Director, Administration

This position is located in the Division of Administration (DA) in the Department of Operational Support (DOS) at United Nations Headquarters. The Division of Administration delivers administrative support functions, provides facilities management and commercial services for offices, departments and client entities of the United Nations Secretariat, New York. In addition, the Division manages commercial insurance policies for the Organization. The Division is also responsible for the Secretariat payroll as well as accounts payable and tax unit tasks. It consists of the Common Administrative Platform (CAP) referred to as One Executive Office (OneEO), the Facilities and Commercial Activities Service (FCAS), Commercial and Insurance Section (CIS) and the Financial Operations Service (FOS). The Director of Administration directly reports to the Under-Secretary-General (USG) of the Department of Operational Support.

Within limits of delegated authority, the Director will be responsible for the following duties: • Under the direct supervision of the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, the incumbent contributes to the formulation of the department’s strategic vision, overall strategies and policies by participating in various committees, preparing documents on policy issues, providing programmatic advice and acting, as required, in an advisory capacity to the USG. • Oversees and provides executive direction, management, coordination for the efficient functioning of the Division of Administration and its constituent elements ensuring that programmed activities are carried out efficiently and effectively. • Provides leadership to the development of innovative and/or change management programmes in the Division of Administration. • Formulates and implements the substantive work programme of the Division under their supervision, determining priorities, and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery. • Oversees the management of activities undertaken by the Division, ensuring that programmed activities are carried out in a timely fashion and co-ordinates work in the different areas both within the Division and within the Department of Operational Support, and with other organizations of the United Nations System, donors and agencies as appropriate. • Co-ordinates and oversees the preparation of reports for presentation to legislative bodies such as the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budget Questions (ACABQ), and the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC), and other policy-making organs, as appropriate. • Co-ordinates and oversees policy proposals and reports to intergovernmental bodies as appropriate. • Interacts with oversight bodies such as the Board of Auditors (BoA), the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and the Independent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC) on matters under their purview. • Ensures a high standard of output is produced by the Division of Administration and that reports are clear, objective and based on comprehensive data. Ensures that all output produced by the Division under their supervision meet required standards before completion to ensure they comply with the relevant mandates. • Undertakes or oversees the programmatic/administrative tasks necessary for the functioning of the Division, including preparation of budgets, assigning and monitoring of performance parameters and critical indicators, reporting on budget/programme performance, preparation of inputs for results-based budgeting, evaluation of staff performance and assessment of candidates for job openings. • Oversees the recruitment, management and evaluation of staff for the Division of Administration taking due account of the geographical and gender balance and other institutional values. • Manages, guides, develops and trains staff under their supervision; foster teamwork and communication among staff in the Division of Administration and across organizational boundaries. • Chairs meetings, seminars, etc., on substantive issues; represents the Organization at international, regional, inter-agency meetings, seminars and conferences; provides programmatic/substantive expertise on issues or holds programmatic/substantive and organizational discussions with representatives of other institutions. • Maintains productive and cooperative relations with counterparts in the host country on matters relating to the United Nations presence in New York and covering the United Nations compound and areas under the Department’s operation. • Perform other related duties as requested by the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support.

• Professionalism: Has proven managerial and conceptual skills. Has expert knowledge of the substantive field of work in general and of specific areas being supervised. Shows ability to apply United Nations rules, regulations, policies and guidelines 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. • 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 with 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. • Leadership: Serves as a role model that other people want to follow. Empowers others to translate vision into results. Is proactive in developing strategies to accomplish objectives. Establishes and maintains relationships with a broad range of people to understand needs and gain support. Anticipates and resolves conflicts by pursuing mutually agreeable solutions. Drives for change and improvement; does not accept the status quo. Shows the courage to take unpopular stands. Provides leadership and takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work; demonstrates knowledge of strategies and commitment to the goal of gender balance in staffing. • Judgement/decision making: Identifies the key issues in a complex situation and comes to the heart of the problem quickly. Gathers relevant information before making a decision. Considers positive and negative impacts of decisions prior to making them. Takes decisions with an eye to the impact on others and on the Organization. Proposes a course of action or makes a recommendation based on all available information. Checks assumptions against facts. Determines that the actions proposed will satisfy the expressed and underlying needs for the decision. Makes tough decisions when necessary.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in business or public administration, finance, accounting, law, social sciences or related area. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Not available.

A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience in administration, financial management, human resources management, general/operational support services, facilities and property management, logistics, budget or related field is required. At least five (5) years of experience providing technical leadership and managing large work units of diverse teams in two or more of the above administrative areas is required. Experience leading significant change management, business improvement initiatives or innovation projects is required. Experience representing organizations on a broad range of administrative issues at the General Assembly, the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), the Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) or similar intergovernmental bodies is desirable. Experience in senior positions in the United Nations system or similar international organizations overseeing the implementation of administrative policies and procedures is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this job opening, English is required. French is desirable. The table below shows the minimum required level for each skill in these languages, according to the UN Language Framework (please consult

https://languages.un.org

for details).

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Required Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

English

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

UN Level III

Desirable Languages

Language

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

French

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

UN Level II

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. Staff members appointed to the current position are required to submit a financial disclosure statement upon assignment or appointment and annually thereafter. An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 28 February 2026, are strongly encouraged to apply: Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, China (People's Republic of), Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Vanuatu.

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. All external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2 (a) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment without limitation and all external candidates recruited in accordance with section 2.2. (c) of ST/AI/2025/3 for a fixed term appointment limited to the entity are subject to an initial probationary period of one year under a fixed-term appointment. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.