Project Team Assistant - Expertise France

PROJECT TEAM ASSISTANT - DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY IN CENTRAL ASIA (Astana)

JOB DETAILS

Direction: Operations

Department: Sustainable and Inclusive Economy (EDI)

Unit: Digital and Innovation

Type of contract: Fixed-term contract

Contract duration: 18 months (renewable for up to 48 months)

Geographical areas of the project: Central Asia

Country of the mission: Kazakhstan

City of the mission: Astana

Expected start date: December 1st, 2025

Please send your resume to m.lorgeoux@eqo-consulting.com and d.akarawitage@eqo-consulting.com

JOB DESCRIPTION

Description of the mission

Under the hierarchical supervision of the Team Leader, he/she will be responsible for supporting the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the project. He/she will assist with the administrative tasks, coordination, and logistics required to ensure smooth execution of the project.

The position requires a high degree of autonomy and interpersonal skills appropriate to working in a European, international and multicultural environment, as well as a good command of both English and Russian.

The Project Team Assistant will carry out a variety of tasks under the guidance and functional supervision of the Team Leader. The primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Project coordination support:

-         Assist in the preparation and management of project timelines, deliverables, and schedules;

-         Help organize project meetings, workshops, and stakeholder consultations, including preparing agendas and minutes;

-         Provide assistance with the preparation of documents, minutes and presentations for project meetings and other activities;

-         Support project team members in overcoming language barriers during meetings, workshops, and stakeholder consultations by providing real-time translation or interpreting services;

-         Translate meeting minutes, reports, and other project-related documents as required ensuring that all translated materials are accurate, culturally appropriate and consistent with project goals and terminology;

-         Help maintain a consistent language style across all translated documents and communications;

-         Maintain project documentation and records ensuring up-to-date and organized physical and digital archive;

-         Assist in the preparation of progress reports and final project reports.

 

Logistics and Administrative Support:

-         Assist in the administrative coordination of the Project Management Unit (PMU);

-         Coordinate all aspects of transportation for project team members, including travel bookings, reservations, visa applications, transportation to/from airports, hotels, and meeting locations and ensure that they align with project policies;

-         Organize logistical support for project events, including seminars, workshops, training sessions, steering committees, and project missions (e.g., coordinating venues, arranging meals, liaising with service providers);

-         Organize and ensure the smooth execution of missions: travel arrangements (air tickets, per diem, accommodation), security instructions, liaison with the French embassies in the visited countries, preparation of participants' files, management of relations with service providers (hotel, meals, translation services, etc.);

-         Provide logistical coordination for urgent expert missions or regional events as required;

-         Assist with procurement processes and ensure timely submission of required documentation for payments (e.g., assisting with the preparation of requests, coordinating deliveries and reconcile invoices with orders and requests);

-         Ensure that all administrative procedures comply with internal regulations and the financial policies of Expertise France.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

-         Assist with the monitoring and evaluation of project activities and performance;

-         Support in collecting data and feedback for the assessment of project outcomes.

Communication:

-         Support the project team with day-to-day administrative tasks such as scheduling meetings, maintaining calendars, and organizing events;

-         Assist with internal and external communications related to the project;

-         Maintain effective communication with stakeholders, partners, and team members.

Other:

-         Backstop other assistants when needed to ensure smooth project operations;

-         Permanently analyse the processes inherent to its area of responsibility, defining and implementing actions aimed at promoting rationality of the project implementation and operation, continuous improvement, quality of execution, and minimization of the costs of the activities developed;

-         Performs other duties assigned by his/her superior inherent to the project activities, administrative and logistical function.

Functional supervision is provided by the project Administrative and Financial Manager, who is responsible for training and supporting him/her in his/her mission.

Description of the project or context

Expertise France is the French public international cooperation agency. It designs and implements projects which aim to contribute to the balanced development of partner countries, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and the priorities of France’s external action.

The Team Europe Initiative (TEI) on Digital Connectivity – Soft Pillar is part of the wider TEI on Digital Connectivity in Central Asia programme, funded by the European Union (DG INTPA) for a period of 4 years. The TEI additionally includes 1) a hard connectivity infrastructure pillar and 2) a Twinning instrument, which shall all together provide the conditions for safe and inclusive deployment of satellite connectivity across the region.

The TEI Digital Connectivity Soft Pillar is implemented by a consortium of leading European development agencies, including CFLA (Latvia), CPVA (Lithuania), e-Governance Academy (Estonia), Expertise France, and HAUS Institute (Finland). Expertise France is leading the consortium.

The project aims to bridge the digital connectivity divide in Central Asia, through the development of an enabling, safe and inclusive environment for satellite connectivity use, with the overall objective of increasing equal access to basic public services and socio-economic inclusion. The project activities will be implemented with a regional approach and cover Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The TEI Digital Connectivity Soft Pillar will be implemented in four main specific objectives (SOs):

1. Policies and regulations: support in the development of enabling policy and regulatory environments for digital reforms including digitalization, connectivity and personal data protection;
2. Connectivity: improve access to public and private connectivity services and strengthen users’ capabilities to benefit from digital public services, with a specific focus on rural areas, gender equality and inclusion;
3. Digital innovation: foster the creation of a dynamic regional innovation ecosystem and support the development of local digital innovations, in particular satellite-based, to tackle local challenges.
4. Cybersecurity: support the development of harmonized cybersecurity frameworks and strengthen capacities of the industry stakeholders, as well civil society across the region.

YOUR PROFILE

●       Required profile:

-                   Higher education (e.g. Diploma) in administrative and project management in the related field;

-                   Good knowledge of procurement standards;

-                   Position requires 2 years of work experience in similar roles;

-                   Good knowledge of administrative practices, logistics and taxation;

-                   Have worked in cooperation agencies or non-governmental organizations;

-                   Proven experience in the use of Microsoft Office (MS Word and Excel), email and virtual communication platforms;

-                   Fluency in both spoken and written English and Russian. French is an advantage;

-                   Ability to work independently and harmoniously with the team;

-                   Have skills to analyse the different issues and problems to help identify solutions;

-                   Act ethically in the exercise of the function;

-                   High level of professionalism, integrity;

-                   Communication Skills;

-                   Knowledge of European Union management procedures is an advantage

-                   Rigor, attention to detail, and autonomy.

WHAT WE OFFER

●       An exciting job in an international environment;

●       A contract for a term of 18 months (renewable for a total of up to 48 months) based in Astana, with possible field visits in the Central Asia region.