Administrative Assistant

Under the guidance and supervision of the Procurement Officer, the Administrative Assistant provides support to office operations performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Administrative Assistant may take routine decisions on administrative processes based on clearly established guidelines. In performing her/his work, the Administrative Assistant promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach.

The Administrative Assistant works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects staff in the Panama Project Center. Operations or Project Centre, as well as with staff of other UN agencies to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

Summary of Key Functions: 

• Support to effective and efficient functioning of the office/department/unit/Projects
• Support to administrative and logistical services for Projects
• Support with respect to protocol issues and requests for official documentation
• Support to office maintenance and assets management
• Support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing

1.    Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the projects, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Contacts with visitors and staff, arrangement of appointments and meetings, acting as an interpreter when required and/or taking minutes.
• Compilation and preparation of briefing and presentation materials, speeches, background information and documentation for meetings and missions.
• Maintenance of hard copy and electronic files, reference materials and confidential records as required
• Collaboration in the preparation of the administrative budget plan for the projects
• Review and monitoring of expenditures against the administrative budget for the office, bringing to the attention of the supervisor any problem or discrepancy that warrants further review.
• Petty cash management
• Preparation of travel authorization for staff members
• Translation of simple correspondences, when needed.

2.    Ensures effective administrative and logistical support for the projects, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Organization of shipments, customs clearance arrangements, preparation of documents for UNOPS shipments (received/sent), Preparation of all necessary documentation, implementation of follow-up actions
• Administrative assistance to Procurement Officer.
• Creation and Administration of Vendors and Suppliers in OU system, preparation of POs for travel activities, payments, contracts.

• Support to organization of procurement processes including preparation of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs documents, receipt of quotations, bids or proposals, their preliminary evaluation.

• Arrangements of travel and hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations, processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents.
• Administrative and Logistic support to conferences, workshops, retreats.
• Collection of information for DSA, travel agencies and other administrative surveys, support to organization of common services.
• Arrangement of vehicle transportation, regular vehicle maintenance and insurance.
• Checking and recording of vehicle daily log and gas consumption, update and maintenance of vehicle history report.
• Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution. 
• Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials.
• Extraction of data from various sources.
• Research and retrieval of statistical data from internal and external sources; preparation of statistical charts, tables and reports.
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to head of unit.
• Assistance in the preparation of budget, provision of information for audit.

3.    Provides support with respect to protocol issues and requests for official documentation, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Arrangements with UN departments for official documentation to be provided for import/export or transfer of goods
• Establishment and maintenance of efficient working relationship with government ministries.
• Provision of accurate and comprehensive information to staff on the supporting documents needed by staff and his/her dependents, and import/export or transfer of goods; updated list of the required documents made available to each staff member/unit
• Individual monitoring sheet to track the status of submitted documentation for each staff member and dependents, ensuring that official documentation matches the announced schedule
• Accurate information provided to individual/unit upon request on administrative steps required and the status of his/her project file,
• Accurate and timely information on processes and pending issues to the concerned individuals/unit

4.    Provides support to office maintenance and assets management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Administration and custody of office assets,
• Maintenance of records on assets management, preparation of reports.
• Maintenance of files and records relevant to office maintenance
• Provision of support to maintenance of common premises and common services

5.    Provides support to knowledge building and knowledge sharing, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Participation in the trainings for the programme, operations and projects staff on administration.
• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

 Monitoring and Progress Controls

Annual PER

Education 

• A minimum of Secondary School Diploma is required.
• A first level degree (Bachelors or equivalent) preferably Business Administration, Public Administration or other related fields will be considered valuable and may replace some years of experience required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five (5) years of experience providing administration and/or finance support, including budget analysis
• Experience organizing travels and events (desirable)
• Previous UN experience will be an advantage.

 Languages

• Fluency in written and oral Spanish and English

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement 
Contract level: LICA 5

Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

Work life harmonization: UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time. 18:00 hours Panamá
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.