POSITION ADVERTISEMENT
OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FOR WEST AFRICA (OSIWA)
Administration and Finance Assistant
The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) is an advocacy and grant making foundation that forms
part of the global Open Society Foundations Network. OSIWA is based in Dakar, Senegal and works to
support the creation of open societies in West Africa marked by functioning democracy, good governance, rule
of law, basic freedoms, and widespread civic participation. It has offices in Abuja, Monrovia, Freetown and
Conakry.
OSIWA is seeking to recruit a suitable candidate for the position of Administration and Finance Assistant (AFA)
who will be responsible for assisting the Country Officer in the management of the administration and also
support the Finance & Admin Coordinator on financial matters at OSIWA Liberia in full compliance with local
legislation and regulations and OSF rules and standards. .
Responsibilities
a) Overall administrative tasks:
 Support, coordinate and advise on all office related administrative procedures
 Respond to general correspondence and general queries to OSIWA Liberia. Answer the
telephone, transfer calls to staff and take messages on behalf of staff
 Establish and maintain a comprehensive filing system for all administrative related issues
 Manage the procurement process for office supplies. This involves overseeing the whole
process of vendor selection, purchasing, delivery and payments and ensuring procurements
fall within the approved budget and authorization limits
 Pay official bills on behalf of the office and buy office provisions as requested
 Oversee the management and maintenance of all office equipment and maintain a conducive
physical work environment
 Support office staff with visa applications and other travel related administrative procedures
 Prepare monthly reports to the Finance & Administrative Coordinator on administrative
progress, challenges identified and proposed solutions.
 Receive all visitors to OSIWA office in a welcoming and polite manner
 Assist with the organization of meetings, workshops and other events for OSIWA Liberia
 Schedule meetings and other appointments for the Country Officer and the Finance and
Administration Coordinator
 Organize, maintain and keep track of general staff meetings by taking the minutes of such
meetings, by preparing meeting venue, filing minutes of the meetings, organize refreshments
for the meetings, preparing meeting materials and circulating the minutes of meetings
amongst staff
 Responsible for store management, asset management, inventory control, generator
maintenance and other daily routine administrative tasks including office security and
cleaning.
 Arrange hotel accommodation, tickets, visas, airport pickups and drop offs for both guests of
OSIWA and Administrative staff of OSIWA
 Assist all new staff in the Liberia office on their arrival with finding accommodation and other
necessary logistical and administrative procedures
 Provide orientations for the new staff on administrative procedures
 Liaising with courier services provider for external mail distribution/dispatch
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Providing support to the Finance & Admin Coordinator to ensure all activities are
undertaken in accordance with OSIWA Financial and Administrative Procedures (FAAP)
and local regulations
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Provide support in Reviewing all invoices for accuracy prior to submitting them for approval to
the Country Officer
Manage petty cash and petty cash records under the supervision of the Finance & Admin
Coordinator
Support in raising payments and post transactions on GMS (Grant Management System) as
requested by the Finance & Admin Coordinator
Maintain the asset, cash and loan register for OSIWA Liberia.
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Manage the office’s IT systems and IT related enquiries
 Ensure that all staff have functional computers and the necessary office equipment to work
(e.g. printers and internet are functioning properly).
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Ensure that office Admin budgets are prepared on time and submitted to Finance & Admin
Coordinator
 Review staffing, equipment and supply needs based upon recent trends and planned
activities and coordinate the preparation of the administration department annual and
quarterly budget
 Ensure that budgetary submission deadlines are met
 Manage the Office General Administration budget on GMS, report on all discrepancies
and ensure that the budget resources are maximized, and that modifications are
approved on a timely basis
b) Overall Program-related tasks
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Provide administrative support to program-related activities, including but not limited to:
 Assist program staff in the elaboration of their administrative budgets for operational
projects and provide them with other financial assistance and advice as necessary
 Assist with the organization of meetings, workshops and other events for OSIWA Liberia
 Attend program-related meetings and take notes for reports drafting.
c) Perform all other tasks as may be required by the Country Officer
1) Required competencies:
Technical skills:
 Fluency in English
 Computer skills including the ability to operate spreadsheets and word processing programs at a highly
proficient level
 Proficiency or basic knowledge of Admin or accounting software
Knowledge:
 Accounting
 Administrative procedures
 An understanding of Liberia’s relevant legislation, policies and procedures
Professional skills:
 A self-starter, able to take initiative and work under minimal supervision
 Ability to work in a team
 Problem solving and analytical skills
 Communication and interpersonal skills
 Time management
Expected behavioral attributes:
 Compliance with standards of conduct
 Cultural awareness and sensitivity
 Flexibility
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Sound work ethics
Consistency and fairness
2) Desired work experience:
At least three years previous work experience in a finance and administration position with an international
NGO or organization that operates in similar sectors to OSIWA (governance, justice, human rights) or Local
NGO.
3) Minimum academic qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in business administration or social sciences (with a financial focus)
Salary: Commensurate with experience with full benefits.
Start Date: As soon as possible
Location: Monrovia, Liberia
To Apply: send resume (in English), cover letter, brief writing sample and salary requirements, to:
[email protected]
Deadline for application: May 31, 2015
Include job code in subject line: AFA - LIBERIA - OSIWA
Early submissions and female applications are strongly encouraged
Note: Due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted by OSIWA.
No phone calls, please. The Open Society Foundations are an Equal Opportunity Employer.