Training Site Secretary

Position Title: Training Site Secretary (TSS)

Location: Outside of Kathmandu
Work Hours: The TSS will be required to follow a six-day work week and work during holidays. Work hour is not limited to 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM and no provision for overtime.
Reports To: Training Coordinator

Position Summary:
Under the direct supervision of the Training Coordinator (TC), the Training Site Secretary (TSS) assists the Training Administrative Assistant (TAA) in secretarial and logistical support, knowledge management, property management and inventory, to ensure an effective and efficient Pre-Service Training (PST). Under normal working conditions, the TSS works on site at the PST site in a Nepali community during the contract period. The TSS delivers and participates in small group information sessions for Peace Corps Trainees (PCTs) and Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in person. All staff, including TSS, are expected to follow local and Peace Corps COVID-19 safety mitigation measures during in-person sessions or events. TSS may need to conduct information sessions using online/virtual formats if Peace Corps decides to go virtual due to rises in COVID cases.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Education: Higher Secondary Education (+2) or equivalent.
Language Proficiency: Professional oral and written English and Nepali proficiency.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of six months of experience performing secretary and/or administrative tasks.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially MS Word, Outlook, and Excel).
• Ability to type both in English and Nepali.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience greeting visitors, answering phones, taking messages, and redirecting requests for information to the appropriate points of contact.
• Experience organizing files and also copying, binding, and scanning documents.
• Experience conducting office supplies inventory, anticipating needed supplies; assisting with placing and expediting orders for supplies; and verifying receipt of supplies.
• Experience creating and managing staff travel plans and schedules.
• Experience partnering with individuals with marginalized social identities (caste, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and so on) in Nepal.
• Experience in navigating language and culture in a rural village community setting in Nepal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes:

• Communication: Strong communication and interpersonal skills, conflict management skills, diplomacy and tact with staff, Volunteers, Trainees, community members and members of the government. Is cross-culturally sensitive and strives to communicate openly.
• Motivation: Ability to work independently and proactively, is self-motivated and adaptable to constantly changing situations, and accepts responsibility.
• Professionalism: Maintains confidentiality regarding Volunteer issues and other information, and possesses a strong sense of integrity. Sets a positive example for peers and PCVs in performance of professional duties (is punctual, diligent, well-groomed, etc.). Acts as a team member in a consensus-building atmosphere, encourages constructive feedback and accepts suggestions for improvement, and willingly responds to reasonable
  requests from both colleagues and supervisors in a timely manner.

Candidates will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To ensure full credit for your experience, please indicate dates of employment by month, day, and year and the number of hours worked per week in your resume.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITTES
PRE-SERVICE TRAINING SUPPORT:

• Collaborates with the TC and TAA to create, reproduce, collate, distribute and file training handouts, session plans, reports, correspondence, and memos.
•  Coordinates the preparation (duplication, distribution) of necessary learning materials.
•  Develops and maintains a filing system (electronic and hard-copy) for all training related documents.
•  Coordinates with the TC and TM on the distribution of training supplies and equipment.
•  Ensures that vehicle logbook is up to date and per trip and submits weekly log to GSM for final review.
•  Makes travel arrangements for PCTs and staff, submitting requests for travelers’ air ticket and extra vehicles to the PC/Nepal Office in a timely manner.
•  Sets up a schedule for vehicle trips in coordination with TC and core staff member.
•  Responsible for assisting hub site staff in managing meals during the PST period.
•  Arranges accommodation for resource person/PCVs and PC staff if they are staying at the PST site. Ensures all meals are on time during the hub days.
• Assists the TAA in inventory and packaging of PST supplies and equipment, recommends purchases in order to maintain adequate inventory of necessary training supplies.
•  Collaborates with the TAA to maintain storage areas with emphasis on organization, logical use patterns, and security. Assists in monitoring of all the property and recommends corrective actions to TAA and TC.
• Ensures effective communication between the training hub site and the training clusters, and between the hub site and the Peace Corps Office in Kathmandu.
• Manages the training site mail distribution procedure in coordination with the TAA and PST Drivers.
• Makes appointments for PST staff as requested.
• Identifies and confirms accommodation for visitors staying at the training site and assists the TAA and Drivers in travel planning.
• Participates in General TOT.
• Assists in monitoring the safety and security situation in and around PST sites, and reports any concerns immediately to the Training Coordinator.
• Integrates into the community at the Training site, with a focus on developing positive relationships with community members during PST.
•  Carries out additional duties as assigned by Training Administrative Assistant, Training Coordinator, or Training Manager.

OCCASIONAL MONEY HANDLER
The PSC may be required to courier cash and/or purchase orders to various vendors who furnish supplies and/or services to training sites, or other locations as directed by the Contracting Officer. The PSC may also be required to courier cash to PCTs or Volunteers. The PSC will not be functioning as a procurement or disbursing official but will only be acting as an intermediary between the Contracting or Disbursing Officer and the recipient. In the case of dealing with vendors, the PSC will not exercise any procurement discretion concerning the supplies or services to be purchased or the cost limits of these purchases; these will be determined by the Contracting Officer.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

• Is knowledgeable of the Peace Corps Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and in the event of an emergency conducts his/her role in helping to ensure the safety of Peace Corps Trainees and Staff.
• Assists in planning for maintaining safety and security, and maintains vigilance in identifying, reporting, and responding to safety and security incidents to the TC and Peace Corps Safety and Security Manager.
• Collaborates with TAA and TC to periodically evaluate the safety and security situation of the Training Site.
• Integrates into the community at the Training site, with a focus on developing positive relationships with community members during PST.
• Strictly follows Peace Corps Nepal COVID-19 mitigation protocols and guidance including physical distancing, PPE, usage of mask, accommodation, number of participants present at any event, as specified by the agency guideline.
• Regarding COVID safety, staff monitor their own symptoms, manage risks, and ensure that those around them are also following the correct procedures.
•  The Contractor is required to follow any workplace health and/or safety rules indicated for their position specified in a Peace Corps policy.

OTHERS

• As required and instructed by the TAA and/or Training Coordinator.
• Follows Peace Corps Policies and Behaviors of Professional trainer/staff.

HOW TO APPLY (by July 24, 2023):
Carefully review the full advertisement and Statement of Work for the above listed positions online at https://np.usembassy.gov/embassy/jobs/.
For your application to be marked as complete and considered for further review:

• By email: Submit (1) your resume, (2) a brief cover letter in English, and (3) include the position to which you are applying for in the subject line to nepaljobs@peacecorps.gov.
• By mail or hand delivery: Provide (1) your resume, (2) a brief cover letter in English, and (3) include the position to which you are applying at the top of the cover letter and send to U.S. Peace Corps, P.O. Box 15150, Kathmandu, Nepal or hand deliver to our office in Maharajgunj. All applications must reach our office by the deadline, July 24, 2023.
• All applicants: If you have ever served as a Peace Corps Trainee/Volunteer or a Peace Corps staff member please include the position location, position type, title, and starting and ending dates within your application.

Notes: Late applications will not be considered. Due to high volume, telephone inquiries will not be entertained. Only shortlisted applicants will be notified for interviews.

Peace Corps/Nepal Diversity Statement:
Peace Corps Nepal is committed to embedding equity, diversity and inclusion into our core business practices. 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 achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background and personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, caste, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, disabilities, political affiliation, marital, pregnancy, maternity, or indigenous status.

Peace Corps/Nepal Safeguarding Statement:
We define safeguarding as the preventive action taken by Peace Corps Nepal to protect our volunteers, staff, partners, and communities we work with from harm. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adult who come into contact with Peace Corps are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process and a rigorous due diligence process.

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