Regional Program Assistant

Term of Employment: One year with possibility of extension

Duty Station(s): Amhara Regional Office (Bahir Dar)

Required Number:  One

Salary & Benefits: Competitive

Application Deadline:  May 14,2021

BACKGROUND:

The Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA) is a strategy and delivery-oriented government agency created to help accelerate the growth and transformation of the country’s agriculture sector. The ATA envisions that, by 2025, smallholder farmers are commercialized with greater incomes, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability, contributing to Ethiopia’s achievement of middle-income country status.

The agency focuses on two primary national approaches to catalyze agricultural transformation. First, we support the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources (MoA), its affiliate institutions, and other partners to identify and address systemic bottlenecks within an Agricultural Transformation Agenda. Second, we support Regional Governments to accelerate development of high-priority commodity value chains in clearly defined geographic clusters, through the Agricultural Commercialization Clusters (ACC) Initiative.

Our major activities include conducting strategic and analytical studies, providing technical implementation support, coordinating platforms to better integrate partners and projects, and designing and directly leading a number of implementation projects. Our headquarters are in Addis Ababa, and we have regional offices in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, and Tigray regional offices, allowing us to work closely with a wide range of public, private and development sector partners across the country.

Our Culture

We have an exceptional team of highly competent employees with a proven track record of success in managing complex activities and achieving transformational results. Our culture is one where talented, dedicated and adaptable individuals are committed to doing their best and exhibit great team work to achieve excellent results.

At ATA, we provide an exceptional platform for people who want to achieve their highest potential and make a meaningful contribution in changing the country’s agricultural sector. We offer rewarding work in a young, fast-paced growing organization with passionate, committed, motivated colleagues and excellent career development and training. We recognize our most valuable assets are our staff and are committed to providing our employees with the tools, training and mentorships necessary to achieve their career goals.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Assistant mainly focuses on administrative and operational support to the Senior Director (SD) of SNNP Regional Branch Office. He/she reports to and provides general administrative support to the office, including scheduling, drafting & compiling meeting minutes, completing expense forms of SD, organizing and supporting team-wide activities, setting up and managing team office equipment and resources, and handling other ad hoc requests.

The successful candidate will have an innovative, can-do attitude, and enjoy working in a fast-paced organization that is mission and results driven. He/she will have experience with creating and demonstrate strong attention to detail, and excellent written and verbal communication, and organizational skills. Advancement opportunities are available after strong performance in this role.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES

• Undertake a broad variety of office tasks for Regional Office including arranging calls and meetings, schedule management meeting, office set-up and management, drafting meeting minutes, organizing travel, and assisting with workshop and training facilitation.
• Work closely and effectively with all team members within the office to keep them well informed of and prepared for upcoming commitments and responsibilities, following up appropriately. Organize team meetings, inform agendas and presentations, consolidate and review team requests, where appropriate attend meetings to take notes
• Compile minutes and presentations, manage online and physical filing systems,
• Support department-directorate-wide meetings, events, and projects including travel, and finance activities.
• Maintain office area, equipment and supplies, including seating, internet connectivity, printers, projectors, stationery, etc.
• Handle other administrative and operational duties as assigned and use good judgement to deal appropriately with urgent requests when the SD is absent or engaged.
• Handle incoming and outgoing stock to/from store and ensure all store requisition are approved by the appropriate person before preparing GIV
• Create unique ID (product code) for each item
• Handle goods receipts notes (GRN), Goods issuing voucher (GIV), Goods receiving and issuing voucher (GRIV) and Dispatch note (DN) and ensures that all the proper documentation is handled and managed in a professional way
• Maintain updated and accurate databases of stock items as well as asset information in accordance with government policies and ATA policy and procedures
• Enter stock-related data into electronic databases/ERP system and produce fact-based reports
• Report monthly, and quarterly stock balance and submit to the Ops Director & logistics manager
• Ensure that material issue notes, goods receiving notes and other related documents are properly managed and make sure that these documents match the actual quantity against physical count (Issued or received)
• Ensure timely report of any damage, lose, missing and obsolete items
• Keep updated inventory records.
• Undertake any other duties as assigned by the supervisor

Required qualifications, competencies, skills, trainings and experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree, in any field of study, with strong grades
• At least 2 years of relevant experience in a corporate or development agency setting as a program, executive, or administrative assistant
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including local language
• Resourceful, confident, positive and energetic
• Team player with good relationship management skill
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Proven ability to effectively prioritize workflow
• High standards of ethics and confidentiality to handle sensitive information
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Fluency in written and spoken English, Amharic and other regional languages

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

• We invite all candidates meeting the required qualifications to submit (i) a cover letter and (ii) CV (maximum 3 pages) to the website or email to recruitment@ata.gov.et by mentioning the position title on the subject line.
• Please DO NOT submit scans of certificates with your application.
• Women are highly encouraged to apply.
• Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.