OFFICE ASSISTANT

Under the overall authority of the Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Public Information (ADG/ERI) and Director of Division of Member States ans Partners (DIR/ERI/MSP) and the direct supervision of the Senior Desk Officer, the incumbent is responsible for providing programme and administrative support services. In particular, the incumbent will\:

• Make research, collect and organize information, data and documentation from different sources (Internet, office files, records, etc.) for the supervisor’s concept note and reports; prepare summaries and statements and provide support on the preparation of briefings and documents, including for the Director General’s official travels.
• Receive, register, analyse incoming correspondence/ documents, and determine their importance and priority; monitor deadlines for actions or reply; follow-up on the preparation of correspondence, reports, briefing notes and other documents. 
• Receive telephone calls/general inbox and visitors; respond to inquiries and information requests.
• Draft correspondence and memoranda, answer to requests for information on programme and activities; review correspondence/documents prepared in English and/or in French to ensure conformity to internal standard practices and protocol, make or recommend changes to format, style, spelling or grammar. Do informal translation of documents.
• Prepare, process, verify various documents for the Desk (e.g. briefs, reports, contracts, budget, workplans and individual entries insister); prepare draft contracts and enter contract details in SAP; verify invoices against contract terms and conditions and prepares contract modifications and requests.
• Establish, maintain and update Desk’s filing systems (paper and electronic), databases, and other manual and computerized information and reference and retrieval systems according to UNESCO’s rules.
• Assist in the organization of meetings and missions, by making travel/mission arrangements and associated reservations, maintaining and updating lists, preparing correspondence and assembling documents. Provide other administrative support by initiating and following up transactions in automated systems (e.g. enter contract details, run reports, create local orders etc.). 

EDUCATION

• Completed secondary education and/or vocational education.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in secretarial or administrative tasks in an international environment/organization/institution.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including good drafting skills in English and/or French.
• Ability to draft correspondence and correct documents.
• Good organizational and coordination skills.
• Discretion and capacity to deal efficiently and tactfully with people of different cultural backgrounds.
• Diplomacy and politeness in dealing with various organizations and individuals requesting information.
• Flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities. Capacity to work effectively under pressure.
• Good computer skills, proficiency in the use of MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc.).

LANGUAGES

• Excellent knowledge of English or French and good knowledge of the other language.

EDUCATION

• General secretarial and/or administrative training.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Working experience in similar function within UN system.

LANGUAGES

• Good knowledge of another official UNESCO language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish).