Project Assistant

The Project Assistant provides clerical and administrative support to project implementation under the supervision of the Project Manager. The role involves logistical support, budget monitoring, data compilation for reports, and coordination of project activities in the Division of Agribusiness and Infrastructure Development.

Responsibilities

• Perform general administrative tasks such as arrangements for meetings, events, study tours, trainings and workshops.
• Provide logistical support to international consultants, national consultants, and visiting UNIDO staff members and in organizing meetings, study tours and workshops at the field level and travel requests and expense reports when required.
• Monitor disbursements, commitments and budget allocations and availability for the projects.
• Consult to clarify the application of new financial and procurement rules and procedures, TC guidelines and other instructions.
• Collect and compile all data and documents for bi-annual reports, annual reports, service providers’ reports and other reports as required.
• Keep track of project budget expenditures; follow-up on status of contracts for the local project team, provide information on the project, draw the supervisor’s attention to problems encountered.
• Maintain project equipment inventories (both paper and electronic asset management) and ensure appropriate use.
• Prepare/compile relevant documents and when applicable using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to trainings and study tours, purchase of equipment/goods and services, travel requests/claims, recruitment, visa applications, and deal with all related inquiries in coordination with the project team at HQ.
• Process all payments through relevant accounts and liaise with project team in the country and UNIDO HQ to clear all payments in a timely manner.
• Assist with onboarding of new project personnel.
• Assist in drafting regular and/or ad-hoc reports on project activities.
• Carry out ad-hoc assignments and research activities, as required.
• Maintain all project related files (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work.

Requirements

• Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma or equivalent) is required.
• Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent is desirable.
• A minimum of six (6) years of work experience in related fields is required.
• Experience in office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, is desirable.
• Experience in project administration, accounting and finance, providing support to managerial/professional staff and using administrative skills to assist in project development and implementation is desirable.
• Experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, is required.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required.
• Fluency and/or working knowledge of Swahili is required.

Skills

• Project Administration
• Office Procedures
• Budget Monitoring
• Data Compilation
• Report Preparation
• Logistical Support
• Microsoft Outlook
• MS Word
• MS Excel
• MS PowerPoint
• Internet Research
• SAP
• ERP Software
• Administrative Support
• Finance and Accounting

Languages

English, Swahili