Administrative Assistant At DAI Global

SCOPE OF WORK

USAID Madagascar HARENA Activity

Position Title: Administrative Assistant

Period of Performance: 2024 – 2029 (End of Project)

Place of Performance: Antananarivo, Madagascar

BACKGROUND

The five-year (2024-2029) USAID Madagascar HARENA Activity will use a multisectoral systems approach to reduce threats to biodiversity and forests, improve conservation, and build resilience to climate change; develop sustainable, economic opportunities for the poor; and improve environmental governance. Working across local economic and social systems, the Activity will address the root causes of poverty and food insecurity that drive communities in Madagascar to rely on areas of high biodiversity for their basic needs. To do so, the Activity will work through three key areas of interventions: 1) natural resource and protected area (PA) management, and biodiversity and forest conservation (nature); 2) improved, climate-resilient livelihoods and private sector engagement for enhanced human wellbeing and socioeconomic outcomes (wealth); and 3) natural resource/PA governance (power). Focused in three geographic zones with high biodiversity value and high land-based climate change mitigation potential, HARENA will implement five strategic approaches to achieve key results:

• Strategic Approach 1: Improve sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on biodiversity, land, forests, and protected areas (PA);
• Strategic Approach 2: Promote sustainable and climate-resilient, market-led diversified agriculture-based livelihoods, including complementary natural resource products (such as tree crops) to improve livelihoods and ecosystems services;
• Strategic Approach 3: Improve national, regional, and local-level governance, advocacy, and anti-corruption efforts around natural resource, land, and water management;
• Strategic Approach 4: Increase local resilience to prepare for and adapt to climate change and other shocks; and
• Strategic Approach 5: Strengthen land use management through spatial planning at the communal level and secure land rights through the effective implementation of the land tenure policy.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Administrative Assistant is a key member of the Operations team. He/She will play a pivotal role in coordinating the daily operations of the project, including administration and office management. The individual ensures accurate and complete record-keeping and filing systems based on the project’s Field Operations Manual (FOM), USAID regulations, and contract requirements and limitations. He/She will support travel and logistics for events and for staff members, working with the Finance and Operations Director.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administration

• Assist Finance and Operations Director with organizing and coordinating weekly scheduled program meeting and take meeting notes
• Coordinate and support project external meetings including maintaining calendar, write invitations, arrange transport, and attending the meeting and taking notes if required.
• Maintain project events calendar and update to all staff regularly Regularly update the project events calendar for all staff.
• Maintain important project important contact profiles and infoformation information, and ensure the contact list is up to date
• Organize, manage and process all official ATI HARENA correspondence and other project documents
• Makes photocopies of project documents and reports, scan and upload documents as needed.
• Maintain communication with DAI’s home office staff on administrative and operational aspects of the project.
• Assist Chief of Party, Deputy Chief of Party and Finance and Operations Director for their schedules, admin, and operations needs
• Other duties assigned by the COP and Finance and Operations Director.

Office Management

• Manage office inventory and vehicles.
• Assist with management of office space allocations for long-term staff and short-term advisors.
• Assist with management of the security of the office premises, property therein, and the motor pool.
• Organize full-time driver staff and project vehicles and short-term intermittent drivers, as needed, to meet the travel needs of project staff.
• Work with the IT support staff to ensure the efficient operation of the local area network.
• Communicate with landlord on facilities management, improvement, and repair issues.

REPORTING:

The Administrative Assistant will report to the Finance and Operations Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA Degree and 2+ years of progressively responsible administrative experience
• Strong office management and communications skills;
• Experience with USAID policies and regulations is preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work in dynamic environments and achieve development outcomes
• Excellent organizational skills with a willingness to take initiative and be proactive
• Ability to perform high-level duties with a minimum of supervision
• Previous experience with DAI policies, procedures, and systems (TAMIS, etc.) preferred
• An articulate individual who possesses excellent communications and personnel management skills and who can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
• A well organized and self-directed individual with sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment, and strong operational focus
• Professional-level oral and written fluency in French; professional-level oral and written fluency in Malagasy also highly preferred. English fluency desired.

ABOUT DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches. All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

USAID HARENA

Job Title: Administrative Assistant

Execution period: 2024 – 2029 (End of Project)

Place of Performance: Antananarivo, Madagascar

CONTEXT

USAID’s five-year (2024-2029) HARENA Madagascar project will use a systemic, multi-sectoral approach to reduce threats to biodiversity and forests, improve conservation, and build resilience to climate change; develop sustainable economic opportunities for the poor; and improve environmental governance. By working across local economic and social systems, the Activity will address the root causes of poverty and food insecurity that drive communities in Madagascar to rely on areas of high biodiversity for their basic needs. To do this, the Activity will act through three key areas of intervention: 1) management of natural resources and protected areas (PA), conservation of biodiversity and forests (nature); 2) improved, climate-resilient livelihoods and private sector engagement to improve human well-being and socio-economic (wealth) outcomes; and 3) governance of natural resources and protected areas (power). Targeted in three geographic areas with high biodiversity value and high potential for terrestrial climate change mitigation, HARENA will implement five strategic approaches to achieve key results:

• Strategic Approach 1: Improve sustainable management of natural resources with a focus on biodiversity, land, forests and protected areas (PA);
• Strategic Approach 2: Promote sustainable and climate-resilient diversified agriculture-based livelihoods, including complementary natural resource products (such as tree crops) to improve livelihoods and ecosystem services;
• Strategic Approach 3: Improve governance, advocacy and anti-corruption efforts at national, regional and local levels around the management of natural resources, land and water;
• Strategic Approach 4: Increase local resilience to prepare for and adapt to climate change and other shocks; And
• Strategic Approach 5: Strengthen land use management through spatial planning at the communal level and secure land rights through effective implementation of the land tenure policy.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Administrative Assistant is a key member of the Operations team. He/She will play a central role in coordinating the daily operations of the project, including administration and office management. The individual maintains accurate and complete records and filing systems based on the project’s Field Operations Manual (FOM), USAID regulations, and contract requirements and limitations. He/She will support travel and logistics for events and for staff members, in collaboration with the Director of Finance and Operations.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administration

• Assist the Director of Finance and Operations in organizing and coordinating scheduled program meetings each week and taking meeting notes.
• Coordinate and support external project meetings, including maintaining the calendar, drafting invitations, arranging transportation, and attending the meeting and taking notes as necessary.
• Maintain the project events calendar and update it regularly for all staff
• Maintain important project profiles and contact information, and ensure the contact list is up to date
• Organize, manage, and process all official HARENA correspondence and other project documents
• Make photocopies of project documents and reports, scan and upload documents as needed.
• Maintain communication with DAI headquarters staff on administrative and operational aspects of the project.
• Assist the Chief of Party, the Deputy Chief of Party and the Director of Finance and Operations with their schedules, administrative and operational needs
• Other tasks assigned by the Chief of Party and the Director of Finance and Operations.

Office Management

• Manage office inventory and vehicles.
• Assist in managing office space allocations for long-term staff and short-term advisors.
• Assist in the management of security of office premises, interior property, and vehicle fleet.
• Organize the team of short and long term drivers, as well as project vehicles, as needed, to meet the travel requirements of project personnel.
• Work with IT support staff to ensure efficient operation of the local network.
• Communicate with owners on facility management, improvements and repair issues.

REPORT

The Administrative Assistant will report to the Director of Finance and Operations.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and more than 2 years of administrative experience with increasing responsibilities
• Strong office management and communication skills;
• Experience with USAID policies and regulations is preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work in dynamic environments and achieve development results
• Excellent organizational skills with a willingness to take initiative and be proactive
• Ability to perform high-level tasks with minimal supervision
• Prior experience with DAI policies, procedures and systems (TAMIS, etc.) is preferred
• An articulate individual who has excellent communication and people management skills and can relate to people at all levels of an organization.
• A well-organized and autonomous individual with solid technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment and a strong operational focus
• Professional mastery of oral and written French; oral and written fluency in Malagasy is also strongly preferred. Fluency in English is desired.

ABOUT DAI:

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the US, UK, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We address fundamental problems of social and economic development caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance and instability. DAI works on the front lines of global development. Turning ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures and countries in which we live and work. DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees of all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI adheres to the highest ethical standards. We are committed to preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and other ethical violations. All our positions are therefore subject to rigorous checks and references.