Background:
UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.
The Civil Society Division (CSD) at UN Women leads the organization’s engagement with civil society organizations, feminist movements, and other stakeholders, with a focus on building and nurturing strategic, intersectional, and intergenerational partnerships that are essential for advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. The Division plays a central role in ensuring meaningful civil society participation in UN Women normative, programmatic, and coordination work, including global processes and intergovernmental engagements.
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Deputy Director, Civil Society Division, and in close collaboration with the Director of CSD and the Administrative and Finance Assistant, the Administrative Assistant provides comprehensive executive, administrative, and operational support to ensure the efficient functioning of the Director’s Office and the Division. The position supports effective decision-making, coordination, communication, and follow-up across CSD and with internal and external stakeholders.
The Administration Assistant works in close collaboration with CSD staff, other UN Women divisions, UN system partners, consultants, interns, and external stakeholders to ensure smooth information flow, timely action on priorities, and effective support to senior management engagements and divisional operations. Note that the Administrative Assistant is expected to be home-based and work according to New York, USA time zone (Eastern Daylight Time) hours.
Scope of Work :
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Executive and Front-Office Support
• Provide seamless executive and administrative support to the Director of the Civil Society Division, enabling effective leadership, continuity of operations, and timely follow-up on strategic priorities.
• Manage the Director’s calendar, schedule meetings, and coordinate appointments with internal and external stakeholders.
• Track key action points, deadlines, and decisions, and follow up to ensure timely completion. -
Administrative and Operational Support to the Division
• Support the coordination of divisional operations, including administrative processes, documentation, and record-keeping in line with UN Women policies and procedures.
• Maintain organized and up-to-date filing systems, including electronic records and shared folders (e.g. SharePoint), ensuring confidentiality and ease of access.
• Provide backstopping support to administrative and operational functions as needed to ensure timely and effective implementation of divisional activities.
3. Meetings, Events & Logistics Coordination
• Coordinate and support the organization of meetings, workshops, and events related to the Director’s representation and participation, including scheduling, logistics, and preparation of background materials.
• Manage logistics for meetings, including booking conference rooms, arranging catering, coordinating access to UN premises, and liaising with relevant service providers.
• Support procurement-related processes linked to meetings and events, in coordination with the operations team
4. Travel Coordination and Management
• Support travel arrangements and travel management for the Director and other designated colleagues, including itineraries, travel requests, and coordination with relevant units.
• Process and support visa requests for official travel, as required.
• Provide administrative support to travel related to the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and contribute to the standardization of travel procedures in collaboration with the operations team.
5. Communication, Information Flow and Coordination
• Ensure effective, confidential, and timely communication and information flow between the Civil Society Division, senior management, internal units, and external partners.
• Manage correspondence, prioritize incoming requests, draft routine communications, and support internal dissemination of information.
• Respond to queries or redirect them to appropriate units, ensuring timely follow-up and feedback to stakeholders.
6. Support to HR and Knowledge Management Processes
• Provide administrative support to consultant and intern recruitment processes, including coordination, documentation, and contract-related administrative steps, in line with UN Women procedures.
• Support knowledge management by maintaining records, tracking deliverables, and facilitating access to key documents and information within the Division.
7. The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.
Competencies :
Core Values:
- Integrity;
- Professionalism;
- Respect for Diversity.
Core Competencies:
- Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
- Accountability;
- Creative Problem Solving;
- Effective Communication;
- Inclusive Collaboration;
- Stakeholder Engagement;
- Leading by Example.
Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework:
Functional Competencies:
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Strong interpersonal and coordination skills
- Proactive problem-solving mindset
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to manage competing priorities under pressure
- Technical skills in administrative processes and transactions.
- Discretion in handling confidential information
Recruitment Qualifications:
Education:
- Completion of secondary education is required.
- A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, or a related field is an asset.
Experience:
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in administrative, executive, or operational support functions, preferably within the UN system or an international organization is required.
• Experience in managing senior-level calendars, meeting logistics, and administrative workflows is required
• Experience in the use of a modern web-based ERP system, preferably Oracle Cloud, is required.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
• Experience supporting senior management offices within an international organization or the UN system is desirable.
Languages:
• Fluency in English is required.
• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).
Statements :
In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.
Diversity and inclusion:
At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.
If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.
UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)
Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.