Administration Senior Assistant

Background Information - Ghana Multi Country Office (GMCO)

GMCO is responsible for managing strategic and operational risks associated with a subset of the regional portfolio of engagements, developing and delivering cost effective services contributing to partners’ sustainable results and achievements of UNOPS management results.

• Liaise and develop engagements, and deliver services responding to partner needs.
• Leverage advice and integrate delivery modalities of the three Delivery Practices and the Global Partner Service Office.
• Maintain appropriate arrangements and capacity for direct transactional support for delivery of the sub-regional portfolio.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners' peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.  UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

UNOPS Gambia Country Office currently has two main projects – the EU funded Feeder Roads project and AfDB funded Sustainable Urban Development project – and is in the process of expanding its area of engagement in cooperation with its development partners, focusing on projects and programmes in infrastructure, governance, procurement. UNOPS has also recently signed a Host Country Agreement with the Government of The Gambia and hence there is anticipated to be an increase in administrative demands on the CO. With a growing Country Programme in support of public sector institutions and stakeholders, there is a need to expand our administration capabilities.

1. Administrative Support

2. Travel and Logistics

3. Office Inventory(consumables), and Supply Management, Custodial, Common Premises

4. Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing

• Follows up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to the head of unit.

• Provides administrative support to the office of the Country Manager, working in concert with other colleagues in related functions.

• Provides administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats.

• Compiles information for periodic audits. 

• Petty cash management.

• Any other reasonable duties that may be requested.

• Processes travel transactions (authorizations and claims) including in OneUNOPS system, requests for visas, identity cards and other documents for all personnel, UN officials, and visitors, ensuring compliance with UN rules and regulations.

• Provides information on air services, rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries.  Processes travel claims in OneUNOPS and purchase orders for travel activities, payments, and contracts.

• Organizes shipments, customs clearance arrangements, preparation of documents for UNOPS shipments (received/sent), all necessary documentation, and implementation of follow-up actions

• Prepares documentation for security clearances, processes hotel reservations, organizes airport pickups, hospitality, protocol, customs and immigration support for visiting officials as necessary

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

• Punctual delivery of official protocol certificates; arrangements with UN departments for all issues related to official documentation to be provided to/from international staff, such as visa requirements, work permit, security requirements, health, etc.

• 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 dependants, 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 dependants, 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 

• May supervise transportation services including client service, regular vehicle maintenance, insurance, and monitoring of consumption.

• Promptly reports and investigates vehicle accidents, damage, loss or theft of items; update and maintenance of vehicle history report.

• Supervises external contractors for transportation services, including client service and processing of invoices.

• Conducts physical inventory checks, drafting periodic inventory. 

• Acts as a 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.  

• Conducts and reports on surveys of office maintenance needs as well as client satisfaction

• Collects information for administrative surveys in support to the organization of common services

• Supports the organization and delivery of training and learning initiatives for personnel on Administration-related topics.

• Provides sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice by synthesizing of lessons learnt and dissemination of best practices in Administration.

• Contributes feedback, ideas, and internal knowledge about processes and best practices and utilize productively

• Maintains unit’s documentation including records and files, ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials

A.  Education

• A minimum of a high school diploma is required. .

• A Bachelor's Degree in  Business Administration, Public Administration will be considered an asset.

• In the absence of a degree, administration certification will be considered an  asset

B. Work Experience 

• Experience in use of Enterprise systems is desirable.

• Minimum of five years of relevant experience in general administrative, or operations’ support services in national or international public or corporate organizations.

• Experience dealing with high level officials and events; some experience in UN system organizations is desirable.

• Proficiency in computers and office software packages (Google Suite) and experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.

D. Additional Requirements:

• Familiarity with Google Suite (Google Docs, Google Sheets) is highly desirable.

• Contract type: Local Individual Contract Agreement 
• Contract level: LICA 5/ ICS 5
• Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – ‘Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.’

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• 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.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• 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
• Banjul is a Family Duty Station
• 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.

Africa Region

AFR helps ensure that projects are executed to the highest standards, providing a shared knowledge base and ensuring that best practices and lessons learned are disseminated between projects across the entire region.