Uganda: Operations Assistant

Operations Assistant

Gulu, Uganda

Palladium develops and delivers solutions that create positive impact for communities, businesses, societies and economies. We transform lives and create enduring value by working with governments, corporations and non-profit organisations. Palladium is built on the idea that progress will be supported by four key pillars:

• International Development


• Strategy Execution Consulting


• Impact Investment


• Training and Events

We create positive impact through more than 100 current projects with more than 2000 employees operating in over 90 countries.

Background

NU-TEC MD is a five year DFID funded programme that aims to increase the incomes and climate resilience of poor men and women in northern Uganda (NU) by (a) stimulating sustainable, pro-poor growth interventions in selected agricultural markets and (b) improving the position of poor men and women within these market systems, to make them more inclusive for poor people. Palladium manages the programme on behalf of DFID.

Primary Responsibilities

• Contribute to the preparation and maintenance of project specific components of the project operations manual;


• Participate in the development and maintenance of project work plans;


• Ensure project issues and risks are logged, monitored, reported on, managed and mitigated, and escalate risks and issues to corporate/project leadership, as required;


• In collaboration with Internal Audit/Systems Review, conduct periodic compliance checks on processes and internal controls;


• Support the monitoring and maintenance of compliance with head/prime contracts;


• Liaise with and respond to requests from clients;


• Provide regular or ad hoc reports to the clients;


• Support project advocacy with internal and external stakeholders;


• In collaboration with Finance establish project account codes, ensuring they are fit for purpose and meet client’s and project’s requirements for cost allocation, monitoring and evaluation, and value for money (VFM) reporting;


• Ensure the project financial calendar is adhered to;


• Monitor expenditure against budgets and forecasts, including staff costs, operating expenses and procurements;


• Assist with project financial / cash-flow planning, process funding requests from the field, and process monthly Funds Transfer Requests (FTRs);


• Review cashbooks / field vouchers and ensure supporting documentation is complete;


• Support the planning and coordination of inputs from the company?s Security, Risk and Internal Audit/System Review teams;


• Reconcile and report expense advances monthly;


• Coordinate input and support from HR for recruitment and contracting;


• Maintain project data on relevant HR systems for short-term and long-term staff and consultants;


• Support the mobilisation and demobilisation of all international staff (short-term and long-term) including contracting, travel management, payments and induction;


• Support development of project subcontractor / grant management procedures compliant with the company’s SOPs and Guidelines and client’s rules and regulations;


• Review and ensure quality of field procurement; ensuring compliance with company anti-corruption and due diligence processes;


• Coordinate the processing of service provider work orders and invoices;


• Monitor and report monthly on the status of partner budgets/invoicing and grants;


• Ensure asset management procedures are undertaken and conduct spot checks.

Essential Education and Experience Required:

• A relevant Bachelor’s degree;


• A minimum of 2 years relevant work experience;


• Project management of administrative support experience with DFID, DFAT, USAID or other donor client(s);


• Experience in a developing country or similar environment (east Africa experience strongly preferred);


• Experience in inclusive development, including gender issues within an understanding of market systems development (desired);


• Experience in inclusive development, including gender issues within an understanding of market systems development (desired);


• English language skills. The ability to also speak Swahili is desired, but not essential.

Key Competencies Required:

• Understanding of Project Management;


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;


• Financial acumen and the ability to interpret and analyse financial reports;


• Sound problem solving and decision making skills.