(RFP500483) Consultant, Administrative & Project Support (3 months - Rome, Italy)

Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT; Roma; In loco; EUR 50.000 - 70.000; Tempo pieno

Descrizione del lavoro

A global agricultural research organization based in Rome, Italy is seeking a Consultant for Administrative & Project Support. This role involves providing comprehensive administrative, logistical, and financial support to ensure the operational effectiveness of the Global Partnerships Unit. Candidates should have strong organizational skills, relevant experience, and be proficient in both Italian and English. This full-time consultancy position lasts 3 months with possibility for renewal.

Competenze

• Minimum of 5-7 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience in an international organization or development context is desirable.

Mansioni

• Serve as the administrative focal point for the team.
• Assist in preparing and monitoring project budgets.
• Support the preparation of key project documents.

Conoscenze

Excellent communication skills in Italian and English

Strong organizational skills

Proficiency in MS Office

Problem-solving attitude

Experience with SAP Concur

Formazione

Bachelor’s degree in Political or Social Sciences or related fields

Strumenti

MS Office

SharePoint

Descrizione del lavoro

About the Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) deliver research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

The Alliance works with local, national, and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food‑secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services. With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people in a climate crisis.

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

https://alliancebioversityciat.org/ www.cgiar.org

About The Position

The Global Partnerships Unit engages with governments, multilateral institutions, foundations, and the private sector to develop strategic partnerships and innovative financing mechanisms that advance the organization’s mandate.

Based in Rome, Italy, and under the direct supervision of the Senior Manager, Partnerships & Innovative Finance, the Consultant, Administrative & Project Support will play a key role in supporting the operational effectiveness of the Unit. The consultant will provide comprehensive administrative, logistical, and financial support, ensuring smooth implementation of activities and efficient coordination across projects and stakeholders.

The role involves managing day‑to‑day administrative tasks, supporting financial and procurement processes, coordinating meetings and missions, assisting with documentation and reporting, and facilitating communication within the team and with external partners. The Consultant, Administrative & Project Support will contribute to maintaining organized systems, timely workflows, and compliance with internal procedures, enabling the Global Partnerships Unit to operate efficiently and deliver high‑quality outputs.

Responsibilities

Administrative and Logistical Support (40%)

• Serve as the administrative focal point for the team, providing timely operational and logistical support across all activities.
• Organize and coordinate meetings, workshops, and events—including venue arrangements, logistics, travel, catering, and documentation.
• Prepare and circulate meeting materials (invitations, agendas, minutes, and follow‑up actions) and maintain accurate records and filing systems (physical and digital).
• Manage travel arrangements and logistics for staff and participants, including ticketing, insurance, visas, and reimbursements.
• Support procurement processes by preparing purchase requests, tracking approvals, and ensuring timely delivery of goods and services.
• Liaise with finance and administration units to ensure the smooth processing of payments, travel claims, and other operational requirements.
• Ensure compliance with donor and institutional rules regarding expenditures, travel, and events, maintaining complete and accurate records in SharePoint or other systems.

Financial and Budget Support (30%)

• Assist in preparing and monitoring project budgets, forecasts, and expenditure reports.
• Maintain and update financial tracking tools to monitor spending and resource allocation.
• Reconcile project expenses and ensure compliance with institutional and donor financial requirements.

  Support the organization and documentation of reimbursements, invoices, and payment authorizations for workshops, meetings, and travel‑related activities.

Project Coordination and Reporting (20%)

• Support the preparation of key project documents, including Terms of Reference, work plans, progress reports, and donor deliverables.
• Coordinate inputs from project teams to compile regular updates and reports, ensuring timely submission and quality control.
• Contribute to data collection, record keeping, and analysis for project monitoring and learning purposes.
• Assist in documenting lessons learned, good practices, and project outputs for knowledge management and reporting.

Team and Stakeholder Support (10%)

• Facilitate communication and coordination between project teams, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Support onboarding and coordination of consultants, interns, and fellows.
• Assist in organizing monthly team meetings and internal coordination activities.
• Perform other related duties as required to support smooth project implementation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Political or Social Sciences, International Relations, Development Studies, Law or related fields from an accredited academic institution.
• Relevant professional experience (preferably minimum of 5‑7 years).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in both Italian and English.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and familiarity with online collaboration tools (e.g. Teams, SharePoint).
• Strong organizational, administrative, and time‑management skills, with the ability to efficiently manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Flexibility and adaptability, with the capacity to adjust work schedules, manage changing priorities, and respond proactively to operational needs.
• Problem‑solving and proactive attitude, demonstrating initiative in anticipating needs, resolving administrative issues, and supporting efficient workflows.
• Experience using SAP Concur or similar enterprise resource management and travel systems is considered a distinct advantage.
• Familiarity with donor reporting, especially for the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and EU grants.
• Experience in an international organization or development context is desirable.

Benefits and Terms of Employment

This is a full‑time consultancy position based in Rome, Italy, with a duration of 3 months (approximately 60 days in total), renewable subject to performance, continued need, and availability of funds. Consultancy fees and conditions will be established and administered in accordance with the Alliance’s approved policies and procedures for consultants.

Applications

Please apply online through the website (https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers), including reference number RFP500483 in the Technical Proposal, no later than 5 December 2025, attaching the following:

• A detailed curriculum vitae (CV) (using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting).
• A technical proposal in the form of an experience note, demonstrating the candidate’s capacity and outlining relevant administrative, logistical, financial, and coordination experience, as well as suitability for the role (maximum 1 page).
• In the CV, including the names and email addresses of three professional referees who have worked with you and are knowledgeable about your skills and professional abilities.
• Proposed consultancy fees for the period, indicated in daily USD.

please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Closing date for applications: 5 December 2025

We invite you to learn more about us at http://alliancebioversityciat.org