Administrative Associate (UNOCHA)

Background

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.

This position-specific job opening is being published for the position of Administrative Associate in Kyiv, Ukraine. Under the overall supervisor of the Head of Administration & Finance Unit the Administrative Associate is responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of general administration, travel, and HR related services to OCHA/Ukraine offices and operations consistent with UN rules and regulations. The Administrative Associate leads and provides guidance to OCHA Offices in Ukraine administrative staff, fostering effective collaboration within the teams, with relevant OCHA and UNDP counterparts at headquarters and in the field, and with other UN agencies, promoting a client-oriented approach and ensuring optimal performance and efficient delivery of services.

Duties and Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Administrative Associate will be responsible for the following duties:

Provide efficient support to the Travel management of OCHA offices in Ukraine:

• Ensure full compliance of operations with UNS/OCHA travel related regulations and policies, effective implementation of corporate operational strategies, achievement of management targets, monitoring, and reporting of results.
• Facilitate travel and related activities of staff within the country, external travels in collaboration with other colleagues responsible for travel-related processes.
• Serve as Travel Administrator in Umoja for national staff.
• Ensure timely submission of Travel requests and Expense reports in Umoja on behalf of the staff.
• Assist in purchasing train and air tickets from authorized contractors.
• Monitor proper receipt of invoices for travel services.
• Liaise with UNDP CO (Finance unit) to ensure provision of all OCHA travel related reimbursements are processed efficiently and timely.
• Facilitating knowledge sharing and capacity building in travel and general administrative operations, supporting the enhancement of OCHA’s best practices.
• Provide guidance, training and supervision to OCHA staff in the travel module when necessary.
• Engage in frequent coordination with service units and maintain regular communication with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field locations.

Support with Human Resources Management: 

• Oversee the quality assurance of records and reports, ensuring alignment with UN regulations, UNDP policies, and internal control frameworks to uphold organizational accountability and compliance.
• Advise management and staff on the interpretation and application of strategies, rules, and regulatory frameworks, serving as a key resource for policy guidance.
• Lead the development and coordination of the office-wide Learning Plan and individual staff learning strategies, in close collaboration with Senior Management and Learning Managers to support capacity-building priorities.
• Maintain administrative processes and provide advice to staff on travel, visa issuance, and accreditation, ensuring timely coordination with UNDP and UN RC offices and adherence to protocol requirements.

General Administration:

• Lead planning and coordination of high-level meetings, workshops, and official events, serving as the primary liaison for all administrative and logistical arrangements.
• Provide strategic administrative support to the Head of Office (HoO) and Deputy Head of Office (DHoO), including acting as a secretary back-up during their absence or peak operational periods.
• Oversee the management and integrity of the office’s filing systems (both digital and physical), ensuring secure handling and confidentiality of sensitive documentation.

Performs other related administrative duties, as required.

Impact of Results: 

Independently applies extensive administrative knowledge and experience across a wide range of human resources and administrative/logistics tasks of the Department/Unit.  Effectively manages and supervises general service staff.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN's values and ethical standards.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional Competencies: 

• Professionalism: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations.  Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Able to perform analysis, modelling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making.
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• University Degree in Public or Business Administration, Social Sciences, Economics, Finance or any other related fields is desirable, but not a requirement.

Experience:

• A minimum of seven (7) years (with secondary education) or four (4) years (with Bachelor degree) of relevant experience in administration, human resources, office management or programme support service or related area is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (Windows, MS Word, Excel, internet/Web, etc.) is required. 
• Good knowledge of Administration/Operations is required.
• Certification in administration is desirable. 
• Experience in using UN ERP system (Umoja) in travel and Logistics is highly desirable.
• Experience working with the UN or other international organizations is an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English and Ukrainian (written and spoken) is required.
• Fluency in other UN languages is an asset.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNOCHA values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNOCHA is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNOCHA does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Probation

For all new UNOCHA fixed term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNOCHA under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.

Right to select multiple candidates

UNOCHA reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNOCHA at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Scam alert

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