Assistant, Governance

**This vacancy is intended to fill a vacant position in the CGIAR System Organization.**
- Grade_: Grade 1 (The position is graded in accordance with the CGIAR System Organization staff salary and grading structure, under which jobs may be graded between grades 1 to 9, with grade 9 being the highest).
- Date Published_: 18 August 2023
- Closing Date for Applications_**:Monday, 17 September 2023 at 09h00 CET**

**About CGIAR***:
CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. CGIAR science is dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. Its research is conducted in close collaboration with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations, and the private sector.

**About the CGIAR System Organization**:
Established in 2012, the CGIAR System Organization (“System Organization”) provides governance to the CGIAR System in collaboration with the System Council and has about 60+ staff. The System Organization is committed to cultivating a work environment that reflects teamwork, gender equality, and respect for diversity.

It is a truly exciting time to be joining the System Organization as CGIAR undertakes a transformation into a more integrated “One CGIAR” that will allow us to achieve a more significant impact with our research. One CGIAR is a dynamic reformulation of CGIAR’s partnerships, knowledge, assets, and global presence in key areas where innovation is needed to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It focuses on collaborating more closely to enable us to deploy scientific innovations faster, on a larger scale, and at a reduced cost so that they can have a more significant impact where they are needed the most. The transition to One CGIAR will have profound implications on how CGIAR and its constituent parts are structured and operate: with unified governance, an integrated structure, a new research modality, and more pooled funding, One CGIAR will be better positioned to achieve its mission.

**Job Summary**:
Under the overall supervision of the Director, Governance and Risk, the Assistant provides high-quality and proactive support services to facilitate the operations of the Legal, Governance and Risk Team and CGIAR governance operations in general, in a wide range of administrative and other support duties of a highly responsible and sometimes confidential nature.

Key elements of this role include supporting travel, meetings, information management, assisting with the management of consultancy contracts, budgetary matters and internal procurement processes to guarantee smooth flow and effectiveness of operations.

This role requires a dependable and well-organized team-player with excellent time management skills, exceptional attention to detail; strong interpersonal skills; and the ability to maintain confidentiality and multi-task in a fast-paced environment for ensuring proactive administrative, operational and procedural support that is consistent with CGIAR’s applicable standards and practices.

**Specific Responsibilities**:
**I. Communication and liaison**
- Schedule unit meetings and teleconferences, in-person and virtual; provide meeting logístical management; collect and distribute advance background materials.
- Follow up on incoming communications, including those of a sensitive or in-confidence nature, and determine the appropriate course of action.
- Provide logistics support for in-person and virtual governance meetings and events, working closely with the Meetings & Events Coordinator.

**II. Information Management**
- Create surveys, collect and analyze data to prepare documents, and draft, compile, format, edit, and proofread correspondence, presentations, and other documents.
- File, organize, and retrieve documents on online shared systems, ensuring efficient and effective document management and version control and creating and maintaining online shared databases.

**III. Provision of seamless travel services for a broad range of stakeholders**
- Secure cost-efficient travel reservations for members of the unit and governing bodies.
- Timely processing of travel authorizations and travel expense claims.

**IV. Supporting purchasing and other unit activities**
- Process purchase requisitions for goods and services for the unit and serve as a secondary focal point for suppliers.
- Provide support on an ad hoc basis to cover for another assistant's absence to support CGIAR organizational priorities as a whole.
- Perform other administrative duties as assigned.

**Requirements**:

- Education and Experience_

**Required**:

- A higher education qualification (diploma, advanced diploma, or equivalent certification) from an accredited academic institution in office administration, logistics, or another related field.
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a similar role