Personal Assistant to the Country Director at Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ's portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Personal Assistant to the Country Director

Vacancy Announcement No: 054B
Location: Abuja

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work.

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
• The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries.
• We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
• The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in a round 120 countries (July 2020) GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. From 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja.
• Currently 361 national and 66 international employees, 19 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists and 3 development workers are working in the country (June 2020).

The Project

• GIZ Country offices are the central element of GIZ’s field structure.
• They ensure consistent overall representation of the company and its successful positioning as a service provider in the international cooperation market. They are headed by a country director.
• The country directors represent GIZ as a whole in the country or countries they service. The country director is responsible for shaping the GIZ country portfolio and assuring its quality, and in particular ensures that GIZ activities in all business sectors are coherent.
• The country directors generally have management responsibility for the officers responsible for commissions in the public-benefit TC measures in their area.
• The GIZ Offices provide human resources and commercial support services for programmes and projects in their areas. These services must be contracted as set out individually in the respective processes and rules sections.
• Furthermore, the GIZ Offices perform internal audits of the project administrations in the public-benefit sector, and by agreement for International Services projects and offices too.

Responsibilities & Tasks

Responsibilities
The Personal Assistant is responsible for:

• Ensuring that the secretariat for Country Director runs smoothly.
• Good communication flow within the GIZ Office and between the Office and the Projects
• In collaboration with the portfolio Manager coordinates and organizes the public relations/communication activities at the country office level.
• Assists on demand the portfolio Manager and Head of Administration with specific requests.

The Personal Assistant performs the following tasks:

Tasks
Administrative tasks and assistance to the Country Director
The personal Assistant

• Organizes and coordinates the country director’s schedule and travel arrangements
• Reminds, updates, and notifies the country director of all appointments
• Prepares and organizes information materials for the country director and/or meetings
• Replies and looks after correspondence
• Photocopies and scans documents as needed
• Participates in internal and external (team) meetings and workshops and assists with documenting these e.g., by taking minutes
• Drafts letters, speeches, and presentation slides
• Maintains the filing system of office correspondence and other such documents
• Assists in creating and maintaining a filing system for the office, treats information confidentially. Specifically in the areas of personnel and finance.
• Responsible for the welcome checklist for new staff

Office coordination, office management and general coordination:
The Personal Assistant,

• Coordinates and monitors schedule and ensures agreed blocks of time are kept clear for planned events relating to the GIZ.
• Coordinates and organizes rooms for meetings
• Coordinates equipment etc., required for meetings with the responsible person.

National Media work:
The Personal Assistant in collaboration with the portfolio manager:

• Coordinates media activities in the country (possibly also project/ programme activities)
• Establishes and maintains contact with national media, in particular setting up and running a national media distribution
• Creates and updates the national media file
• Writes and sends out press releases
• Compiles information materials for the media (basic material and for specific occasions and distributes these systematically in line with the target group’s needs.
• Organizes national media events and tours
• Monitors the media (documentation and analysis of media reports on GIZ)

National PR work:
The Personal Assistant in collaboration with the Portfolio Manager:

• (further) develops suitable communication instruments for PR ( e.g. country brochures, fact sheets, advertising material, PowerPoint presentations on GIZ based on the corporate presentations, newsletters, information sheets for the country portfolio)
• Manages the necessary coordination processes and the production of publications and materials in accordance with GIZ standards (corporate design, standards for content).
• Organises events
• Supports foreign delegations and VIP visits
• Provides editorial support to the GIZ office’s website, coordinates and advises on the online presentations of projects and programmes.

Internal communications in the country:
The Personal Assistant in collaboration with the Portfolio Manager:

• Passes on information and supports dialogue between the office and employees in projects and programmes and CIM experts and between the various groups of employees (seconded experts, national and regional personnel).
• Develops and supports appropriate communication instruments (e.g., emails, internal newsletters, internal events)
• Consults with the corporate communications unit on articles
• for the GIZ staff newsletter intern and GIZ news on the intranet and provides editorial input on practical examples and other texts for GIZ media.
• Advises local staff on the regulation and contacts for public relations in the interests of a uniform GIZ image.

Other Duties/Additional Tasks:
The Personal Assistant is responsible for:

• Welcoming visitors in a friendly manner and offers visitors refreshments
• Performing other duties and tasks at the request of management.

Required Qualifications, Competences and Experience
Qualifications:

• Minimum of BA / MSc in Business Administration, University Degree in Law, Economics or Sociology or similar area.

Professional experience:

• At least 3 years professional experience in a comparable position.
• Experience in other international organisations is an advantage.
• Desired additional qualifications, competencies, and experiences
• Outstanding knowledge of purchasing
• Very good knowledge of ITC technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, the internet) and computer applications (e.g. MS Office)
• Willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed – corresponding measures are agreed with management good organizational skills
• Good communication skills
• German language skills will be an added advantage
• A good team player who is willing to take on responsibility
• Innovative and possessing a positive attitude to change.

Salary
According to GIZ Salary Scale for Band 4.

Application Closing Date
7th September, 2023.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Letter of Motivation as one document with complete contact details via email to: recruitment-nigeria@giz.de using vacancy no. 054B as the subject of the email.

Note

• GIZ is an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity. All qualified candidates, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, race, and religion are encouraged to apply.
• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted