Administrative Assistant, CSO Bridge - Nigeria (Abuja)

Context

  International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization with 35 member states hailing from different continents around the world. International IDEA aims to support sustainable democracy worldwide, doing so, inter alia, by working with both new and long-established democracies to strengthen the institutions and culture of democracy. Located at the interface of research and practice, International IDEA serves as a forum for dialogue and uses comparative experience and analysis to identify good practices for democracy-building. It also produces knowledge tools and practical guides for democracy support. The Institute maintains a global network of experts, provides training materials, and offers strategic advice to democracy actors at the international, regional, and national levels. The Institute is headquartered in Stockholm with field offices in Africa and West Asia, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Strengthening Bridge (CSO Bridge) Project is designed to contribute to a more enabling environment for CSOs to thrive and contribute to sustainable development in Nigeria. It will build on the gains made by the recently concluded European Union (EU) funded Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) Programme. The programme is funded by the European Union (EU) for a period of three years from 2025 to 2028. Its implementation is expected to result in the following outcomes:

• Outcome 1: Functioning and effective coordination mechanisms that encourage and maintain an enabling environment for CSO operations are in place at national and sub-national levels established.

• Outcome 2: Improved capacities amongst CSOs to understand and comply with extant regulatory requirements and apply self-regulatory principles and practices.

• Outcome 3: Improved regulatory frameworks and practices affecting the formation and operations of CSOs at national and sub-national levels.

The Administrative Assistant provides sound logistical and administrative support to the CSO Bridge Project that enables the project to achieve their outcomes and targets, in close coordination with the other projects implemented by IDEA in Nigeria and in collaboration with International IDEA’s Africa and West Asia Regional Office.

Duties and Responsibilities

 1. Handles administrative requests and queries for the team and as directed by the Procurement and Operations Officer and Head of Programme;

2. Provides timely data on costs (hotel accommodation, venue and transport) to the programme team to support preparation of budgets and analysis;

3. Organizes and coordinates logistical arrangements for meetings, conferences and workshops (obtaining quotes and booking venues, liaising with attendees, etc.); Assists with the preparation of meeting materials and manage printing requests;

4. Handles all travel arrangements (hotel accommodation, transport etc.) for staff and consultants as requested, and raises the relevant purchase requisitions;

5. Seeks feedback from visitors and staff to ensure quality control of travel arrangements (hotels, venue, transport etc.);

6. Develops and updates the contact details of service providers (hotels, ticketing agents, venues etc.) used by the programme (including immigration and the National Planning Commission);

7. Leads protocol arrangements for the programme; Build and maintains effective relationships with key individuals who facilitate the official status of expatriate staff in country;

8. Provides visa application and processing support to programme staff on official duties; Provide relevant visa letters and liaises with relevant embassies and visa agents to obtain required visas;

9. Supports all administrative processes affecting the arrival, presence and exit of project staff (internal and external); Receipt and dispatch the personal effects of international staff on arrival and departure;

10. Maintains knowledge of key processes and official organizations applicable to incoming international staff including immigration, National Planning Commission (NPC) residence registration, driving licenses, etc.

11. Is responsible for documenting appropriate procedures and processes for entry and exit processes, including the various required permits for visiting International IDEA staff and consultants;

12. Provides support to the Procurement and Operations Officer around office inventories, managing the asset register, procurement, office and residential issues etc., including maintenance issues required at the office or residences;

13. Manages the schedule of the office drivers including vehicle maintenance and ensuring that the drivers complete and record details of all the vehicle safety checks;

14. Ensures regular fire drills are completed, fire equipment is maintained and that any security issues are reported promptly to the management team;

15. Provides administrative support to the Head of Programme, including arranging regular internal staff meetings at the Country Office and produces draft minutes and reports of such meetings;

16. Assists with internal and external communication and correspondence of the Head of Programme; Drafts reports, letters, and other relevant correspondence and ensures appropriate filing;

17. Manages the calendar of the Head of Programme and serves as a point of contact for external visitors to the office of the Head of Programme. This includes planning trips for visitors;

18. Carries out other duties and responsibilities as related to the post that may be assigned from time to time.

General Profile

• Has developed knowledge and specialized skills through formal training or work experience and considerable on-the-job experience;

• Adds considerable value to team-based activities in their unit, and likely to act as an informal resource for colleagues; Collaborates with other entities of the Institute as required;

• Follows internal procedures to ensure high standards of performance and compliance with Institutional guidelines;

• Acts in accordance with International IDEA’s Core Values; Respect, Integrity, and Professionalism;

• Integrates gender equality, diversity, and social inclusion (GEDSI) considerations into all tasks and activities, in alignment with the Institute’s Core Values and commitment to the GEDSI policy.  

Reporting line

 Procurement and Operations Officer, (NG-FC).

Education and Experience

• Ordinary diploma (OND) or equivalent and preferably business and/or secretarial education; University degree in business, or other relevant discipline considered an advantage;

• Minimum of three (3) years’ professional experience in administration, logistics support, procurement and/or business administration;

• Knowledge and understanding of issues affecting civil societies regulatory environment is beneficial;

• Experience in networking and communicating with different stakeholders such as government, EU, NGOs, vendors, partners and other organizations is considered an advantage;

• Experience of working in an international context, e.g., in an NGO, an intergovernmental organization, considered an advantage.

Terms of Contract:

• Local Post.

• Fixed term appointment till 28 February 2028.

• Remuneration - USD 990 Monthly Gross Salary

Please note as this is a local post, International IDEA will bear no costs relating to the relocation of the selected candidate to the duty station. This position is open to those legally authorized to live and work in Nigeria for the duration of the contract. International IDEA is not able to support work permit applications. 

Use of AI in Recruitment
International IDEA places strong emphasis on human input in recruitment. Candidates must disclose any use of AI tools. All application materials, written assessments, and interview responses (as applicable) must be entirely human-generated and reflect the candidate’s own knowledge, skills, and experience. The use of AI to generate content or misrepresent qualifications is not permitted. AI‑powered assistive technologies (such as screen readers or speech‑to‑text tools) may be used for accessibility purposes to ensure equal access to the recruitment process.

Applying for this position:

• Applications should be submitted online no later than 23:59 (CEST) Sunday 19 July 2026.

• Please note that all applications must be made in English.

Selection Process:

• Evaluation of qualified candidates will include a written test assessment and up to two (2) interviews.

• Candidates selected to proceed to the next stage of the process will be contacted once all applications have been carefully reviewed.

• All candidates will be notified of the status of their application via email once the process has been finalized.

Due to the anticipated volume of applications, International IDEA will review applications on a rolling basis, and the vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply early.

International IDEA is an equal-opportunity employer which seeks to further diversify its staff in terms of gender, culture and nationality.