JOB DESCRIPTION: Africa Program Assistant

ACTION ON POVERTY

Effective date: From Dec 2024 to Jan 2025

Duration: 12 months (extendable), full-time

Location: Ha Noi, with possible travel to project sites

Report line: Africa Program Manager

BACKGROUND

Action on Poverty (AOP) is a secular, not-for-profit non-government organisation (NGO), founded in Australia in 1968 and incorporated in the state of NSW in 1983. Our Vision is for all people to transcend the injustice, indignity and inequality of entrenched poverty. Our Mission is to empower changemakers to break the cycle of poverty.

AOP supports programs in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. Our key program areas include food security and sustainable livelihoods, women’s economic empowerment, education, climate change and WASH. Working in partnership with others is a key feature of our work. We focus on strengthening and empowering local NGO civil society groups in developing countries so that they can better meet their own aspirations. On the African continent, AOP has partners in East and Southern Africa including Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

AOP holds full accreditation with the Australian Government and is a signatory to the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) Code of Conduct, which requires high standards of corporate governance, public accountability and financial management to be in place.

ROLE SUMMARY

The role of Africa Program Assistant is a new role. It will be based in Ha Noi but will report to the Africa Program Manager, who is based in Sydney, Australia.

The Africa Program Assistant will work closely with the Africa Program Manager and as a dedicated member of the Program Management team at AOP, to ensure that AOP’s work is undertaken in accordance with our Mission and Vision, in line with good development practice and in accordance with standards and procedures set out in the relevant AOP documents.

The main responsibility of this position is to support the Africa Program Manager in partner, program and project management.

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Key Responsibilities	Tasks
Internal and External Stakeholder Liaison	Liaise with AOP Overseas Partners in Africa (hereinafter referred to as ‘partners’) to ensure the timely completion and submission of project reports, including financial reports. Liaise with the AOP Fundraising and Communications Team to enhance the profile of and funding for the Arrica Program, including by contributing to the development of the annual report. Support scheduling of meetings with partners and take meeting minutes and facilitate communication Liaise with and assist AOP monitoring, evaluation and reporting staff as required.
Support Effective Project Management	Support the roll-out and effective use by partners of AOP’s online monitoring and evaluation system. Review quarterly reports to ensure they align with the approved project proposals. Maintain an accurate database of partner and project details. Support travel planning and the completion of trip reports for monitoring and capacity building trips.
Support Overseas Partner Effectiveness	Grant research to identify potential funding opportunities for partners. Support the implementation of AOP’s Capacity Building Project for partners. Assist in the organisation of learning and networking events for partners.
Project Administration	Document management and filing. Other administrative tasks as assigned by the Africa Program Manager.
Other Assigned Tasks	Other tasks as assigned by the Africa Program Manager.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education	Relevant Degree and/or equivalent professional qualification, preferably in development, sociology, project management
Work experience	Experience working cross-culturally Administrative experience in the NGO sector preferred.
Technical knowledge and skills	Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English, both spoken and written Proficiency in using office applications (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Teams, PDF editor) and cloud-based solutions (Office 365 environment) A demonstratable knowledge of international development issues in the African context Strong time management and organisational skills Ability to give and receive feedback Ability to work autonomously on day-to-day tasks Proactive and independent approach Familiarity with AOP’s thematic areas of work is an asset Commitment to AOP’s vision, mission, values and goals
Languages	Fluent in English both spoken and written. Proficient in English (C2 Level minimum).
Attitude	Detail-oriented and meticulous Diligent, proactive and independent Patient, friendly and supportive Demonstrates high levels of integrity Ability to work independently and as a part of a team Passionate and enthusiastic about the work in the development sector.
Adherence to AOP Policies	All employees of Action on Poverty make a personal commitment to the organisation’s mission and values and indicate this by signing Action on Poverty’s Staff Code of Conduct. It is expected that personal and professional conduct will be consistent with all expectations set out in Action on Poverty’s policies and Employee Manual. AOP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, ability, gender or sexual orientation. All employees, volunteers and interns are required to comply with AOP Policies. The successful candidate will be subject to reference checks, a police check, and a working with children check.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV and cover letter in English with the subject line of “Africa Program Assistant Application – Your name” to [email protected] by/before 31 Dec 2024. While we appreciate all responses, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

AOP in Vietnam is an equal opportunity employer and a child-safe organization, AOP does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation. All employees, volunteers and interns are required to comply with AOP Policies. The successful candidate will be subject to reference checks, a police check and a working with children check.