Traineeship: Professional Development Program Assistant

Summary

The International Association of Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP) is recruiting a full-time Professional Development Program (PDP) Assistant (Trainee) for a period of six months at its Geneva office. As an integral part of a small and dynamic professional team, the PDP Assistant will contribute significantly to the operations of the association, assisting with the production of training events and workshops, drafting of public communications, correspondence, preparation of print materials, relationships with suppliers and logistical arrangements, follow-up and processing of participant assessments and feedback, etc. The role may require occasional travel (up to 10 days at a time) outside Switzerland.

About PHAP

The International Association of Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP) is the world’s only sector-wide association of individuals engaged in humanitarian assistance and protection. Its global member network encompasses the full spectrum of institutional affiliations and professional backgrounds in the humanitarian sector. Established in 2010, PHAP’s mission is to enhance the humanitarian sector’s ability to respond to current and future crises in a responsible and effective manner.

To this end, the association organizes professional development, networking, and knowledge-sharing opportunities among individuals deployed in the context of humanitarian crises. One of PHAP’s main activities is the organization of a series of advanced professional courses and workshops on Humanitarian Law and Policy. These multi-day events, organized in many locations around the world, offer a unique opportunity for mid-career professionals to develop strategic and managerial skills; deepen their understanding of applicable legal, policy, analytical, and operational frameworks; and expand their professional networks.

For more information about PHAP and its activities, please visit www.phap.org.

Conditions

• Starting date: 1 September 2015
• Based in Geneva
• Full-time schedule of five days (40 hours) per week
• Six months (with possibility of extension) including three-month probationary period
• Stipend of CHF 2’600 per month

Tasks

• Assist with various aspects of the planning and implementation of activities under PHAP’s Professional Development Program (PDP):
• Individual communication with event applicants and participants
• Updating, editing, proofreading, and production of event materials (participant lists and backgrounders, speaker bios, etc.)
• Processing of evaluation forms and preparation of reports
• Pre-event offsite logistics for courses and workshops
• Potentially some onsite logistics, requiring travel to the event location
• Updating, editing, proofreading, and production of participant resources and teaching tools on Humanitarian Law and Policy (HLP) and on the Leadership and Management of Humanitarian Action (LMHA) (reading lists, aides-memoires, exercises, etc.)
• Preparation of public communication materials
• Taking notes in course and workshop sessions and preparing internal reports following the events
• Identification of potential new guest experts and facilitators
• Researching agencies and organisations for potential partnerships
• General administrative support
• Assist with information management tasks across all activities of the association, contributing to the development and documentation of administrative processes and procedures
• Contribute to other tasks and projects as assigned by the Executive Director

Qualifications

• At least one year of prior relevant work experience (including prior internships);
• Swiss or EU citizenship (PHAP will assist with application for a B permit for EU citizens, if applicable) or existing permit to work in Geneva;
• Excellent English and French language skills, including both written and verbal communication skills; other professional-level language skills (particularly in Arabic) are an advantage;
• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of the field of humanitarian affairs;
• Demonstrated ability to draft clear and concise texts for external communication;
• Strong IT skills (Word, Excel, databases) together with a demonstrated aptitude and enthusiasm for learning how to use new IT tools and systems;
• Prior experience working with content management systems (in particular Drupal) and contact relationship management databases (in particular CiviCRM) is an advantage;
• Strong organizational skills, resourcefulness, flexibility, and ability to efficiently handle multiple tasks;
• Ability to work independently, with limited supervision, and with strong attention to detail;
• Availability to travel to event locations outside of Switzerland, potentially on short notice;
• Entrepreneurial spirit.

HOW TO APPLY:

DEADLINE: Tuesday, 14 July 2015, 5 p.m. GMT(applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; interested candidates are advised to apply as soon as possible)

• By 14 July, 1700 hrs, applicants should send their cover letter and CV to jobs@phap.org(applications will be acknowledged automatically upon receipt). Please note that all application materials must be written in English.
• All applicants MUST register and complete an online skills assessment and brief questionnaire before close of business on Wednesday, 15 July 2015. (Instructions and the registration link for the assessment will be sent after applicants submit their cover letter and CV. The online assessment is not a timed test. Candidates are advised to schedule up to 2 hours to complete it.)
• Candidates may be asked to complete a second round of assessment prior to an interview.
• Interviews will take place the week of 27-31 July, either in person in Geneva or via phone/Skype.