Fixed-term appointment – 1 year

Full Time

Background

Interpeace is an international organization for peacebuilding that supports locally led peacebuilding initiatives around the world. Interpeace tailors its approach to each society and ensures that the work is locally driven. Together with local partners and local teams, Interpeace jointly develops peacebuilding programmes and helps establish processes of change that connect local communities, civil society, government and the international community.

As a strategic partner of the United Nations, Interpeace is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and has offices around the world.

For more information about Interpeace, please visit www.interpeace.org

Interpeace in Libya

Interpeace undertook its very first mission to Libya in September of 2011. In 2012 it conducted an in-depth actor and issue mapping across the country to better assess conditions and response to an Interpeace approach engagement. As a direct result of that mapping Interpeace developed a programme aimed at establishing an infrastructure for peace in Libya with a pilot phase in the South West based in and around Sebha. The pilot aimed at helping communities from across the South identify impediments to peace in the region. By mid-2014, the programme had been able to make significant progress with 500 Libyans consulted capturing a broad array of perspectives on impediments to peace and opportunities for stability in the South. With the eruption of civil war late 2014 that phase was paused temporarily. In 2015 Interpeace initiated a peacemapping project which sought to highlight the numerous but less visible resilient communities that have remained relatively stable despite the conflict. The project’s key belief was that understanding the conditions and coping mechanisms these communities developed to deal with conflict and extracting lessons learned from them could compliment national and international dialogue initiatives in the country and contribute to the overall peacebuilding and reconciliation agenda for Libya. The lessons learned from the peacemapping initiative formed the foundation for the “Community Resilience and Cohesion: A Bottom-up Approach to Peacebuilding in Libya” project from July 2017 through August 2019. This first phase of the program targeted Eighteen communities across Libya through a series of capacity building workshops on conflict management and analysis, and community facilitation skills for a selected groups of change agents with the goal of strengthening intra- and intercommunity cohesion in the country. The new phase of the project: “Strengthening Local Cohesion in Libya: A Pathway to Lasting Peace” will continue its work on supporting Libyan local communities to build up lasting peace through strengthening their capacities and providing them with the needed tools and technics enabling them to manage internal challenges, build consensus on priority areas with other communities, and connect these processes with the national level dialogue agenda.

Position within the Organization

The Administration Assistant is a member of the Global Operations Unit which encompasses Finance, IT, Administration, Legal, Internal Audit and HR. The Global Operations Unit is led from the Headquarters office in Geneva, although team members are based in different locations around the world including in Bosnia, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Kenya, Switzerland, and Tunisia.

Under close supervision from the Operation Officer, the Administration Assistant works with the MENA Rrpgramme Department, Global IT Lead and Global HR Lead to create a more efficient and effective administration function in Tripoli that responds to the requirements and needs from all the units housed in the Tripoli office.

Purpose and General Overview

Reporting to the Operation Officer in Tripoli, the Administration Assistant provides general administration support to ensure a smooth and efficient management of administrative activities in Tripoli office. This includes managing travel and bookings, conducting expense claim reviews, filing and coordinating the logistics for events and conferences for the MENA Region.

Reporting to the Operation Officer, the Administrative Assistant is responsible for the optimal day-to-day administrative operations related to information management, logistics and procurement in the Tripoli office and for Libya Program . The position liaises with external service providers.

Working together with the Operations team , the Administration Assistant facilitates the Program team ability to manage and organize the office effectively and professionally, ensuring that filling is done properly, implementing administrative procedures, plans and controls, addressing administrative issues, preparing and initiating the procurement process for commonly used services and goods in the office (e.g. airlines, taxis, office supplies) and initiating the annual vendor selection process.

This post is a local position based in Tripoli. It involves some travel to the field inside Libya and to Benghazi Interpeace office as well as Tunis when necessary

Duties and responsibilities

Specific Duties

Office and Information management

• Liaise with building management and other relevant technical services (telecommunications, electronic services, etc.), this includes ensuring that telephone and internet accounts are up to date and initiate payments.
• Maintaining an up to date filing system, both electronic and hard copy filing. This includes both Administration and Programme related files
• Coordinate office activities and operations to secure efficiency and compliance with the organization’s policies
• Coordinate general repair and maintenance issues in the office (heating and air conditioning, security, generator, etc.) and updating (carpet cleaning, painting, etc.).
• Receive and open incoming mail – including on confidential matters – copying and circulating as necessary
• Maintain the office spaces organized at all times
• Receive and screen incoming telephone calls
• Support and assist in maintain up-to-date Libya information on preferred vendors and consultancy rosters in coordination with all offices and units, monitoring that approval processes have been conducted
• Coordinate DHL and other outgoing mail

Project Logistics

• Maintains robust communication with Filed Assistants and Program Management Team, Change Agents and relevant stakeholders within the program targeted communities

• Support logistical arrangements of community-based activities, workshops, focus group discussions, trainings, research and other program activities in Libya and Tunisia, including -but not limited to- booking flights tickets, accommodation, circulating follow-up documents to participant and coordinate airport transfers.

• Request DSA and Road Costs processing from Finance team for workshop participant and project activities

• Communicate all logistical arrangements to personnel, both in Tripoli, Benghazi and Tunis offices and in the field.

• Coordinate the acquisition of visas, this includes drafting letters and compiling the dossiers for change agents, stakeholders, consultants and staff

• Oversee transportation needs for the office while considering cost effectiveness, including preparing taxi vouchers while ensuring authorization
• Support staff on administration and logistics when needed
• Provide document photocopying and binding support as called upon

Procurement and Finance Administration

• Ensure timely, efficient and effective procurement of goods: Assist in preparation of procurement process,coordinate the receipt, evaluation of quotations or proposals for goods, services or works
• Assist in maintaining up-to-date program information on preferred vendors rosters in coordination with the program unit, monitoring that approval processes have been conducted
• Assist in preparation and managing of service and suppliers’ contracts and purchase orders in liaison with the Operation Officer and ensure proper authorization in accordance with the procurement policies
• Ensure sound partnerships with suppliers, consultants and change agents
• Submit procurement documents, contract and LPOs for payment processing.
• Any other duty as may be assigned

HR Administration

• Support the onboarding of new hires by obtaining business cards and setting up the new staff member’s working space
• Assist with maintaining personnel files up to date.

Qualifications

Candidates with relevant qualifications, experience, a tertiary degree, and fluent in English and Arabic are invited to apply.

Experience

• At least 2 years of relevant experience in administration and logistics
• Relevant international exposure demonstrating a capacity to work in a multicultural environment

Competencies

• Proficient in computer software use, primarily MS Office tools
• Ability to prioritize work assignments from different units, perform routine work independently, meet deadlines and adapt to changing demands and multitasks
• Ability to determine relevant background and reference materials for others, and to screen for urgency and priority
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment successfully and to demonstrate gender-responsive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes.
• Excellent ability to interact with people respectfully and with tact
• Ability to deal with confidential information and/or issues using discretion and good judgment
• Excellent verbal and written skills in English and Arabic.
• Strong organization and coordination skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills and results-oriented
• Interpeace Competencies
  • Collaboration and Weaving
  • Communication
  • Drive for results
  • Adaptability and Continuous Learning
  • Respect for Diversity

Assets/desired

• Experience working in HR or Finance administration roles considered an asset
• Thorough knowledge of practices and procedures for preparing administrative documents and maintaining file system
• Customer service experience in order to provide courteous, prompt and efficient responses to internal and external parties

Interpeace values diversity among its staff and aims to achieve gender equality both through gender parity at all levels of the organisation and promoting a gender dimension in all its work. We welcome applications from women and men, and those with disabilities.