Individual Consultant Administration Assistant

SADC SECRETARIAT

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (INDIVIDUAL APPLICANTS SELECTION)

COUNTRY: Botswana

NAME OF PROJECT: SADC REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND STATICS PROJECTS

PROJECT ID: P180171

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT - SADC REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND STATISTICS PROJECTS

REFERENCE NUMBER: SADC/3/5/2/377

DATE OF ISSUE: 5th February 2025

Background

The SADC Secretariat through the SADC DRR Unit is implementing a Regional Climate Resilience Project (RCRP). The Project is the first in a Series of Projects (SOP), and involves Madagascar, Mozambique, South Sudan, Comoros, and two regional organizations: SADC, and the Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO). The overarching development objective of the SOP is to strengthen the resilience to water-related climate impacts in Eastern and Southern African countries.

The SADC Secretariat managed share of the RCRP is being implemented over a period of five years, with an expected closing date of December 29, 2028. It is financed through a grant of US$ 5M and will be implemented through three main components: namely; Risk Management and Climate Financing; Infrastructure Investments and Sustainable Asset Management for Climate Resilience; and Adaptive Climate Services for Resilience Communities. It will be implemented through a Project Implementation Manual and coordinated by Project Implementation Unit (PMU).

The project serves as a first step towards a regional platform to tackle climate adaptation through a common and coordinated approach, including on fund raising and consolidating multilateral and bilateral support - which is critical to ensure alignment, development, and scaled-up financing of critical adaptive interventions.

It will contribute to improved disaster risk management in support of regional resilience and the strengthening of climate change, adaptation and mitigation, under the cross-cutting issues of the SADC Vision 2050, as well as contribute towards the achievement of the aspirations of SADC as spelt out in the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030

The Secretariat is also implementing the Regional Statistics Project that was signed in June 2023 with a duration up to October 2028 in the order of $10.0 million. The project seeks to modernize beneficiaries’ data ecosystems by addressing gaps in data production and use and it will enhance the production, dissemination, and use of harmonized high-quality statistics. As such, the Project’s Development Objective (PDO) is to strengthen the institutional capacity of SADC and participating countries to produce, disseminate and use quality statistics while increasing regional harmonization and collaboration.

The project is being implemented through the following components:

• Improving capacity for data production, management, and dissemination.

• Improve access and usage of regional statistics.

• Project Management.

Through the proceeds of these Projects, THE SADC SECRETARIATE INTENDS TO HIRE A SUITABLY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE REGIONAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE (RCRP) AND THE STATISTICS PROJECTS.

The SADC Secretariat therefore invites applications from suitably qualified individuals for THE POSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE RCRP AND STATISTICS PROJECTS.

Title : CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FOR THE SADC REGIONAL RESILIENCE PROJECT AND STATISTICS PROJECT (1 Position)

Time Commitment : 100%

Accountable : Project Coordinator, Regional Climate Resilience Project and Statistics Project

Duration of Assignment: 2 years

• The Objectives of the Assignment

1.1 Overall objective

The overall objective of this assignment is to support the work of the Project teams, as well as offer logistics and other support functions in the implementation of the relevant project activities.

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• Specific objectives

The specific objectives of the assignment are to support all administrative duties of the Regional Climate Resilience and Statistics projects including to:

• effectively undertake relevant SADC internal processes, procedures and information systems pertaining to administration, logistics, finance and administration to ensure effective delivery of projects activities;

• Work closely with the Procurement and the Assistant Finance Officers of the projects to ensure payments to service providers are done as per financial procedures;

• Ensure administrative and logistics arrangements are in place prior to activities and ensure services are effectively delivered during specific activities requiring travel and events management;

• Keep track of and register incoming mails, prepare responses and facilitate signatures and dispatch of documents to the SADC Management and Member States;

1.3 Expected results

The Project Coordinator is expected to ensure achievement of the following results:

• Draft letters, note verbals and documents and records for meetings are produced in a coherent and synthesized way, as and when required, submitted for approval and circulated upon clearance;

• translation of documents, both technical and administrative for circulation to Member States as per set deadlines are facilitated;

• applications for residence permits for staff and project teams are facilitated and followed up in liaison with SADC Admin and in line with SADC procedures and guidelines;

• visa applications are facilitated for all those involved in project implementation (project affected parties);

• SADC internal processes, procedures and information systems pertaining to logistics, finance and administration are effectively used to support delivery on project activities;

• Relevant payments are followed up with the Assistant Finance Officers of the projects to ensure payments to service providers are done timeously and as per financial procedures;

• Documents filing and referencing systems are executed in conformity with the SADC filing system;

• incoming mail, correspondences and communications are followed up and acted upon;

• draft responses to correspondences for consideration are drafted and sent in a timely manner by the Project Coordinators;

• records, mail and documents submitted for signature and/or information to the SADC Management are facilitated;

• relevant documents are collated as may be requested and filed;

• scheduling and arrangements for meetings including conference room bookings are facilitated;

• stock levels of stationery and others relevant supplies for the projects are updated and maintained;

• visitors are welcomed to the office, and directed to the relevant staff/meeting rooms as appropriate;

• names, addresses and telephone numbers of relevant RCRP and Statistics project contacts are maintained updated and circulate amongst all projects staff;

• travel arrangements for the projects implementation are facilitated by assisting in preparing all travel arrangements as per set deadlines;

• administrative and logistics arrangements are in place prior to activities and ensure services are effectively delivered during specific activities requiring travel and events management;

• project audits and communication related activities are supported; and

• any other tasks allocated by the Project Coordinators as well as the Heads of DRR and SPO Statistics are undertaken.

• QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

This assignment is expected to be carried out by an individual consultant expert. The specific profile is provided below.

2.1 Qualifications and Skills

Minimum Diploma Secretarial services or Administration.

2.2 General Professional Experience

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in a similar position either in a Governmental and/or Private Sector institution;

• Demonstrated experience in planning and implementation of events including travel coordination;

• Previous experience in a regional/continental/international organization is an advantage;

• High proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

2.3 Specific Professional Experience

⦁ Communication and presentation skills

⦁ Interpersonal skills

⦁ Networking and relationship building

⦁ Organisational skills (planning, work prioritisation, time management)

⦁ Problem-solving skills

⦁ Capable of maintaining quality whilst working under pressure and adhering to deadlines

⦁ Organisational awareness with an understanding of how to engage the organisation to get things done

⦁ Professionalism and adherence to good work ethics

⦁ Resilience and personal drive, self-motivation

⦁ Results and performance driven

• Duration of the assignment

The contractual period for the position of this project shall be 2 years, renewable subject to satisfactory performance.

• Facilities to be provided by the Client

The SADC Secretariat through the Projects will provide office space and office equipment to facilitate the project’s work.

• Location of Employment

The assignment will will be based at the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana, and will involve traveling to facilitate project activities.

• The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” dated September 2023 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.

• A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant Selection Method set out in the Procurement Regulations.

• Mode of Application

Submit an updated detailed curriculum vitae (CVs) and copies of professional certificates to the Secretariat through Friday 21st February 2025 on or before 23:59 hours, Botswana local time, to the link below. No public opening will be held.

SADC Collab link: https://collab.sadc.int/s/9SXSbB9TxwZJFDB

Kindly note that only highly technically scored b