Administrative and Technical Support Assistant

About Palladium

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 3,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.

Project Overview and Role

The goal of the USAID Enterprises, Employment, and Enabling Environments (E4) Activity is to increase employment and jobs through increased private productivity and competitiveness. The theory of change is: “For the number of jobs to increase, businesses must grow; and for businesses to grow, constraints preventing growth must be removed.” Following this logic, Palladium will focus on removing obstacles to growth at the firm level and will work to develop skills identified by employers or develop entrepreneurial expertise. Additionally, Palladium will work to address legal and regulatory constraints if they are determined to be significant inhibitors of firm growth. These efforts will result in the creation of new firms and jobs and the growth of existing firms.

Work performed under the E4 IDIQ is divided into three components:

• Component 1: Enterprises – Fostering Competitive Industries
• Component 2: Employment – Developing a Capable Workforce and Entrepreneurship
• Component 3: Enabling Environments – Creating Conditions for Jobs and Investment

The E4 IDIQ regional office is located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and country offices are located in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

This Opportunity

Over the last four years, Palladium has been successfully implementing the Future Growth Initiative (FGI) Task Order of the E4 Activity in all five Central Asian countries. This task order works to increase the competitiveness of high-growth industries to provide jobs and incomes for Central Asia’s growing workforce, propelling the region toward self-reliance. FGI is transforming market systems in ways that help high-potential firms and sectors grow, fostering market linkages to match the demand for workforce skills with training offered to youth and women, linking entrepreneurs to high-growth markets, and building more business- and worker-friendly policy environments and institutions to sustain private sector-driven growth.

The program has recently been extended until 2026 through the awarding of the FGI 2.0 Task Order. By building on FGI’s success and lessons learned, FGI 2.0 will work to increase the competitiveness of high-growth industries through a market systems approach that incentivizes private and public sector behavior change. The new task order will facilitate the regionalization of business advisory and enabling environment ecosystems, harmonize policies and regulations, foster trade and market linkages, and align the skills of women, youth, and vulnerable populations with private sector needs.

FGI 2.0 will take a partnerships-based approach, facilitating firm-level assistance, industry association capacity building, and regulatory reform under:

• Objective 1: Drive national-level, private sector-led economic growth and inclusivity in the five Central Asian Republics (CARs).
• Objective 2: Support competitiveness and job creation in each country, serving as the foundation for regional growth and integration.
• FGI 2.0 will also facilitate domestic and regional public private dialogue (PPD), policy reform and harmonization, and investment attraction efforts to support Central Asia’s integration into the global economy of the future.

Palladium seeks an Administrative and Technical Support Assistant for the FGI and FGI 2.0 Task Orders under the USAID E4 Activity. The Assistant will be responsible for providing operational and administrative assistance to the technical and operational staff, performing a variety of administrative, coordination, communication, procurement, and logistical services in support of project activities.

Location

This position will be located in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Reporting and Supervision

The Assistant will work in close cooperation with the Manager of Finance, Grants, and Administration and the Finance and Administration Support Specialist. The Assistant will report directly to the Manager of Finance, Grants, and Administration, the Kazakhstan Country Manager, and the Chief of Party (COP).

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative support:

• Manage office operations, including arrangement of cleaning services, procurement of office supplies, and communication on office-space related concerns such as the negotiation of lease agreements and associated amendments, business center requirements, procedures, etc.
• Update and maintain inventory in the Asset Registry; issue and distribute property in accordance with policy and procedures set forth by Palladium.
• Assist with HR related duties.
• Manage consultant agreements, performance appraisals, and paperwork on benefits and allowances for staff.
• Coordinate the procurement processes for administrative and technical staff in compliance with company rules and policies.
• Assist in drafting solicitations and technical specifications to ensure completeness, accuracy, and competitive qualities. Generate bid matrices and verify procurement paperwork in compliance with company rules and policies.
• Communicate with the Public Service Center, Migration Police, Tax Authority, and other agencies upon demand.
• Coordinate submission and exchanges on required paperwork with the respective authorities.
• Maintain an efficient filing system (electronic/hardcopy).
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Kazakhstan Country Manager and the Manager of Finance, Grants, and Administration.

Program Support:

• Coordinate project events in accordance with organizational procedures.
• Provide support and assistance to the technical staff with any work-related meetings in the office, online, or other locations.
• Assist other team members in preparing and formatting documents, including activity reports and PowerPoint presentations.
• Assist with the distribution of project documents, invitations, and other deliverables as requested by the technical team.
• Provide additional program support as assigned by the Kazakhstan Country Manager and Manager of Finance, Grants, and Administration.

Technical Support:

• Organize and manage Zoom and Microsoft Teams meetings and webinars.
• Create polls and surveys using Google Forms, SurveyMonkey, etc.

Travel Management:

• Assist in arranging travel accommodations for staff. Contact hotels and collect rates.
• Regularly maintain a record of travel plans and budgets to provide accurate overviews of the project’s travel arrangements and budget, which includes liaising with staff for input.
• Coordinate visas/work permits, when necessary.
• Coordinate transportation and logistics for staff.

Key Competencies Required

• Bachelor’s degree in management, economics, or another related field.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to multitask.
• Demonstrated understanding of project implementation support and assistance.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Advanced software skills, including in Microsoft Office, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.
• Basic skills operating office equipment.
• Ability to be flexible, respond to emerging opportunities, and overcome barriers.
• Ability to work in an ambiguous and rapidly evolving environment.
• Resident of Kazakhstan.
• Proficient in English.
• Fluent in Russian.

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred

• Experience implementing USAID projects.

Application Deadline

This application will close on September 11, 2023.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.