Senior Office Assistant

The Field Offices fall under the overall responsibility of the Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO), of the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO). The Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations (GLO), headed by a Managing Director, is responsible for UNIDO's relations with Member States and all external partners, including through the policymaking organs. It plays a central role for interaction and collaboration with traditional and non-traditional donors; oversees the regional bureaus as well as the network of established field offices, liaison offices and Investment and Technology Promotion Offices; and supports the implementation of particularly complex projects, programmes and special assignments, thus also fulfilling an important role in safeguarding their quality and the reputation of the Organization.

The Division of Regional Bureaus and Field Coordination (GLO/RFO) coordinates the field representation and interventions of UNIDO in Member States and regions. Within this context, the Division is responsible for determining programmatic priorities for UNIDO's services and ensuring that UNIDO responds to the specific needs and requirements of Member States and development partners at the country and regional levels. It facilitates the development of regional strategies, country programmes (including Programmes for Country Partnership - PCPs) and monitors their implementation. The Division encompasses all the UNIDO field offices and the five Regional Bureaus: Africa (GLO/RFO/AFR), also hosting the IDDA III Secretariat; the Arab Region (GLO/RFO/ARB); Asia and the Pacific (GLO/RFO/ASP); Europe and Central Asia (GLO/RFO/EUR); and Latin American and the Caribbean (GLO/RFO/LAC).

The Field Offices are responsible for representing UNIDO in their host country, countries of coverage, as applicable and for maintaining close relations with all relevant stakeholders. They are responsible for identifying development priorities and donors’ technical and funding priorities in the host country, countries of coverage, and for supporting, and/or leading when requested, the formulation, implementation and monitoring of technical cooperation projects and programmes, including the Programmes for Country Partnership (PCPs) and the Country Programmes (CPs). The Field Offices are also responsible for coordinating and reporting on UNIDO’s activities in their host country, countries of coverage, as applicable and for contributing to the development, operationalization and promotion of regional and sub-regional strategies and policies to ensure the strategic and programmatic consistency of UNIDO’s work, including of its cooperation with and contributions to the United Nations Resident Coordinator Offices (UNRCs)/United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs)/Common Country Assessments (CCAs)/United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs).

The UNIDO Sub-Regional Office Nigeria is part of the Africa Regional Coordination Division and is responsible for UNIDO activities in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, and Ghana.

At the G6 level the incumbent is expected to perform highly independent and specialised processes focusing on specialised service delivery and support services within the organizational environment and team.  The incumbent’s interventions result in process integrity.

The UNIDO Staff Performance Management System reinforces collaboration within formal units as well as among cross-functional teams. In this context, the incumbent collaborates with his/her team and colleagues, within as well as outside the unit. Within the formal teams, the incumbent may be expected to backstop other team members as required

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the UNIDO Representative, the Senior Office Assistant provides administrative support to the country office and be responsible for the following key functions:

• Screen and prioritize incoming correspondence and requests; draft replies or prepare actions for the UR’s or supervisor’s signature on non-technical matters, ensuring accurate background and project-related information is provided; track pending actions and follow up with internal and external counterparts to meet deadlines.
• Draft, format, proofread and finalize routine and non-routine correspondence, reports and official communications related to administrative and Technical Cooperation matters, ensuring compliance with the UNIDO Correspondence Manual and established style standards.
• Respond to complex information requests and inquiries within own area of responsibility and appropriately refer matters requiring specialized or technical input to relevant officers.
• Assist in the preparation of reports, papers and presentations by compiling, extracting and summarizing data and statistics; conduct computer-based searches and compile background information to support project identification, formulation and reporting.
• Provide comprehensive administrative and financial support to Technical Cooperation activities, including maintaining records of programme and project portfolios under implementation, supporting evaluation missions, and organizing workshops, meetings and other events.
• Monitor and manage operating costs and project-related expenditures, including processing payments through the Imprest Account; perform actions related to procurement, liaise with local suppliers, monitor petty cash transactions, and support the recruitment of local support staff, in accordance with UNIDO rules and procedures.
• Using SAP, initiate, process and follow up on actions related to recruitment, consultants and experts, training and study tours, procurement of goods and services, travel authorizations and claims, and payments; respond to related queries and ensure timely completion of transactions.
• Support the Representative and Project Managers in monitoring financial resources and budget utilization, and in the execution of administrative, personnel, procurement, financial and travel actions using SAP Project Portfolio Management (PPM).
• Contribute to UN coordination initiatives by liaising with UN Country Teams, other UN agencies and relevant inter-agency mechanisms (e.g. Security, Operations Management Teams), as required.
• Manage office assets and supplies, including maintaining inventories of office and ICT equipment within the allocated budget, and ensuring their efficient utilization to support smooth office operations.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date filing systems and databases (both electronic and paper-based) to support effective information management and audit readiness.
• Support the onboarding of newly hired colleagues by providing briefings and on-the-job training on administrative procedures, office workflows and communication standards.
• Carry out ad hoc assignments and research activities, and perform other related duties as required by the UR.

Core Values:

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Completed higher secondary education, high school diploma or equivalent is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is desirable.

Technical and Functional Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of relevant working experience in providing support to managerial/professional staff and using administrative skills is required. Candidates holding a first‑level university degree or higher must have at least five (5) years of relevant work experience.
• Experience in office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, is required.
• Experience/proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, is required.
• Demonstrated experience in interpreting and applying relevant rules, regulations and policies within an organizational context is desirable.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.

Language Skills:

Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish are required.  Fluency in or working knowledge of other official language (s) of the United Nations is desirable.