Administrative Assistant – Women for Change

Job Description

Job Opportunity

Women for Change (WfC) a Gender-focused Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) seeks applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Administrative Assistant (1) for the Women Empowerment Project (WEP) in Chongwe and Rufunsa Districts of Lusaka Province in Zambia. The Administrative Assistant will be expected to work under the supervision of the Field Office Coordinator in implementing the WEP which is supported by Fundación Progresar and funded by The Foundation “Stiftelsen Support for Development”.

Location: Based in Chongwe field office

General objective:

The Administrative Assistant is responsible for maintaining the loan portfolio control of the Chongwe office and providing, administrative and accounting support to the Women’s Empowerment groups in Chongwe and Rufunsa Districts.

The Administrative Assistant provides effective and efficient support to the field office to ensure smooth Project delivery. This includes administrative, logistical, and information management assistance to the Field Office Coordinador and other team members as well as planning and coordinating of team activities (meetings, trainings, travel) as requested by the Field Office Coordinator and include:

• Arranging meetings
• Handling information requests
• Managing the reception
• Preparing reports and correspondence; and
• Liaising with the head office.
• General Administrative and Clerical Tasks
• Provide general administrative and clerical tasks such as answering phones, mailing (both electronic and manual). Filing and document production (photocopying and scanning) arrange logistics for visitors, coordinate meetings.

Support to Field Office Coordinator

• Work closely with the Field Office Coordinator to assist in all aspects of programming, including events, meetings, training materials.
• Monitor office supplies and make procurement requests as necessary
• Collect and sends monthly plans and project reports prepared by the Field office coordinator to the head office. The work plans are based on the quarterly and annual plan of the project.
• Assist Project staff with various activities and other duties assigned by the Field Office Coordinator.
• Participates in certain meetings in women groups to support the process of credit application.
• Supports field officer with preparation of certain material for group meetings
• Supports in credit analysis and request of funds for women groups

Maintain the loan portfolio control in Chongwe office and manage the administration of the women’s groups, including:

• Enter data of new village bank groups in the Loan Portfolio and Village Bank Reports immediately when formed
• Enter groups’ credits into the Loan Portfolio and Village Bank Reports immediately after disbursement
• Upload required documents for each group that has received loans on Google drive and updates information for groups that enter credit cycles 2 and 3.
• Prepare required prefilled documents for each monthly meeting and revise them regularly to ensure that they are correct.
• Verify amounts paid by each woman after monthly meetings and record the individual and group payments in correct excel files.
• Verify deposited group repayments though deposit slips against records and issue receipts to the village bank groups. Scan and send deposit slips and receipts to head office and file the slips in the Chongwe office.
• Weekly update records of amounts paid per group and woman on Google drive, record any defaults and immediately report to the Field Office Coordinator. Calculates weekly the outstanding balance per woman and per group.
• Update the Loan Portfolio and Village Bank Reports (in excel) for each group continously and submitt it monthly to Field Office Coordinator

Any other task assigned by Field Office Coordinator

Procurement

• Estimate and establish cost paremeters and budgets for purchases
• Maintain records of purchases, and other important data.
• Ensure that products and suppliers are of high quality.
• Work with procurement team members at head office and observe separation of roles in procurement.

Support to Finance Department

• Administer and liquidate Petty cash for the Field office.
• Filing of Project finance documents as guided by the Field Office Coordinator
• Monitor fuel consumption for all motor cycles and prepares a monthly Schedule.
• Monitor usage and service of motor cycles log books.
• Undertake purchases approved for coffees, cleaning services and other items that should be purchased locally, approved by the Field Office Coordinator
• Make payments of basic services: i.e. garbage, water, electricity, telephone.
• Deliver funds every Friday for Zambian lunches and other costs approved by the Field office coordinator.
• Support in disbursement to groups
• Pay promoters’ monthly payroll and prepare a report on each payment.
• Follow-up on agreed budgets.
• Maintain fixed assets, office equipment and training materials that are not assigned to specific staff and keep the key to the store room.
• Keep updated responsibility cards of equipment and training materials.
• Conduct a monthly inventory control of assets, furniture, equipment, office supplies, first aid kit and other items in the office store room and assures it is orderly kept.
• Provide staff with approved fixed equipment, office supplies, training materials and first aid kit.
• Develop requisitions for office supplies, training material etc. to the field office coordinator and sends, monitors and receives approved project requisitions to head office.

Minimum Education Qualifications:

• Diploma with specialisation in accounting, business management or secretarial work.

Experience

• At least two years of work experience as Administrative Assistant, Accounting Assistant or Secretary managing petty cash account.
• Experience of managing cash accounts, procurements, writing reports and plans.
• Experience of  working in Excel
• Knowledge of micro finance or saving projects for rural areas is considered an advantage.
• Experience of working with community development projects is an advantage

Other Attributes

• Positive attitude, collaborative, good social skills, willingness and desire to improve the living situation of poor women, willingness to learn and adapt.
• Fluency in the language of communities in the project area and in English.
• Detailed oriented, with a keen sense of numbers and good organisational skills
• Excellent computer skills: Word and Excel.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. WfC is an equal opportunity employer. Women are encouraged to apply. Send your Application and C.V only, by email, to: wfcjobss@gmail.com;   no later than 21st February, 2025.