Office Assistant

The Global Programme “Programme Migration for Development” (PME) is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to establish migration advice structures in twelve partner countries of German Development Cooperation. The objective of the programme is to strengthen the development-relevant contributions of migrants in their countries of origin and improve the framework conditions for legal migration
in selected partner countries.

Responsibilities
The office assistant is responsible for

• Liaising with customers in a service-oriented manner on behalf of the Advice Centre by providing a professional phone service, personally welcoming visitors and maintaining a high standard in the reception area

• Dealing with phone calls related to GIZ.

• Possibly dealing with emails and all office appointments

• Ensuring incoming and outgoing calls are efficient and uninterrupted

• Performing reception and secretariat services on a daily basis

• Design and implement visitor management system.

The office assistant performs the following tasks:
 

Tasks
Phone and reception services

• The receptionist answers and accepts phone calls and messages and/or forwards them

• maintains a call back list of all incoming calls which cannot be taken by the relevant staff member

• registers, documents and organises incoming and outgoing correspondence (fax, emails, packages and personally delivered messages)

• ensures deputation for other staff members

• ensures that visitors are comfortable by offering newspapers, refreshments etc.

Office work and services
The office assistant
ensures creation and/or regular updating of a list of contacts and addresses (telephone, fax, email)

• sorts and distributes incoming correspondence (email and other official documents)

• is responsible for distributing and accepting documents and packages to/from the post office, government institutions, embassies etc., and is responsible for these

• ensures periodicals are put out

• orders missing office equipment and supports the well-functioning of the GMAC

Administration and Logistic Tasks

• Assisting in Organization of Workshops and other Events

• assists international and national trainers and facilitators in preparing and implementing trainings, workshops, seminars etc.

• translates for international trainers and advisors in daily routine matters

• liaises with partners, owner of venues for events and caterers

• ensures that participants register themselves

• assists in handing out travel or food allowances to participants against signature

• handles projectors and sound systems, flipcharts, pin boards and stationary

• runs errands for the program team, e.g. sending letters and messages

• pays bills and buys equipment for the program team in smaller quantities, collects quotations from suppliers

Support in Financial Administration
The position holder

• assists in payments according to GIZ rules and regulations

• checks and prepares invoices for payments according to GIZ rules and regulations

• handles procurement of goods in accordance with GIZ guidelines in coordination with project staff (preparing for tendering, purchase orders etc.)

• processes related invoices in line with GIZ rules and regulations

• supports booking of tickets and preparation of travel arrangements

• supports project team in preparing travel expenses settlements and presenting complete documentation to GIZ Office for further processing

Other duties/additional tasks
The office assistant

• Take on facility management roles and ensure maintenance is reported, carried out and monitored.

• performs other duties and tasks at the request of management

Required qualifications, competencies and experience Qualifications
Professional experience

• Education: University degree in financial administration, finance, business administration.

• Experience: Minimum of 1-3 years of relevant occupational experience. Work for an international company or development organization is an advantage.

• Responsibility: Independent execution of tasks according to existing planning and consultation with supervisor and colleagues.

• Tasks require constructive creative thinking, sometimes also conceptual initiative.

• Fluent Arabic and fluent English language proficiencies are mandatory (written and spoken). German language is an advantage.

Other knowledge, additional competencies

• Office Software literacy

• Team player, proactive and responsible personality, innovative and flexible.

• good working knowledge of ITC technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g. MS Office)

• very good written and oral knowledge of English and Arabic and knowledge of German is advantage.

• politeness and helpfulness in dealing with visitors

• willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed – corresponding measures are agreed with management