AI Assistant Developer

Job Posting Organization:
Relief International (RI) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with communities affected by conflict, climate change, and disasters. Established to save lives and promote long-term health and well-being, RI operates with a team of over 5,000 staff and local volunteers across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The organization focuses on providing essential services such as Health and Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Education, and Livelihoods programming. RI is structured as an alliance of four organizations—Relief International, Inc., Relief International-France, Relief International-UK, and Relief International-Europe—working under a unified mission and leadership to develop safe, inclusive, and evidence-based local programming that is sensitive to conflict and climate issues.

Job Overview:
The AI Assistant Developer position is a newly created role at Relief International aimed at building and embedding practical AI capabilities throughout the organization. The primary objective of this role is to enable staff to access and generate information more efficiently, allowing them to dedicate more time to supporting the communities they serve. This position is situated within the global IT function and collaborates closely with various teams, including HR, Supply Chain, Finance, and Programs, to deliver tools that enhance daily operations. The focus of the role is on designing and building AI agents and chatbots using Microsoft Copilot, leveraging organizational data stored in SharePoint. The AI solutions developed will be responsible for answering staff queries, providing clear citations from approved documents, and ensuring compliance with existing SharePoint permissions. This hands-on role emphasizes practical delivery, translating high-level business needs into effective Copilot solutions without the expectation of training AI models or conducting academic research. The ultimate goal is to make Copilot work effectively, securely, and responsibly within the NGO environment, thereby improving internal knowledge access and document drafting processes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The key responsibilities of the AI Assistant Developer include designing and building Copilot agents that utilize Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to interrogate internal repositories, extract key facts, and produce structured, citation-based answers and draft documents. The role involves configuring knowledge sources, prompts, and grounding rules to ensure accurate and policy-compliant responses. Additionally, the developer will prepare SharePoint content for effective AI retrieval, improve retrieval quality, and ensure that all AI agents respect user permissions and adhere to safe design practices. Stakeholder engagement is crucial, as the developer will work with the Supply Chain and Operations Director to define AI principles and communicate them internally. The role also includes developing guidance and training materials for staff, monitoring AI agent usage and quality, and maintaining documentation for ongoing support and understanding of the tools developed.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess practical experience in building AI assistants or chatbots using RAG over organizational documents, particularly within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, including SharePoint, Teams, and Copilot. A strong ability to manage large volumes of documents for AI retrieval is essential, along with a working knowledge of identity and access control concepts. Experience in building production-grade tools that users rely on is required, as well as the ability to work independently and prioritize tasks effectively. Comfort in a globally distributed organization and experience in training non-technical users in new digital tools are also necessary qualifications.

Educational Background:
While specific educational requirements are not detailed, a background in IT, computer science, or a related field is typically expected for roles involving AI development and implementation. Relevant certifications in Microsoft technologies or AI development may also be beneficial.

Experience:
The position requires practical experience in building AI tools, particularly those that utilize organizational data for retrieval and response generation. Candidates should have a proven track record of developing tools or services that are used in a production environment, demonstrating the ability to work independently and manage projects effectively. Experience in a non-profit or humanitarian context is advantageous but not mandatory.

Languages:
While the job description does not specify mandatory languages, proficiency in English is likely essential given the international nature of the organization and the need for clear communication across teams. Additional language skills may be beneficial, especially in regions where RI operates.

Additional Notes:
This position is likely to be full-time, and while the job ad does not specify contract duration or seniority level, it is important to note that the role is integral to the organization's IT function. Compensation and benefits details are not provided in the job description, but candidates can expect a competitive package typical of non-profit organizations. The role may involve some remote work, given the global nature of the organization and the collaboration with distributed teams.