Administrative Assistant

Organizational context

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to eradicating rural poverty and hunger. It does so by investing in rural people. IFAD finances programmes and projects that increase agricultural productivity and raise rural incomes, and  advocates at the local, national and international level for policies that contribute to rural transformation.

Post's organizational accountability

Under the supervision of a more senior Administrative Assistant, Administrative Associate or a senior professional or a professional staff member, the incumbent is accountable for operational support and clerical services to assist in the smooth running of the office to which assigned. The accountabilities/key results expected are:

1.   Operational Support

2.   Secretarial Support

3.   Managerial Functions

Key results expected / Major functional activities

1. OPERATIONAL SUPPORT: The Administrative Assistant supports the supervisor in the provision of operational and administrative assistance. Accountabilities typically include: ERP data entry and reporting activities as originator; maintaining correspondence logs for incoming and outgoing correspondence; distributing incoming correspondence, reports and other materials; receiving telephone calls and visitors, referring them to the appropriate source or reply to basic inquiries; making travel arrangements; preparing periodic reports, extracting information and preparing statistical tables on request maintaining the office filing and reference systems, both traditional and digital; uploading content to inter/intra-net websites.

2. SECERETARIAL SUPPORT: Administrative Assistants at this level provide the full range of office support to the office staff. Accountabilities typically include: typing and/or formatting a variety of material in draft or final form including correspondence, reports, official documents, charts and graphs; drafting routine correspondence; preparing briefing materials for official trips or meetings as requested; proofreading all outgoing correspondence and official documents for grammatical accuracy and formatting and assuring all attachments are included; reviewing supporting documents for processing a variety of administration actions/requests; may make informal translations of correspondence.

3. MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: The Administrative Assistant is accountable for integrity, transparency, and equity in the personal use of assigned IFAD resources, including equipment, and supplies.

Impact of Key results / Key performance indicators

Administrative Assistants at the GS-3 level typically report to a higher-level Assistant or Associate and in some cases to a professional staff member. The work is standard in nature; there are no specialized administrative activities that would require formal training performed on a regular and recurring basis.   Key performance indicators include the timely, complete and accurate performance of assigned activities. S/He brings any inconsistencies or discrepancies to the attention of the supervisor or responsible specialist.

Representation / Work relationships

Administrative Assistants at the GS-3 level typically are accountable for the exchange of routine information with counterparts within IFAD. Routine exchange of information within the Fund includes arranging travel, procurement and information technology support. Typical contacts within the division, office or department as well as external contacts consist of responding to basic inquiries.

Competencies

Organizational

• Strategic thinking and organizational development: Personal influence
• Demonstrating Leadership: Personal leadership and attitude to change
• Learning, sharing knowledge and innovating: Continuously seeks to learn, shares knowledge and innovates
• Focusing on clients: Focuses on clients
• Problem solving and decision making: Demonstrates sound problem solving and decision making ability
• Managing time, resources and information: Manages own time, information and resources effectively
• Team Work: Contributes effectively to the team
• Communicating and negotiating: Communicates effectively: creates understanding between self and others
• Building relationships and partnerships: Builds and maintains effective working relationships

Technical/Functional

• Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other IFAD software such as Peoplesoft and Sharepoint; knowledge of integrated management information systems an asset.
• Ability to handle a large volume of work accurately under time pressure.
• Ability to maintain accurate and precise records.
• Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with visitors; ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Good drafting skills, including grammar and spelling.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural background.
• Ability to work in a team environment to achieve common goals.

Minimum recruitment qualifications

Education:

• High school diploma is required.

Experience:

• Minimum of (2) years of progressively relevant experience is required. Experience in general office and/or clerical experience is highly desirable.

Language requirements:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Working knowledge of another official language (Arabic, French, or Spanish) is desirable.

Other information

Applicants should note that IFAD staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the President of IFAD, and they may be assigned by him/her to any of the activities of IFAD, including field assignments and/or rotation within IFAD.

In the interest of making most cost effective use of funds and resources, we are only able to respond to applicants who are short-listed for interview. Candidates who do not receive any feedback within three months should consider their application unsuccessful

Candidates may be required to take a written test and to deliver a presentation as well as participate in interviews.