Project (Admin) Assistant - Federation of Canadian Municipalities

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has signed a contribution agreement with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for a six-year project (2021-2027) entitled Partnerships for Municipal Innovation – Women in Local Leadership (PMI-WILL). PMI-WILL aims to enhance the enjoyment of rights for women and girls, in particular those from marginalized groups, in Benin, Cambodia, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Zambia. The project will use a two-pronged approach to achieve this goal:

• increasing the participation and enhancing the role of women as leaders and decision-makers in local governance
• increasing the effectiveness of local governments in delivering inclusive, gender-responsive municipal services.

FCM will implement the project in collaboration with national Local Government Associations (LGAs) in each country, selected local governments/municipalities and other selected partners, including relevant Ministries, CSOs and women’s rights organizations. FCM will mobilize Canadian municipal practitioners and elected officials from FCM’s membership to provide peer-to-peer technical assistance.

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The project field office is based in Ghana and covers all 5 countries, supported by FCM head office in Ottawa, Canada.

Major Purpose

Reporting to the Finance and Operations Manager but working closely with the Project Specialists for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion and for Local Governance and Ghana team, the Project Assistant is responsible to provide administrative, logistical and organizational support for the PMI-WILL project.

Key Responsibilities

• Organizes logistics for project activities such as meetings, workshops, study tours, local or international missions, information sessions and special activities, in coordination with project staff, partners and host municipalities.
• In collaboration with the Project Admin-Ottawa, coordinates project and partner team meetings, including hiring interpreters, ensuring smooth operation of virtual meeting platforms, recording meetings, sharing agendas and taking meeting minutes.
• Reviews, processes (codes, validates, verifies) and submits invoices, expense claims and cheque requisitions to the Finance department. May be required to track expenditures against budget, collect information and provide input for annual budget planning.
• Coordinates travel arrangements related to the Ghana field office (accommodation, transportation, insurance, advances, etc.) for staff, consultants and municipal partners; advises partners and consultants on FCM and Treasury Board travel policy and procedures; and if pertinent, liaises and coordinates with Ottawa office and partner Local Government Associations (LGAs) to ensure coordination of international travel arrangements.
• Provides administrative support for the project including: drafting, editing and/or proofreading a variety of documents (e.g. agreements, reports); and maintaining electronic copy of project documentation (i.e. travelers’ profile, mission checklists, contact information, copies of passports, insurance forms, biographies, etc.) for effective and efficient retrieval of information.
• Liaises with both PMI-WILL staff and external service providers on matters related to coordinating and following up on translation and production of documents, coordinating and confirming travel arrangements, and scheduling and logistics coordination for meetings and events.
• Supports project management functions (e.g. preparation, monitoring and review of annual plans and budgets, recruitment and selection of municipal practitioners, etc.).
• Provides updates to the team during regular project team meetings.
• Participates in administrative and operations team meetings; may be called upon to provide back-up support for other Project Assistants, as needed.
• Supports the capacity development of partners and staff, if applicable, in matters related to administration, logistics, policy interpretation and implementation of administrative systems and tools, in order to ensure alignment with FCM practices
• Acts as the contact point for administrative and logistics support, including responding to enquiries or transferring them to appropriate parties.

Qualification Required & Experience

Knowledge and Experience

• Legally entitled to work in Accra, Ghana
• First degree or bachelor’s degree in administration, management or other relevant discipline.
• A minimum of 3 years experience in an administrative role or equivalent related education/experience.
• Strong knowledge of administrative practices and processes (e.g. electronic file management, templates and business documents formats).
• Strong knowledge of business support processes and tools, computer business applications (Microsoft Office suite) and virtual meeting platforms (e.g. Teams, Zoom, Whatsapp, etc.)
• Good organizational, interpersonal and communication skills, and a professional attitude in order to coordinate work with various stakeholders and senior level contacts.

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• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and prioritize in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines/turnaround times.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, discretion and tact when dealing with sensitive information.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Experience working in international programs or overseas is an asset.
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Understanding of financial management principles.
• Understanding of donor-funded guidelines and contractual obligations.

Language requirements

Fluency in English and French (oral and written) is essential.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is committed to fostering an organizational culture that embraces equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, where individuals from diverse racial and ethnic identities, nationalities, social economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and physical and mental abilities can thrive and be fully engaged at their best level.

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.

Location: Accra