Office Assistant

Office Assistant

Job #: req32456

Organization: World Bank

Sector: General Services

Grade: GA

Term Duration: 3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type: Local Recruitment

Location: Pretoria, South Africa

Required Language(s): English

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date: 4/8/2025 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org.

The World Bank is looking to appoint an Office Assistant who will be innovative and capable of navigating the shortest path through the Bank's internal processes. Delivery of quality work requires high caliber staff, striking the right balance between technical excellence, country knowledge, and client focus. This position is critical to the overall performance of the Bank at the South Africa duty location.

Note: If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2-year term appointment.

Purpose and Scope of the Position

The Office Assistant will be based in the Pretoria Country Office (CO) and will form part of the Administrative team. The Administrative business lines include:

1. Interacting with the Resource Management (RM), Corporate Real Estate (GSDCR), Corporate Security (GSDCS), Health Services Dept HSD, IT, Administration and Client Support (ACS), Human Resources (HRS) and management teams, and a wide spectrum of sector staff and the external business community.
2. Management of Administrative Procurement contracts and processes.
3. Events Management and Visiting Missions.
4. Liaising with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation on visa and accreditation requirements.
5. Manage Office transportation policy and use of Bank-owned vehicles.

The selected candidate will work under the general supervision of the Operations Manager, with the day-to-day supervision of the Administrative Officer, and may take on other tasks and responsibilities as needed at the direction of the supervisor.

Duties and Accountabilities

Administrative Tasks

1. Handle the reception desk and perform basic office functions such as welcoming visitors, guiding and providing appropriate information, and answering the telephone.
2. Manage office stationery, assist with photocopying, and serve as point of contact for receiving pouch and courier by registering incoming and outgoing mails.
3. Handle the physical custody of the office supplies.
4. Arrange meetings, and take minutes, memos, letters of the quarterly business review meetings with vendors.
5. Archive documents as per WBG policies and procedures, including disposal and incineration.
6. Register non-Purchase Order (PO) vendors and create Country Office Administrative PO's.
7. Provide administrative support for major high-level events/activities, including ensuring that timely and accurate information is provided to visiting staff and WB-sponsored official visitors.
8. Maintain log of vendor service issues from internal clients and follow through in finding a timely resolution.
9. Provide support in ensuring operation of building equipment by coordinating preventive and curative maintenance requirements - calling for repairs.
10. Maintain/update regularly a database of CO contact list and a CO Directory list, including Ministries, UN agencies, hospitals, hotels, embassies etc., and arrange for its distribution at regular intervals.
11. Back-up other team members in routine office functions as required.
12. In consultation with the Front Office, provide general World Bank information and respond to routine inquiries or complaints from clients and members of the public as directed by management.
13. Manage the board room schedule, including scheduling of videoconferences and advising teams on availability of meeting rooms.
14. Coordinate with the Hospitality team in ensuring the office board rooms are prepared ahead of the meeting.
15. Contribute to the activities of the Administrative Procurement Committee (APC) for the Pretoria duty location.
16. Participate in ensuring that established procedures for all fire, life safety and security programs are followed for periodic inspections and staff emergency drills.
17. Identify and resolve diverse administrative issues as they arise, which often require interpretation of existing procedures and processes and independently determine appropriate applications and/or in consultation with the appropriate team members.
18. Provide support on the day-to-day operations of the outsourced administrative services for the office, including regular and periodical needs for housekeeping services i.e. office cleaning, supply of office newspapers, drinking water and office coffee and tea services.
19. Help with visa applications, and write out welcome letters.
20. Assist in the distribution and return of security cards to visiting missions for entrance and exit to the Country Office.

Transport Coordinator

1. Assist in coordinating staff's daily travel and field mission transport schedule, and provide timely updates on the transport schedule.
2. Book appointments for the maintenance of the office vehicles.
3. Assist with keeping an accurate and up-to-date record on the office vehicle logbooks.
4. Keep a detailed record of the expenditure related to the office vehicle, such as fuel and maintenance costs.
5. Verify the final invoices from shuttle companies before submitting for payment.
6. Coordinate quarterly meetings with the shuttle companies, which is essential for discussing the Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Selection Criteria

1. National Diploma/ Degree in Business Administration, Secretariat or equivalent combination of relevant experience and education.
2. Three (3) years relevant work experience in a large international organization or a large national or multinational corporation.
3. Ability to acquire/apply working knowledge of basic financial/accounting systems.
4. Knowledge of general software applications, e.g. SAP, Lotus Notes, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
5. Proficient to effectively communicate in English (verbal and written).
6. Thorough knowledge and understanding of the World Bank, its policies and procedures; and of development issues in general.
7. Ability to manage various tasks, deal with rapidly shifting priorities, provide support to staff and deliver against competing timelines.
8. Capacity to work simultaneously, effectively and efficiently on a variety of diverse issues and tasks, independently adjusting priorities and achieving results with agreed objectives and deadlines.
9. Capacity to deal sensitively in a multi-cultural environment and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues at all levels.
10. Committed team player with demonstrated ability to effectively work in a collaborative fashion across organizational boundaries.
11. Understanding of information systems and ability to identify and apply technology to enhance efficiency.
12. Travel is expected and mobility is required.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC, including our values and inspiring stories.