Administration and Operations Assistant

Volunteering Admin Finance & Economy Logistics & Procurement

Overview

Provide essential administrative, operational, and logistical support to the Timbuktoo MineTech Hub.

You have:

• Minimum of 6 years of experience in administration, logistics, procurement support, office coordination, or operations within a professional environment.
• Experience supporting event organization and stakeholder coordination is an advantage.
• Familiarity with basic procurement and financial processes is desirable.
• Experience with maintaining records, databases, and office tools is required.
• Excellent oral and written skills, including report writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal relationships; good communication skills, culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively.
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with database management.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.

Contract

This is a UNV Community Volunteer contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV Community Volunteer contracts.

UNDP Zambia is a key player in the timbuktoo innovation ecosystem, advancing flagship initiatives that bridge research, entrepreneurship, and policy to accelerate national development priorities. Under the Timbuktoo Framework, Zambia anchors four strategic pillars:

• The Mukuba UniPod at Copperbelt University – transforming universities into launchpads for youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship, fostering academia–industry collaboration, and creating linkages to regional and global markets. • The MineTech Hub at the National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR) – Africa’s first sector-focused hub for sustainable mining and critical minerals, driving innovation in environmental sustainability, operational efficiency, and green value chains. • The AI UniPod at the University of Zambia (UNZA) – dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence research, data-driven governance, and digital innovation for inclusive and sustainable development. • The Timbuktoo EDGE Programme – a cutting-edge initiative focused on building decentralized digital infrastructure to strengthen national compute capacity, enhance data sovereignty, and unlock opportunities for AI, big data, and emerging technology applications across sectors.

Together, these initiatives operationalize Zambia’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy and the Vision 2030 aspirations by building a robust ecosystem that empowers youth entrepreneurs, promotes technology transfer, and positions Zambia as a regional hub for innovation and digital transformation.

The Timbuktoo MineTech Hub – Administration and Operations Assistant plays a pivotal role in this landscape by providing essential administrative, operational, and logistical support to ensure the efficient functioning of the Hub to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of the Timbuktoo Initiatives across Zambia in alignment with UNDP standards, thereby enhancing the sustainability and visibility of these initiatives.

Under the direct supervision of Timbuktoo Innovation Associate, the Administration and Operations Assistant will:

A. Administrative and Operational Support • Assist in maintaining records, filing systems, attendance logs, and asset inventories. • Support procurement processes, vendor registration and coordination, and purchase requisitions. • Prepare and process payment requests, invoices, and travel authorizations in line with UNDP procedures. • Maintain and update the Hub’s operations tracker, ensuring deadlines for logistics and procurement are met.

B. Event and Activity Coordination • Support logistical arrangements for workshops, hackathons, stakeholder meetings, and demo days and other Hub activities. • Liaise with suppliers, caterers, and venues to ensure smooth execution of events. • Prepare checklists, attendance lists, and briefing notes for events.

C. Reporting and Documentation • Maintain databases of participants, partners, and suppliers. • Draft minutes, memos, and administrative reports after each engagement. • Assist in preparing periodic operational summaries and inventory updates for internal reporting.

• Achieve Results • Think Innovatively • Learn Continuously • Adapt with Agility • Act with Determination • Engage and Partner • Enable Diversity and Inclusion

A minimum of 6 years of experience (including volunteering, internships, or project work) in administration, logistics, procurement support, office coordination, or operations within a professional environment. • Experience supporting event organization and stakeholder coordination is an advantage. • Familiarity with basic procurement and financial processes (e.g., quotations, purchase requests, vendor liaison) is desirable. • Experience with maintaining records, databases, and office tools (Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace) required. • Prior exposure to innovation ecosystems, startups, or project coordination will be considered an asset. • Excellent oral and written skills; including report writing skills. • Editorial skills: writing and content creation, proofreading, research and analytical including use of familiarity with digital content management packages. • Excellent interpersonal relationships; good communication skills, culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development. • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel. • Computer literacy, including proficiency in various Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, among others), email, and internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment. • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines. • Sound security awareness. • Have affinity with or interest in Innovation, UniPod and Timbuktoo Initiative, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system.

Zambia is a land-locked, resource-rich country with sparsely populated land in the centre of Southern Africa. It shares its border with eight countries (Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe) that serve as an expanded market for its goods.

Lusaka is the capital of the Republic of Zambia. The climate is sunny and temperate, but it can be very cold during few months, with freezing temperature at times especially during the night. It is therefore advisable to bring warm clothing and foresee using heaters and other heating options when necessary. As the commercial and cultural centre of Zambia, Lusaka has seen rapid development in recent decades, with reasonable transportation connections and widely spoken English making the city highly attractive to vacationers and experts alike. Unemployment and poverty are issues in the city, and beyond. Key industries for the region and Zambia as a whole, include mining, agriculture, and tourism. Like most Southern African cities, life in Lusaka will require some adjustments for a person moving from outside the region, but the potential rewards and opportunities for experiences are well worth the effort.

Lusaka hosts several international organisation and embassies/diplomatic missions, therefore there is a very large community of expatriates from around the world. Housing is most of the time readily available and of good standard options are available. Most foodstuffs, beverages, household goods, furniture, and clothing, mostly imported from South Africa, Europe, and China while some ranges of local brands are available at a competitive price to imports. Meat, fish, fresh fruits, and vegetables are reasonably priced and abundantly available.

The basic infrastructures roads, utilities, and telecommunications are of reasonable standard, although the city experiences power outages from time to time. Medical facilities are still largely inadequate, although several private clinics and hospitals provide reasonably good routine care. Several restaurants around the city serve local or international cuisine and there are numerous social and sports facilities (fitness, tennis, swimming, riding, golf, etc.) in the major hotels or in different establishments around the city. There are no major or special security concerns within Lusaka city limits. For more information, please visit http://zambiatourism.com.

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Potential interview questions

Added 6 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: unv.org