Business Enabling Environment (BEE) Assistant

Job Description

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 creation of new firms, the growth of existing firms, and new job creation.  

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 

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

This Opportunity:

The Future Growth Initiative (FGI) Task Order will 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 will transform market systems in ways that help high-potential firms and sectors grow, foster market linkages to match demand for workforce skills with training offered to youth and women, link entrepreneurs to high-growth markets, and build more business- and worker-friendly policy environments and institutions to sustain private sector–driven growth.  

Palladium seeks a Business Enabling Environment Component 3 (hereinafter – Comp 3) Assistant for the FGI Task Order under the USAID (E4) Activity. Activities performed under this Task Order cover Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.  

Comp 3 Assistant is responsible for providing operational and administrative assistance to the technical and operational staff, performing a variety of administrative, coordination and other services in support of BEE Component 3 activities. 

Location: The position is based in Almaty, Kazakhstan

You and Your Career:

If you are a problem-solver, collaborator, and doer, and you have expertise in project assistance that cover all aspects of a project is dully attended to and completed at the right time, regardless of challenges that may be encountered. In this case, we are interested in hearing from you.

We are a learning organization and provide growth opportunities from the start.  We pride ourselves on giving you the freedom, resources, and guidance to chart a fulfilling career!

Reporting and Supervision:

Comp 3 Assistant will work in close cooperation with Comp 3 Lead, Jacobs, Cordova & Associates (JC&A) representative and number of Comp 3 Short-Term subcontractors and should report directly to Comp 3 Lead

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

Program Support: 

• Assist Comp 3 staff in implementing Comp 3 activities, including preparation and assistance in events, trainings, workshops, information gathering, and other assigned tasks
• Manage communication with participants of events, training, workshops, etc.
• Support in preparing and arranging events materials and information packages in timely manner. Review documents for accuracy and completeness ensuring documents meet standards set forth by an organizer
• Assist Comp 3 in preparing and formatting documents, including weekly activity reports, quarter, and annual reports, bi-weekly and success stories, power point presentations, visuals, schemes, and other materials
• Develop and maintain an efficient electronic and hard copy filing system and perform document control function for Comp 3 database 
• Provide support in monitoring of laws and regulations, statistics and other data related to Comp 3 activities in all CA countries
• Organize Comp 3 meetings and conference calls/videoconferences, including preparation and distribution of documents and providing necessary technical devices. Take care of talking points and minutes of meeting
• Prepare monitoring and evaluation reports, arrange, and maintain tracking tools for Comp 3 activities in all CA countries
• Coordinate with Comp 3 Lead all activities, meet deadlines, and provide support where needed
• Liaise, in coordination with Events Manager, with members of partner organizations to organize logistical arrangements for workshops
• Support Comp 3 in translation of documents from English into Russian and vice versa
• Other duties as assigned by Comp 3 Lead and/or Chief of Party

Key Competencies Required:

• One to three (1-3) years of experience in administrative/project support, operations, or another relevant field.
• Strong organizational skills
• Experience in preparing reporting papers
• Excellent skills with Microsoft Office Suite proficiency and the ability to operate spreadsheet, word-processing programs and MS Visio
• Good communication skills
• Analytical skills
• Proficient in Russian and English (written and verbal)

Professional Expertise/Competencies Preferred:

• Solid experience in coordination of project activities, events, and documentation
• Experience with implementing projects funded by donor organizations
• Experience working with NGOs
• Policy background is beneficial

Deadline for submissions: 31 July 2022

About the Organization

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.  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.

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.