MENA Assistant

The consultant will support the implementation of MRG’s regional project: Minorities, Accountability and Civic Space (MACS) which will be implemented in Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Morocco and Tunisia. The consultant will support project administration, with the preparation of travel and accommodation arrangements for participants, colleagues, and partners; organising logistics for events and meetings, including those taking place internationally in the Middle East and North Africa region; support granting scheme and processes; researching and collating project news and maintain website, related to the projects; updating and supporting maintenance of project Monitoring and Evaluation documents; maintaining, preparing documentation for payments and transfers; checking documentation and receipts for finance reports by project partners.

Working hours:                 up to 4 days/week
Location:                           in one of: Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Morocco or Tunisia.

The consultant will be expected to:

• Assist implementation and coordination of programme activities in cooperation with partner organisations and Coordinator.
• Organize and ensure smooth running of training programmes (live and online)
• Assist to preparation of high-level national and international level Roundtables, Seminars and other advocacy missions
• Responsible for the communication of the program activities to the public and coordinate the social media aspect.
• Support sub-granting process and grant administration
• Translate program’s documents and related material Ar/Eng
• Document and keep records of project implementation (write minutes of meetings, collect and prepare data, contacts etc.) Attend and facilitate partner and grantees meetings, workshops, and training sessions
• Collects and reviews project data, assist Coordinator to monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impacts of the programme.
• Draft and/or commission and/or support partners and rapporteurs working on research and publication
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with partners and grantees to meet programme objectives

Finance and Administrative responsibilities

• Arrange travel and accommodation, for visits and events in MENA region.
• Administrative support for project events, including trainings, roundtables, campaigns, report launches
• Maintain project documentation, write minutes, reports and collect data
• Support Finance with documentations related to payments (e.g. partner contracts, payment requests)
• Review partners’ and grantees’ financial reports and supporting documents (collect, sort, check)
• Lead on contracts, outsourcing tenders and arrange services (e.g. printing)
• Regularly liaise with partner organizations and attending program related meetings
• Post related media stories, maintaining lists or media stories and articles, to record project impacts
• Develop project contact lists for reports and mailing of reports
• Support the Coordinator in the preparation of Project Monitoring and Evaluation tools
• Update MRG’s contact files and CRM as needed (e.g., adding new contacts and/or communications).
• Maintain an awareness of MRG’s security guidelines, including those on digital security and data protection, and follows these when carrying out the work, as well as any other precautions as determined by line manager.
• Report any information that signals a change in the risk profile of MRG’s activities to a relevant manager.
• Undertake such other tasks as may reasonably be requested by the Head of MENA and Programmes Coordinator from time to time.
• Attend staff and departmental meetings.
• Contribute to the evaluation of MRG activities and publications.
• Cover for absent staff on related work as necessary.

Confidential information

Responsible for maintaining confidentiality as the work holder will be entitled to a very high level of access to confidential information pertaining to MRG’s strategies, detailed financial information, and also access to sensitive external information which may impact on MRG’s activities. Is aware that maintaining confidentiality requires following such digital security and data protection guidelines as determined by MRG.

Travel and security

The work will involve some travel, essential to the implementation of the programme’s activities; this will be approximately 1-2 weeks per year, where the management team deems it safe to do so.

The consultant should be aware that the work may involve a level of risk. Activities carried out may be unpopular with authorities or sections of society. The consultant will need to display a high awareness of risk and be able to work to mitigate those risks (with support from line manager, where needed.) The work will involve the handling of high-risk data in a high-risk setting. Must at all times display the necessary due diligence and precaution and report any concerns or incidents to line manager.

The selected consultant will have:

• Experience organising events, ideally in the region or internationally more broadly
• At least two years’ experience and familiarity with admin work in an office environment
• Experience in working in the Middle East and North Africa region or with civil society organisations from the region
• Excellent communication and organisational skills, including experience with prioritising tasks
• Fluent spoken and written Arabic and excellent working knowledge in English.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel experience/spreadsheet maintenance
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs
• Enthusiasm and attitude for work in a multicultural environment
• Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work in a team but also use own initiative.
• Experience of working in complex security environments including following (and at times contributing to the development of) guidance on digital security and data protection.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, including following guidance on digital security and data protection

They will also ideally have:

• At least one year experience, working in a human rights field, in particular with minority rights issues.
• Experience in financial management (payments, contracts, budget management)
• Experience in re-granting procedures and standards
• Experience in working with smaller, grassroot civil society organisations
• A working knowledge of French