Administrative Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Operational Support was established to provide operational advisory services to operating entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices away from headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions. The Office of Supply Chain Management encompasses the Logistics Division, the Procurement Division, the Uniformed Capabilities Support Division, Aviation Safety Section and the Enabling and Outreach Service. The mandate of the Procurement Division is to provide responsive, effective, and quality expert procurement services and business advice to United Nations (UN) Headquarters, field missions, and other UN organizations, while achieving best value for money, ensuring a competitive, fair and transparent process in accordance with established regulations, rules and procedures.

This position is located in the Office of the Director, Procurement Division (PD), Office of Supply Chain Management (OSCM), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The Administrative Assistant reports to the Director for PD.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Human Resources Management
•Initiates, reviews, processes and follows-up on actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment of staff and consultants, placement, promotion, relocation, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training, onboarding, offboarding etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.
•Oversees the maintenance of vacancy announcement files and keeps track of status of vacancy announcements.
•Monitors staffing table and prepare relevant statistical data/charts.

Budget and Finance
•Assists in the preparation and review of financial and human resource proposals/requirements. Consolidates budget/work programme with respect to Headquarters’ budget, trust funds, grants and procurement.
•Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary.
•Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
•Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures
•Prepares or customizes financial reports from relevant system(s).
•Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.

General Administration
•Drafts routine correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant administrative, financial audit, personnel matters.
•Maintains relevant internal databases and files; keeps track of any contractual agreements, direct provisioning contracts, etc. and informs affected users of contractual rights and obligations.
Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field to support manager(s) in presentations to intergovernmental bodies and other meetings, researching issues, preparing briefing notes, slides and subject files, gathering relevant documentation, etc.
•Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., operational travel programme; managing priorities and work flow of the Director; scheduling on behalf of the Director with appropriate consultation as required; effectively prioritizing and resolving related conflicts and competing demands; screening and prioritizing all incoming/outgoing correspondence; compiling relevant background documents and references; identifying issues requiring the Director’s attention and referring others to relevant officer for appropriate disposition; monitoring and follows-up on actions to be taken;
•On behalf of the Director, keeps others informed by conveying directives, reports, status updates and other relevant information; brings sensitive and urgent matters to the attention of the Director; undertakes representational duties on behalf of the Director, including serving as first point of contact and liaison with senior officials internally and externally; monitors accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services; physical space planning; identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems; organizes and coordinates seminars, conferences and translations).
•Independently handles a wide range of complex information requests and inquiries (e.g. answer requests requiring file or other research); responds, or drafts responses, to a diverse range of correspondence and other communications.
•Supports the Office of the Director in the gathering of information/documentation to respond to audit requests and prepares draft responses accordingly.

Contract Administration
•Assists with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for outsourced services.
•Audits the contractors' invoices against the goods and services provided by the contractor and approved by the UN.
•Processes the payment of contractors' invoices and monitor payments.
•Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff, including: UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, swipe-card access and door keys.

Competencies

•PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations.Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

•PLANNING AND ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.

•CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources or related area is required.
Experience in an ERP system such as SAP, Umoja or similar applications is desirable.
Experience in a procurement unit or procurement support unit is desirable.
Experience in handling confidential and sensitive information is desirable.
Experience in staff recruitment is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test [in English] at the United Nations headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International criminal tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.