity both within ODI Europe and externally;
• Help maintain a safe working environment and take responsibility for own and colleagues’ Health and Safety;
• Undertake such other duties within the scope of their post as may be requested by their Manager.

Why should you work for us?

ODI Europe is committed to developing and supporting diverse and inclusive teams of people who share our passion, where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit. We welcome applicants from a range of diverse backgrounds including those who experience intersectional marginalisation on the basis of their class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religious identity or belief, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We also welcome applications from those living with disabilities.

Why Work With Us?

• A fantastic opportunity to contribute to a global organisation inspiring change worldwide;
• Collaborate with exceptional talent respected in their fields;
• Make a real difference alongside like-minded colleagues.

Application instructions

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