Administrative Associate

OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together Humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies.  OCHA’s mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies.

The Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) was established in 2006 to allow the international and national humanitarian communities to address increasing humanitarian needs in Sudan through the transparent and accountable management of significant humanitarian funds.

The Humanitarian Financing Section (HFS) is one of four sections of OCHA Sudan and has overall responsibility for the management of the SHF and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). In 2020 OCHA will assume the role of Management Agent for the SHF from UNDP.

The HFS team works in four main areas:

(a) managing the day-to-day SHF allocation process in support of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC), including to ensure transparency, inclusiveness and accountability with humanitarian partners in the selection and recommendation of funding priorities to the HC;

(b) providing secretariat services to the CHF Advisory Board in support of the HC;

(c) donor relations and resources mobilization with SHF and bilateral donors to strengthen humanitarian financing across Sudan; and 

(d) supporting humanitarian partners in formulating CERF requests and liaison with OCHA CERF headquarters in New York.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Finance Officer, the Administrative Associate works in close collaboration with the Operations and Programme staff in the CO to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

Summary of Key Functions:

• Implementation of operational strategies
• Preparation of Project Partnership Agreements/Responsible Party Agreements Support to supply and assets management
• Effective administrative of GMS Data Update and Maintenance
• Effective Documentation and Archiving System
• Support to the CO Operations and Administrative processes

1. Ensures implementation of operational strategies, focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNOCHA rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
• Support to the CO administrative business processes mapping and elaboration of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Preparation of administrative team results-oriented workplans.
• Elaboration of proposals and implementation of cost saving and reduction strategies in consultations with office management.

2. Ensure proper preparation of Project Partnership Agreements/Responsible Party Agreements:

• Prepare contracts for partners, extracting data from Grant Management System (GMS).
• Prepare Project Partnership Agreements/Responsible Party Agreements for Partners. 
• Prepare accompanying cover letters and arrange delivery of contracts to partners.
• Track delivery of contracts and return receipt of contracts and payment requests.
• Input all delivery and tracking data into GMS.
• Extracting information from GMS.

3. Ensure effective administration GMS Data Update and Maintenance:

• Ensure that all partner financial data is captured in the GMS.
• Train partners on GMS changes as needed.

4. Ensure proper Documentation and Archiving system:

• Establish and maintain a comprehensive filing system.
• Confirm SHF finance and monitoring & reporting documents are filed hard-copy and electronically.
• Review files regularly to ensure they are complete and correctly classified.
• Perform monthly confirmation of files against transactions.

5. Ensure the proper support of the CO general Operations and Administrative processes:

• Confirm that HFS contact information is accurate and regularly updated.
• Support in preparation of training materials for partners.
• Coordinate administrative services for workshops, training, and meetings including arranging venue.
• Process procurement requests/service requests.
• Maintain procurement registry of phones, laptops, and office equipment.
• Ensure that printers and other office equipment functions properly, request maintenance support as needed.
• Maintain HFS attendance records and leave plan.
• Logistic support for the field monitoring missions. 
• Any other tasks as assigned by Supervisor

Core

Innovation

Ability to make new and useful ideas work: Adept with complex concepts and challenges convention purposefully.

Leadership

Ability to persuade others to follow: Proactively seeks and recognizes contributions of others.

People Management

Ability to improve performance and satisfaction: Appropriately involves team in different stages of work and decision-making.

Communication

Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform: Expresses information and views with adaptive reasoning and appreciation for complexity and variation.

Delivery

Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement: Takes responsibility for addressing critical situations and delivering core value.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates commitment to UNOCHA’s mission, vision and values.

• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies

Professionalism:

Ability of work under extreme pressure and multi task, on occasion in highly stressful environment and demonstrated ability to formulate conclusions/recommendations.

Client orientation

Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion; Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs.

Communications

Ability to convey complex concepts and recommendations to staff at senior levels.

Teamwork:

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Education:

• Secondary education with specialized certification in Administration
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Public Administration or Economic would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• 7 years with Secondary education, or 4 years with Bachelor's degree of progressively responsible project or programme administrative management experience is required.
• Experience and knowledge of accounting system, procurement, and human resources management is desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and experience in handling of computer-based record management systems.
• Solid experience with the UN and INGOs working in Sudan is essential.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in both oral and written English and Arabic.

• UNOCHA is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

• Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply.

• UNOCHA does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.