By reducing trade barriers such as tariffs and import quotas, AfCFTA is expected to be a key driver for economic growth, industrialization, and sustainable development in Africa. On 29 April 2019, 22 ratifications deposited with the AU was reached, the required number for the AfCFTA to officially enter into force for the ratifying states. Since then, Phase one of the negotiations have been underway in the areas of Trade in Goods, Trade in Services and Rules of Origins and will be followed by phase two of the AfCFTA negotiations on protocols on investment, competition, and intellectual property rights.

The GIZ project advises the AUC Trade Commissioner on strategic issues and at policy level. The project also supports the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and the AfCFTA Unit in the African Union in the areas of Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, and stakeholder engagement in various projects

Position:                        Project assistant

Remuneration:               As per the GIZ scale

Application deadline:    03 October 2021

Required Candidates:   One

Place of Work:               Addis Ababa

Responsibilities

•  Ensuring that the secretariat of several projects/programmes runs smoothly
•  Ensuring good communication and flow of information within programmes and with the GIZ office
•  Filing documents in reference files or in DMS in line with GIZ’s filing rules
• Assisting the principal advisor(s) in their administrative task
•  Coordinating with service units, specifying requests, supporting communication

TASKS:

Secretariat work and services:

•  Organizes and coordinates appointments, meeting rooms for the project teams
• Answers, forwards, and takes calls and manages correspondence  Manages incoming and outgoing correspondence (post, fax, email) and prioritizes and organizes it
•  Helps organize and document meetings, smaller events, workshops and seminars within or outside the project in collaboration with the events unit
• Coordinates physical and digital meetings and events with administrative staff of the programme in other locations
• Supports event service unit with larger events and provides programme information, etc.
•  Assists the project team and if applicable consultants with travel, programme, visa, logistics on site, security
•   Supports with participant management during project events
•  Participates in internal and external (team) meetings and workshops and assists with documenting these
• Photocopies and scans documents as needed
• Supports onboarding and departure of new staff members, consultants including security arrangements, visa/residency, driving license, other admin matters.
• Follows-up on project procurement in collaboration with the procurement unit
• Assists in Project Assets management.
•  Report’s damage/defects in office furnishings and equipment to project management and organizes and maintenance and repair requests in collaboration with procurement unit

Administration and knowledge management:

•  Maintains digital project calendar and event file.
•  Creates and maintains digital address files with important contact addresses and maintains this
•  Maintains physical filing for the office or project(s) on all relevant accounting and admin files in coordination with service units, supports the projects with filing in DMS ((ensures specifically requests for services, deliverables, justification notes, documentation of events and running costs, payment vouchers, travel documents, contingency information are filed with financial files and contracts)
•  Updates the filing system daily with incoming and outgoing correspondence
•   Manages inventory file and handover with partner
•  Supports audit and internal control

General tasks:

•  Performs other duties and tasks at the request of management
• Follows-up on the implementation of internal control findings in collaboration with all concerned units and team members

Qualifications

• certificate/diploma or similar qualification from a recognized clerical college

Professional experience

• Possibly GIZ Experience
• Up to 3 years professional experience in a comparable position

Other knowledge, additional competencies

• good working knowledge of ICT technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g., MS Office, MS Teams) Winpaccs, SAP would be an advantage
• very good knowledge of the English language
•  willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed – corresponding measures are agreed with management