Senior Assistant - Research Program

SENIOR ASSISTANT – Research Program

The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. The Alliance’s solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

About the position

Located at Hanoi hub, under the direct supervision of one or more researchers, the incumbent will provide efficient and effective administrative support to research program teams, acting as the focal point for gathering information and sharing of information for reporting, coordinating and following up with delegated monitoring of deadlines and other key events.

Key Responsibilities

Process management:

• Work with research staff and administrative staff to identify ways in which the workflow between research and admin teams can be improved for greater efficiency.

• Develop tools/systems to better track the progress of requests through the workflow to identify bottlenecks at the earliest opportunity, speeding up admin processes.

Recruitment processes for contracts for research and consultancy services:

• Support and guide the scientists in the process and required documentation for hiring of interns, visiting fellows, national and international consultants, and national research staff.

Project administration/Sub-grants:

• Assist in obtaining all the supporting documents to perform the capacity assessment and due diligence review of prospective partners.

• Ensure Partners’ awareness of reporting requirements, research ethics and contractual compliance

• Track and collect clearance/approvals of the technical reports submitted by partners from the Principal Investigator.

Supplies and Services:

• Support the scientists in raising the request for the acquisition of goods and services and following up with the responsible person for implementation liaising with accounting staff about payments.

Other:

• Assist the scientists with scheduling for projects implemented in Vietnam and Asia regarding travel arrangements, travel expenses claims and other activities in support of effective running of the research program.

• Make logistical arrangements for meetings, seminars and conferences (including visas, air tickets, hotels, etc.), as required for scientists and participants.

• Follow-up and finalize post-conference obligations.

Qualifications and Requirements

• University degree with minimum of 4 years of relevant experience, preferably in an international working environment.

• Proficiency in relevant software packages; excellent knowledge of Microsoft Excel.

• Sound knowledge of standard office procedures.

• Strong interpersonal, communications and teamwork skills; courtesy, tact and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with people of cultural and national backgrounds.

• Well-developed skills in personal organization, priority setting, problem solving and accuracy.

• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken.

• Strong client orientation and service approach.

• Considerable judgment and initiative; ability to work with significant independence within assigned areas.

• Ability to work in a multicultural team.

• Familiarity with database management.

Terms of Appointment

This is a Vietnamese national search and will be managed through a fixed term contract of a (6) month period and the position is expected to start working from July 1, 2021.

The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer, and strive for gender, diversity and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources Office, Ms. Kieu Le Huyen ([email protected]) and should clearly indicate “Application – Senior Assistant (Research Program) – Candidate’s full name”.

The position is urgent and will be filled as soon as suitable candidate is found. Only qualified applicants with relevant skills and experience will be contacted. We recommend applying as soon as possible and no later than 31/5/2021.

We invite you to learn more about us at:

https://alliancebioversityciat.org/ ; https://annualreport2019.alliancebioversityciat.org/