Executive Associate

Emerging and future digital technologies and the opportunities they offer will profoundly improve the lives of those furthest behind. Recognizing this potential, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched an organization-wide digital transformation that will splice digital into its DNA—harnessing its potential to do good for more people, better and faster. UNDP’s 2019-2021 Digital Strategy has created a new UNDP Digital Unit, charged with leading next wave of innovation in sustainable development.

UNDP is the development arm of United Nations.  Present in 170 countries with over 17,000 people, UNDP works on the world’s biggest problems: extreme poverty, climate change, good governance, renewable energy, crisis prevention and women’s empowerment, among others.
We are leveraging the power and agility of digital to propel all people forward, starting with digital initiative development, scaling innovation, and communicating this organizational change internally and externally . To achieve this, we need a team that’s nimble, that’s passionate, that has the technical skills required to help close the digital divide. Are you one of these people? Read more about our digital strategy here.

To bring digital around the globe, we need someone who would rise to the challenge, understands thepossesses, and has ambition for impact. Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Chief Digital Officer (CDO), Executive office  , the Executive Associate ensures effective and efficient functioning of the CDO Function. The Executive Associate provides effective and efficient secretarial and administrative assistance to the CDO in particular, and to the Digital transformation team in general. The Executive Associate must maintain full confidentiality and be aware of high level, senior requests, being able to prioritize appropriately and without guidance.

Provide high-level secretarial support to the Chief Digital Officer

• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the CDO’s office.
• Maintain professional networks (including contact information) of high-ranking visitors and high-level partners.
• Liaise with Bureaux/Divisions on the participation of CDO, or his/her Deputy or representative, in high-level meetings; discusses and obtains agenda and provides support in obtaining background documents and data.
• Collate high-quality briefing and presentation materials for CDO.
• Manages the schedule / calendar for CDO with external and internal parties including visitors from external organizations, other UN agencies, Governments, Permanent Missions to the UN, HQ and country office staff, as well as internal and external meetings, determining priority requirements.
• Undertake all travel arrangements for the CDO and the team and ensures coordination with other travel partners from the internal or external environment (including transportation, accommodation, visa, and travel claims for the CDO team)
• Preparation of high-quality briefing materials for supervisors for appointments, meetings, missions.
• Provide additional support during periods of heavy workload.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned, including providing administrative and secretarial support to the Digital team as required.

Ensure the provision of effective communications support to the CDO front office

• Screen and route all incoming calls of the front office, take messages whenever necessary, and set up outgoing calls as required.
• Screen, route and follow up all incoming and outgoing correspondence, identifying which matters should be brought to the attention of the CDO, with particular emphasis on prioritization and deadlines.
• Support and ensure that the logistical arrangements are taken care of for the CDO meetings and/or meetings and events organized from office of CDO.
• Facilitate information sharing between all staff within the team.

Event coordination for the CDO team

• Liaising with key departments of the UN on all logistical aspects of the event (e.g. venue, catering, etc);
• Liaising with key departments of the UN and other stakeholders to ensure that invitations are dispatched in a timely manner and necessary follow up actions are taken to maintain the list of participants;
• Liaise with the Communications Office for all public relations related aspects of the event;
• Liaise with the UN Protocols department and security office to ensure that the necessary protocols for inviting VIPs are in place and maintained;
• Liaise with necessary parties with regard to the events
• Closely monitor the progress of the preparation and report to the event task team on a regular basis;
• Undertake other relevant tasks that may be assigned by CDO office.

Establish and maintain the Executive office filing system

• Establish, organize, and maintain both electronic and manual filing systems (Executive office in general and CDO’s specifically) for easy retrieval of correspondence and other documentation, ensuring safekeeping of confidential and sensitive materials and that information be available in a timely and accurate manner.
• Use electronic office management systems for the effective administration of the front office, ensuring archiving of data and electronic back-up for business continuity.
• Manage the flow of documents, establishing both hard copy and soft copy reviews, electronically logging, routing and bringing up incoming communication as appropriate; registering and classifying all incoming and outgoing correspondence, documents and other materials.

Innovation

• Ability to make new and useful ideas work

Leadership

• Ability to persuade others to follow

People Management

• Ability to improve performance and satisfaction

Communication

• Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform

Delivery

• Ability to get things done while exercising good judgement

Technical/Functional

• Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position
• Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures related to the CDO Office and applies them consistently in work task.
• Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning.
• Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.
• Design and Implementation of Management Systems
• Uses information/databases/other management systems.
• Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.
• Design and Implementation of Management Systems
• Uses information/databases/other management systems.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Responds positively to critical feedback and differing points of view
• Solicits feedback from staff about the impact of his/her own behavior.

Education:    

• First-level university degree desirable .Secondary education with specialized administrative and secretarial training.  

Experience:    

• Six years of progressively responsible secretarial and administrative experience.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems
• Experience in dealing with senior officials, diplomats, and a large demanding clientele, is desirable.

Language Requirements:    

• Proficiency in English. Working knowledge of other UN language desirable

Important applicant information

All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment. 

Externally advertised GS fixed-term appointment and temporary appointment (TA) positions located in New York/Washington D.C. are open to candidates who are either US Permanent Residents, US Citizens or holders of a valid G4 visa at the time of their application and whose G4 visa has been acquired on account of their employment in the UN Systems based in New York or Washington, DC.

Selected candidates who meet the above mentioned eligibility criteria are responsible for their own travel and/or relocation costs.

Selection to GS fixed-term appointment positions at Headquarters requires passing a UN administered clerical test (ASAT). External applicants to General Service (GS) positions in New York who already possess a Bachelor’s degree or an accredited certification in a technical field (e.g. IT, Finance, or Procurement) will not need to obtain/pass the UN Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT). However, passing specialized tests (e.g. Finance and Accounting technical assessments) may still be required for some General Service (GS) positions, as specified in the vacancy announcement.

Applicants under serious consideration for short-listing of posts requiring accountancy and finance skills, must take the UNDP Accountancy and Finance Test (UNDP AFT) prior to short-listing.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Workforce diversity

UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

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