Program Assistant at World Bank

Responsibilities and Duties
The Program Assistant will provide a wide range of administrative, logistical, and operational support to the World Bank Nigeria Country Office.  Her/his duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to:

Operational and administrative support:

• Provide hands on support to Program Leaders/Task Team Leaders on all stages of preparation and implementation of World Bank projects and activities according to Bank procedures.
• Provide comprehensive administrative support to task teams, coordinate workflow and events and act as point of contact and arrange logistics for workshops and conferences.
• Monitor work program and update milestones. 
• Process and follow-up on consultant contracts, travel arrangements, draft terms of reference, single source justification.
• Assist in Preparing and compiling missions Aide Memoires and ISRs.
• Use desktop processing skills to produce complex texts, reports, presentations, charts, figures, graphs, etc., according to Bank format and distribution.
• Collect and input data provided by Task Team Leaders into the central database, including processing new project status reports.
• Keep abreast of the Organization’s directives and ensure effective processing of all project documents.
• Draft routine correspondence (standard letters, memos, emails, etc.) conforming to the Organization’s regional standards, using proper grammar, punctuation, and style, and proofread materials.
• Draft minutes of meetings and help in editing large documents.
• Maintain up-to-date divisional project files (both paper and electronic) and retrieve data from various sources and compile these for use by the Country Director and/or the Country Management Unit (CMU).
• Incorporate agreed comments into documents, making full use of shared drives and software capabilities. 

Information Management and Client interaction:

• Answer internal and external queries on the assigned portfolio or, as necessary, take accurate and comprehensive telephone messages, and route them to appropriate persons to handle. 
• Maintain current distribution lists, phone/address lists of project/product contacts, and distribute documents for the team.
• Co-ordinate with service units and liaise frequently with team members both in Washington and in the Country Office. 
• Track and report on appropriate aspects of the Team’s operational activities

Time management & Logistic planning:

• Arrange working schedule and meeting with counterparts for the visiting teams.
• Co-ordinate time management and schedules, taking current and future priorities into account, anticipate and monitor changes, and communicate the information. 
• Track assigned tasks/project steps/ timetables using modern office management technologies, coordinate with relevant staff, provide assistance and/or information on project-related matters. Advise teams of approaching due dates under the portfolio and ASA activities. 
• Solve non-routine problems creatively and resourcefully and assist in preparation and logistical planning for various events, e.g., conferences, workshops, negotiations, board presentation and signing, etc.

Other duties:

• Act as a pre-signature filter for administrative documents, mainly correspondence, to ensure that they comply with administrative writing standards in terms of both form and content.
• As a member of the ACS Team in the Office, serve as a back-up to other staff and Task Program Assistants on project and administrative tasks.
• Occasionally perform Analytical tasks as may be requested by the Team Leader
• Perform other tasks as requested by the Supervisor.

Selection Criteria

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree and at least 5 years of relevant working experience in related field with public administrations, international development institutions, private sector organization, or other donor organizations.
• Good communication skills, positive and professional client service attitude.
• Previous experience with a public administration or multilateral/bilateral organization is an advantage.
• Proven administrative writing skills in English language, including correspondence with high-ranking public authorities.
• Fluency in English is a must.

Required Competencies:

• Technology and systems knowledge – Demonstrate advanced knowledge and experience working with Microsoft office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, etc.).
• Project and task management - highly organized with good project management practice, problem-solving, analytical skills and ability to work competently with minimal supervision. Demonstrate attention to detail and quality. Has ability to manage multiple tasks and complete tasks within agreed schedule.  
• Institutional policies, processes, and procedures - Demonstrate knowledge of own department’s programs and products, know key players, understand own role. Display understanding of WB policies and procedures relevant to the area of assigned responsibilities and can apply/ implement them.  
• Versatility and adaptability - Demonstrate flexibility and is receptive to the implementation of new solutions. Is willing to stretch own capability. Demonstrate motivation to avail and adapt oneself to effecting change.  
• Client Orientation- Exhibit good communication skills, positive and professional client service attitude; can understand clients’ needs and complete them professionally.  
• Learning, knowledge sharing and communication - Good English language skills (verbal and written) Able to write clearly, edit and proofread draft communications. Able to learn and share knowledge/information across the unit.  
• Business judgment and analytical decision making - Able to manage information and support retention and disposition of information and records. Can search, report, and deliver basic information from various sources and independently respond to basic inquiries.
• Ability to thrive and function effectively in a dynamic environment under tight deadlines, while working on multiple projects.
• Drive for Results - Able to take personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results and has the personal organization to do so.
• Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion - Collaborate with other team members and contributes productively to the team’s work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.