Administrative Assistant

About TechnoServe:

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, we work with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries. By linking people to information, capital and markets, we have helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities. Founded over 50 years ago, TechnoServe has been named the #1 nonprofit for fighting poverty by the Impact Matters charity ratings agency.

About the project:

TechnoServe seeks a highly organized professional to provide clerical support to project operations and manages the cleaning, store keeping at our main project office in Dilla as part of the support unit of a large-scale program in Yirgacheffe (gedeo zone), one of the world’s most celebrated coffee origins. Regrow Yirga is a five-year, $15M+ project funded by U.S Department of Agriculture, JDE and Peet’s Coffee. The program will help farmers boost productivity and expand trade and has a focus on improving farmers´ capacity to renew their trees. Specifically, the Regrow Yirga program seeks to: train 42,000 farmers in good agricultural practices, provide quality advisory support to 45 coffee processing stations, and improve the enabling environment through strengthening private and public coffee service providers in Ethiopia. Lastly, the project will launch an innovative Farmer Fund which will facilitate direct incentive (tools or cash) transfers to farmers to encourage tree renewal by compensating them for their short-term loss which has the potential to be scaled up to over 1 million coffee farmers nation-wide.

About the role:

Reporting to the HR and Admin Coordinator, the Program Assistant’s principal objective is to support field teams with preparation of training materials, handle all office cleaning and sanitation needs, manage store movements in the project office and to keep office keys and ensure offices are properly locked, lights and all office machines are turned off after office hours. Responsibilities under this role include:

Support operational needs to project teams and assist the coordinator in her/his duties

• Provide operational support to Agronomy and Business teams as assigned by Coordinator such as the preparation of training set-up and training materials.
• Provide support to Coordinator in organizing logistics, administrative and HR related tasks.
• Keep files organized and labelled in proper manner.

Provides cleaning and office management services

• Ensure the office is kept clean, tidy and keep in good condition.
• Request cleaning materials on monthly basis and use it economically.
• Responsible for the proper handling of office keys.
• Report immediately when equipment and other materials need repair and maintenance.

Manages store and asset administration

• Inspect and Receive items as per purchase order or dispatch note.
• Note items that are missing or in bad condition and communicate to immediate supervisor.
• Issue items from the store or receive items to the store after checking their proper authorization.
• Update bin cards and stock cards and work out the balance after each receipt and dispatch/ issuance of items.
• Register all fixed asset items in asset register book, update the register after every issuance, disposal, transfer or receipts of all fixed assets.
• Update the personal ledger at every change in the balance and confirm change made with the concerned staff.
• Facilitate periodic inventory checking and stock count by supervisors.
• Assist in clearance process when staff are terminated by ensuring all materials under the custody of the leaving staff is returned.

1. Required Skills and Experience:

• Has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field
• Has at least one year of work experience. Office administration, petty cash handling and store keeping experience is an advantage.
• Is highly organized and efficient working independently and in a team environment.
• Can balance multiple priorities and tight deadlines, working independently and as part of a team.
• Has clear and concise written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrates a high level of integrity and moral standards.
• Embraces our values of collegiality (we stick our necks out for each other), integrity (doing the ‘right thing’ regardless), resourcefulness (solve problems) and results (bias for action).

Success Factors:

• Team Work/ Relationships:  Works co-operatively and flexibly with other members of the team with a full understanding of the role to be played as a team member and/or leader, to achieve a common goal.  Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and networks.
• Planning & Time Management: Establishes a course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a specific goal. Effectively plans, schedules, prioritizes and controls activities to accomplish goals. Prioritizes work according to the program or department’s goals, not just own job responsibilities; manages own time effectively.
• Results Oriented/ High Quality Deliverables: Stays focused on the efforts necessary to achieve quality results consistent with programmatic or departmental goals. Demonstrates the ability to achieve effective results; works persistently to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. Accomplishes tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small; showing concern for all aspects of the job; accurately checking processes and tasks.
• Integrity and honesty: Is widely trusted; seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; does not misrepresent himself or herself for personal gain.
• Diversity/Inclusiveness: Demonstrates an understanding and appreciation for diversity and supports diversity efforts. Interacts effectively with and inclusively with people of all races, cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, ages, and genders.