Administrative Assistant (Beirut) - FOR NATIONAL CANDIDATES ONLY

Background

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC works with people forced to flee from war, conflict and disaster and the host communities that support them, as well as with those who remain within their homes and communities. At-work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. IRC reaches over a million children annually with education and child protection programs in 25 countries around the world.

Years of war in Syria have pushed millions from their homes and into poverty, and millions more have become refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and further afield. Equally complex is the emergency in Iraq, where waves of fighting and displacement have overwhelmed infrastructure and services and pushed communities to the brink. The economic, social, and health effects of these dual crises have changed the entire region. In the Middle East (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq) IRC responds to displaced people’s acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives.

In 2017, Sesame Workshop and IRC won the inaugural MacArthur Foundation 100&Change competition, a $100 million grant to make measurable progress toward solving a significant problem. In 2018 the LEGO Foundation made an additional investment to Early Childhood Development Programming in the Middle East and Bangladesh, further contributing to this effort. The Ahlan Simsim program is five-year intervention to bring vital early learning and nurturing care to more than nine million children and families affected by the ongoing civil war in Syria. Among other activities, the program will create multimedia programming for children affected by the conflict. Together with the Sesame Workshop and with support from the Brookings Institution, we will develop a pliant platform to reach young children and their caregivers wherever they are and measure how we impact their lives.  At the core of Ahlan Simsim’s project objectives is the ambition to work in partnership and collaboration with other organizations in areas such as design, service delivery and policy change.

Reporting to the ECD Program Administrative Officer, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the administrative support of the ECD program.

Major Responsibilities:

Documentation and supplies

• Provide direct administrative support to ECD team including copying, dissemination of documents, preparation of expense reports, etc. 
• Produce reports, collect information, compile data, and organize files as requested by the Administrative Officer.
• Provide direct administrative support to all ECD team members (full-time, part-time, temporary staff, teachers, enumerators, community mobilizers) regarding timesheets, attendance, payments, etc. with close follow-up and track record.
• Ensure office equipment is stocked with required supplies (toner, paper etc.) for the ECD team.
• Raise Purchase Requests and Payment Requests as needed/requested, and track their progress until delivery.

Schedule, meetings, and travel

• Maintain detailed schedule management for the ECD team, including local and international travel and meetings/workshops/training.
• Maintain and update a meetings tracker for the ECD team.
• Organize ECD team members’ staff external meetings, local and abroad conferences, and workshops, including venue logistics, travel, and transportation.
• Book travel arrangements (flights, accommodations, and transportation) as requested by the Administrative Officer.
• Coordinate and schedule all necessary calls/meetings with partners, donors, and internally, regionally, and with HQ, as needed and requested.
• Attend meetings as requested to take notes, produce minutes, and follow up on actions as needed.
• Maintain and circulate organized meeting notes.
• Organize ECD team members’ field visits.
• Coordinate fleet needs and capacity.

Visitors Coordination

• Ensure all visitors documentation is submitted in a timely manner.
• Ensure timely booking of visitors’ accommodation, transportation, etc.
• Manage and maintain detailed visit schedules for all incoming visitors.
• Maintain detailed visitor tracking log for all program sites.
• Liaise with security and relevant units for visitor logistics.
• In coordination with the ECD team and relevant colleagues ensure that all visits have needed documents and briefing notes.
• Whenever applicable, ensure high-level visits follow appropriate protocol.

Training Coordination

• Ensure timely booking of venues and refreshments.
• Follow up on invitations, participants attendance, certificate of completion, etc.
• Ensure timely provision of all training material, printing, and supplies.
• Ensure timely logistics support for the training as needed.

Other

• Liaise with other departments as required.
• Other tasks as assigned by the Administrative Officer.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to:  ECD Program Administrative Officer.
• Position supervises: N/A

Other Internal and/or external contacts:

• Internal: ECD staff members, Finance, Procurement, Logistics, and Administrative staff; regional and HQ Ahlan Simsim team members, Technical Unit, etc.
• External: Visitors, donors, partners, etc.

Requirements:

• Bachelor degree in Business Administration, Business Management, or any related relevant field.
• Minimum 1 year of professional experience in office administration or office management.
• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual.
• Ability to improvise and be flexible when needed.
• Ability to work and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Excellent organizational skills, flexibility, integrity, and ability to multi-task in fast-paced working environment while maintaining attention to detail.
• Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbally and in writing.
• Fluency in English and Arabic, oral and written.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Preferred:

• Experience within NGO, INGO or multi-national firm.
• Experience with organizational software.
• Experience with budget software.
• Experience with Supply Chain procedures.

Working Environment:

• Standard office work environment.
• Position is based in Beirut, Lebanon.

WOMEN OF ALL BACKGROUNDS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY