Project Officer at Arms Trade Treaty Secretariat

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly to regulate the international trade in conventional arms by establishing the highest international standards and to prevent and eradicate illicit trade and diversion of conventional arms. The ATT entered into force on 24 December 2014, and contributes to international and regional peace, security and stability, reducing human suffering, and promoting cooperation, transparency and responsible action among the international community.

Article 18 of the Treaty calls for the establishment of a Secretariat to assist States Parties in the effective implementation of the Treaty. The Treaty specifies that the Secretariat shall be adequately staffed and that the staff shall have the necessary expertise to ensure that the Secretariat can effectively undertake the responsibilities outlined in Article 18(3) of the Treaty.

On 16 April 2021, the Council of the European Union adopted decision 2021/649 to give support for the following activities of the ATT Secretariat in support of implementation of the ATT:

• (a) support for capacity building of ATT national points of contact;
• (b) establishing an expert roster to build the capacity of local and regional ATT experts to provide advice and training on ATT implementation at local and regional levels (‘training the trainers’);
• (c) support for a database to match needs and resources.

Against this background, the ATT Secretariat is recruiting an ATT Project Officer (EU Project) to work part-time (50%) during the first year of the project, and full-time (100%) during the second year of the project.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager (EU Project) and overall guidance of the Head of the ATT Secretariat, the successful candidate will support and assist the Project Manager in the planning, implementation and execution of all aspects of the ATT EU Project in accordance with the terms of the Grant Contract entered into with the European Commission.

Applications are invited for the position of ATT Project Officer (EU Project) to undertake the duties and responsibilities listed hereunder:

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in preparing a project plan/schedule to ensure the timely implementation of all project activities.
• Assist in establishing and maintaining a filing system (hard and soft copy) for the key documentation and correspondence related to all aspects of the project to ensure it is stored, filed, and updated.
• Support the Project Manager with project outreach activities, including logistical arrangements for travel undertaken by the Project Manager and other ATT Secretariat staff involved in the project, assisting in the preparation of presentations on the project progress and findings, photographing and highlighting project activities on social media, and establishing and maintaining a dedicated website.
• Assist with procurement activities for the project, including engaging with and selecting service providers, drafting contracts for services supplied to the project; liaising with service providers.
• Assist in preparing regular technical reports (in accordance with EU requirements).
• Assist in preparing regular financial reports (in accordance with EU requirements) in collaboration with the Finance Officer (EU Project).
• Support the monitoring of project progress and evaluation, to ensure the project is delivered on time and within budget; update the Head of the ATT Secretariat regularly regarding project progress.
• Undertake logistical and administrative preparations for project meetings, briefings of ATT National Points of Contact, and the six ‘train the trainers’ regional workshops to be delivered under the project.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education

Advanced university (Masters) degree in project management, public administration, business administration, finance, accounting or any other related fields of study. A first level university degree (Bachelors) in combination with a minimum of 5 years’ relevant professional experience may be accepted.

Experience

• At least 4 years of experience in providing logistical and administrative support to projects funded by government and/or private sector grants.
• Experience in providing logistical and administrative support to projects that promote the implementation of international arms control instruments is required.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge of the Arms Trade Treaty is desirable.
• Ability to follow instructions and excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Budget management skills including experience tracking expenses and developing spending plans.
• Strong organizational and time management skills: the ability to multi-task, learn quickly, and work independently and productively in a fast-paced and detail-oriented environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written): the ability to effectively liaise with and motivate a variety of people in a multi-cultural environment and across various time zones.
• Strong computer skills: MS Word, Excel. Proficiency in Excel preferred.

Language skills

Strong written and verbal communication in English is required. French and Spanish proficiency/working knowledge is preferred.

Travel Requirement

The ATT Project Officer (EU Project) must be willing to travel internationally at least six times per year as part of the project to support the ‘train the trainers’ workshops and as part of the EU project monitoring and reporting.