The International Trade Center (ITC), the joint agency of the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) based in Geneva, Switzerland is committed to fostering international trade and promoting sustainable development.

The ITCs agribusiness work in Ghana, operating under the ITC Alliances for Action (A4A) Programme, has experienced significant growth and impact. This expansion has led to the decision to recruit a dedicated national administrative assistant, based in Accra, Ghana.  The purpose of the position is role of the  is to contribute to the effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of projects. The responsibilities include assisting in the formulation of project work plans, drafting budgets and proposals, and ensuring compliance with rules and procedures. The position involves supporting project implementation by providing administrative and logistical assistance, coordinating events, managing contracts, and facilitating field visits.

As a UN Organization, ITC aims to uphold the highest standards of efficiency and professionalism in its operations, and this role will be instrumental in achieving that goal.

• Assist in compiling and summarizing information and data for the formulation of project work plans. In consultation with project team, draft annual/quarterly budgets, proposals on implementation arrangements, and on other specific project related topics or issues.
• Support project implementation in accordance with the project documents, annual work plans and other agreements between UNDP and responsible partners. Review project documents for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures and identify inconsistencies for referral to supervisor. Compile, summarize and present basic information/data on a specific project and related topics or issues;
• Contribute to and support data collection for gender analysis and gender mainstreaming at the project level.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to ensure successful project delivery that includes organization/coordination of project events, procurement and finance-related activities, contract management, recruitment, and coordination of field visits and project-related missions,

Support partnerships and resource mobilization. 

• Establish and maintain contacts and cooperation with the relevant UN Agencies, government institutions, and other partners and relevant stakeholders. Provide support in updating database of the relevant public and development partners, and other stakeholders who are counterparts for the project.
• Support regular communication with partners, project counterparts, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.
• Support dissemination of high-quality information and visibility of the project activities among the stakeholders.
• Assist project team in identifying and gathering information on opportunities for resource mobilization.

Provide support to the effective monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on progress of project implementation.

• Support implementation of the project monitoring system in alignment with its Monitoring and Evaluation framework to facilitate effective information sharing on project status and achievement of targets.
• Collect, analyze and present information for monitoring and evaluation of project implementation against project targets as well as for audit purposes. Assist team in the design and conduct of internal evaluations and surveys. Identify gaps in implementation and provide support in bridging those gaps in consultation with supervisor and partners.
• Support the organization of progress meetings, field, and study visits to monitor project implementation and support organization of workshops, roundtables, and conferences within the project.
• Assist in implementation of effective risk management for the project with a well-documented risk mitigation plan in place. Support monitoring of previously identified and emerging risks. Update the status of risks in relevant project risk logs and/or databases.
• Monitor project budget, financial resources, and accounting for effective and transparent use of available resources and to ensure accuracy and reliability of data/information used in financial reports.
• Support the preparation of weekly, quarterly, annual, and other requested project reports in line with monitoring and reporting guidelines and donor requirements.

Support knowledge building and knowledge sharing relevant to the assigned project. 

• Participate in training on internal procedures for the project staff and provide support to the organization of training and other capacity building activities as needed.
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Maintain organized records of project data, field activities, case studies, human-interest stories, photographs, and other relevant documents that can be drawn upon in support of knowledge sharing and advocacy.

    Project specific tasks 

• UMOJA access, the incumbent will be trained by ITC HQ project assistant.
• Facilitate registration of smallholder farmers in the UN system for payments.
• Provide handholding visa application process support to project participants at regional and international events.
• Facilitate SME engagement and also coordinate project-related visits to the companies/farmers. These include visits from project donors, project partners, ITC staff and industry experts.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

4.     Institutional Arrangement

The Project Assistant works under the general supervision of [ACP Project Manager  and collaborates closely with project members including officers and project assistants in ITC HQ Geneva and the national officers based in Accra.  [ to be inserted]

Competencies

Core
Achieve Results:

LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.

Think Innovatively:

LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.

Learn Continuously:

LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.

Adapt with Agility:

LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible.

Act with Determination:

LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.

Engage and Partner:

LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion:

LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination.

Minimum years of relevant work experience 

• Minimum of 5 years (with high school diploma) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible administrative or project experience is required

• Work experience with UN Agencies
• Direct work Experience with MSMEs and knowledge of cocoa and coffee value chain
• Work experience and project administration and operations
• Knowledge in one of the local languages
• Knowledge of procurement procedures of national/international organizations.