Programme Support Assistant – UPSCALE II

ABOUT ASI

Adam Smith International is a global advisory company that works locally to transform lives by making economies stronger, societies more stable, and governments more effective. Our clients are governments, international organizations, companies, and foundations. For three decades in almost one hundred countries, they have come to us to develop strategies and to design, deliver and evaluate programmes that address the big challenges facing the world.

As a development consultancy, our work centers on international development management. Our core team of staff and technical experts, in multiple offices around the world, ensures the quality of delivery and high ethical standards that we and our clients require. We bring together a global network of experts, who contribute their experience and knowledge, where and when it is needed. Our core service lines include education, infrastructure and climate change, inclusive markets, governance, justice, security and peacebuilding, public financial management and revenue reform, mining, oil and gas as well as cross cutting services, such as monitoring and evaluation.

We are a certified B-Corp with a triple bottom line of financial, social and environmental accountability. In 2021, B-Corp selected us as one of the Best for the World™ B-Corps for “Workers” and “Customers”. We have also set a strategic objective of becoming carbon neutral by 2025 and a net positive contributor to the environment by 2030. By sharing our knowledge and experience, we help to improve learning in our industry, as well as the positive impact we can have on people’s lives.

JOB CONTEXT & PURPOSE

We are seeking a highly organized and resourceful Programme Support Assistant to join our team and provide comprehensive support in various areas, including HR, Legal, IT, Operations, and administrative matters. The Programme Support Assistant will collaborate closely with different program delivery teams, performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The role would act as a focal point for Program Managers and project staff to ensure consistent service delivery.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

• Program Managers for UPSCALE II Programme

• People & Talent

• Legal Team

• IT & ERP Team

• Finance Team

• Operations Team

External

• Contractors (individuals and firms)

KEY TASKS

• Liaison with various business services teams across the business, like People & Talent, Legal, IT, Security, Operations and Finance to ensure smooth coordination.

• Coordinate with current and prospective stakeholders (individuals and firms) to ensure completion of requisite procedures like sourcing, arranging meetings / interviews, conducting due diligence and background checks, onboarding and offboarding formalities.

• Support with managing contracts and agreements with individuals and external service providers.

• Act as a bridge between the IT and Program Team to ensure compliance of program devices (encryption, company portal, antivirus), as per company policy.

• Provide basic technical assistance to program staff and escalate complex problems to the IT team.

• Assist with financial tasks, such as processing and tracking of invoices and expense claims.

• Respond to generic queries coming Program Team’s way and escalate, where appropriate, in order to provide a timely and accurate service to clients.

• Work closely with the Operations team to ensure smooth day-to-day operations for the program delivery team.

• Provide overall operational assistance to the Program Managers, including managing calendars, managing security clearances, organizing meetings / workshops.

• Support with archiving and management of program records with outmost accuracy and discretion.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Provision of effective and timely business support services for the program teams.

• Ensure effective stakeholder management with internal and external stakeholders.

• Ensure smooth functioning of the program’s routine tasks and contribute to the achievement of program objectives.

• Take responsibility for data integrity to facilitate availability of availability of accurate information to PMs.

• Clearly communicate with other teams and achieve program results in a timely manner.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Desirable – Masters degree in a relevant subject.

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject from a recognized university.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Prior experience in program support, administrative support roles or similar positions will be an added advantage.

• Attention to detail and accuracy in handling data and documents.

• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team.

COMPETENCIES:

• Planning and delivering results

• Quality and accountability

• Continuous improvement

• Managing complexity

• Innovation

• Communication and knowledge management

• Collaboration and teamwork

• Personal impact and effectiveness

KNOWLEDGE:

• Knowledge of what Adam Smith International does

• Some knowledge of the development sector and/or their technical area and/or the geographical area they will be working in

SKILLS:

• Excellent oral and written English

• Excellent numerical ability with a focus on financial awareness and ability.

• Commercial acumen.

• Computer literacy with Microsoft Office products.

• High level of reasoning and problem-solving ability.

ATTITUDE:

• High level of emotional intelligence in the following areas: self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, relationship management.

• Excellent relationship building skills.

• Proactive, self-starter, resourceful.

• Open-minded, flexible approach to problem-solving.

• Resilient to changing circumstances and challenges.

• Achievement oriented.

• Determination to complete work.

• Trustworthy, reliable, professional, contentious and accountable

What We Offer You

Our people are at the heart of our strategy and our decisions. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package, a dynamic and friendly team environment, the opportunity to support a highly successful portfolio of programmes, and support to develop your skills and progress in your career.

The diversity of our workforce makes ASI a great place to work, more creative and resourceful, and underpins strong partnerships. We keep a sharp focus on diversity and inclusion, including through our Equality Action Plan and our Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and through leadership from our Executive Team and oversight by our Board.

We recognise the importance of your life outside of work. We are proud to support flexible working arrangements, and commit to make a success of flexible working arrangements wherever possible. We’ve built a culture to reflect our values, full of likeminded professionals who are smart, passionate and great at what they do.

ASI is committed to continually improving the diversity of our workforce through the attraction, retention and development of a diverse range of talented people. We want people to be comfortable bringing their whole self to work and recognise that inclusion brings further opportunities for innovation and creativity.

Interested applicants are welcome to apply by September 11th, 2025. Applications will be reviewed and assessed on a rolling basis.