Senior Officer- Project administration & Coordination

ICRISAT is seeking a highly motivated and organized individual to join our team as an Senior Officer for Agriculture Research Projects. The successful candidate will provide administrative support to the research projects, coordinate with partners, stakeholders, and internal departments, and assist in project deliverables. The incumbent will be based at Hyderabad or Delhi location.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.

ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit – www.icrisat.org

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following tasks:

§  Coordinate and liaise with partners, stakeholders, and internal teams to ensure effective communication and collaboration

§  Assist in organizing and coordinating trainings, workshops, and meetings related to agriculture research projects

§  Manage travel arrangements, including booking flights, accommodations, and transportation for project staff and visitors

§  Provide logistical support for field visits and data collection activities, including arranging equipment, supplies, and permits

§  Assist in administrative tasks related to project deliverables, such as preparing reports, presentations, and documentation

§  Coordinate with the finance department to ensure timely processing of project-related expenses and invoices

§  Organise project meetings, workshops and other events related to the projects

§  Coordinate with the HR department for recruitment processes, including job postings, scheduling interviews, and onboarding new staff

§  Support corporate services, such as maintaining project files, databases, and records

§  Assist in organizing and maintaining project documentation, including contracts, agreements, and compliance records

Essential Qualification

The ideal candidate for this position should possess the following qualifications and skills:

·        Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, business administration, or any related field

·        Proven experience of 10 years in providing administrative support in a research or project-based environment

·        Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

·        Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively liaise with partners, stakeholders, and internal teams

·        Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment

·        Knowledge of agriculture research projects and familiarity with related terminology is preferred

·        Experience in coordinating travel arrangements and logistics is an advantage

·         Ability to work independently and as part of a team

General:

This is a contractual role for a period of 36 months (3 years).

How to apply:

Applicants should apply on or before 18 September 2023, with their latest Resume, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer