Team Assistant

Duration: 12 months – renewal dependant on availability of funds and performance Worktime: 100% Reports to: Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Languages: Fluent and written English and Spanish

About ACT Alliance ACT Alliance is the world’s largest coalition of Protestant and Orthodox churches and church-related organisations engaged in humanitarian, development and advocacy work. It consists of 144 members working together in over 120 countries, with headquarters in 73 countries, whose aim is to create a positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards. 64% of our members are headquartered in the Global South, 30% in the Global North, and 6% are Global members. For more details about the general work of ACT, please refer to http://www.actalliance.org/.

The ACT Alliance Regional Representation Office of the ACT Secretariat in Bogota covers the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. It is looking for a dynamic team player who can support the work with the forums as well as programmatic areas of ACT Alliance. The Team Assistant will also dedicate an important percentage of his/her time to administrative tasks. We encourage dynamic candidates ready to work in a fast-paced environment, with both administrative and programmatic experience, to apply. The Team Assistant will be based in the ACT Secretariat’s Regional Representation Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (Lac) in Bogota and report to the Regional Representative for LAC.

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative

• Provide general administrative support to the LAC Secretariat team and liaise with Diakonia whenever necessary.
• Work with the Regional Representative, Humanitarian Programme Officer and other secretariat staff on administrative, programme arrangements to organize meetings/consultations in the LAC region, as well as taking notes during meetings.
• Support the Regional office to keep member, forum and other relevant databases and files organised and updated.
• Organize events in the region, including finding venues, requesting quotations, organizing logistics, etc.
• Organize travel and events with internal staff and external stakeholders, developing detailed itineraries, and managing logistics related to the travel schedule/events, including agenda scope and briefing materials.
• Any other duties as assigned by the Regional Representative.

Programmatic

• Support the implementation of ACT programmes in the LAC Secretariat. Programmes include Gender Justice; Climate Justice; Emergency Preparedness and Humanitarian response; Migration & Displacement, and Peace and Human Security. Provide effective support for the organization, implementation, reporting, coordination and communication efforts of programme activities.
• Liaise with Forum Convenors and Coordinators and support the work of national forums.
• Support ACT CoP (Community of Practice) activities. Be a focal point on issues related to the following CoPs: Gender, Youth and Psychosocial Support in Emergencies (APV).
• Support the ACT advocacy team on advocacy initiatives, including drafting communications material or reports in the LAC region.
• Contribute to building the ACT brand visibility and manage the organisation’s reputation both at the secretariat and member level,
• Organize collective training sessions and webinars liaising with guest speakers and forums.
• Liaise with the ACT Secretariat communications team, supporting and ensuring excellence in communications.

Qualifications, skills and experience

1. Relevant academic degree with relevant work experience in the humanitarian/development/advocacy sectors, preferably in Latin America and the Caribbean
2. Experience in office administration required.
3. At least 2 years of documented experience working with development or humanitarian projects financed by International Cooperation preferred.
4. Work experience in faith-based, human rights or non-profit organizations required.
5. Solid skills and knowledge in project planning and management is an added advantage. Familiarity with applications, narrative and reports for donors is an added advantage.
6. Knowledge of issues relevant to the mandate of ACT Alliance, including a good understanding of the ecumenical context and relevance of churches and faith-based actors in emergency response, long-term development and advocacy.
7. Highly developed interpersonal and communications skills.
8. Ability to work under pressure in a networked working environment.
9. Fluency in English and Spanish language, with demonstrated written skills. Working knowledge of other languages, particularly French or Portuguese an asset.

Competencies and Behaviours

• Readiness and commitment to work in not only programmatic but administrative tasks and remain focused and motivated.
• Ability to cope with multiple requests and to work well in fast-paced environments.
• Commitment to the values of the ACT Alliance and pride in delivering on agreed priorities according to the highest standards, individually and as part of a global team.
• Impeccable communications and diplomacy skills.
• Interest to be part of a team and be a team player, as well as contribute to a healthy work environment.
• Proactively finds innovative and creative solutions, is efficient and reliable, adapts to change and uncertainty, is decisive and acts with integrity.
• Builds effective internal and external relationships, involves others when solving problems and treats others with consideration and respect in an alliance where faith is a key ingredient in people’s lives.
• Responsible time management.
• Availability to travel