Administrative Assistant

UNDP/UNV 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.

UNDP/UNV 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.

The UNV Regional Offices (RO) provide oversight and strategic guidance to the UNV Field Units in their respective geographical assignments and are mainly accountable for the placement of UN Volunteers mobilized for UN Agencies, Funds, and Programmes focused on peace, development and humanitarian needs. Furthermore, the Regional Offices represent, and strategically position, UNV and bring UNV’s services and solutions closer to its partners from governments, UN entities, civil society and private sector. The Regional Offices also lead in scoping and delivering UNV’s advisory service offer on volunteer infrastructure.

Reporting to the Manager, Regional Office, the Administrative Assistant provides administrative and logistical support to the Regional Office, including assistance to its Field Units (FU), as required.  She/he maintains close working relations with internal clients in the region as well as with UNDP and UN Agencies’ staff, and UNV’s relevant headquarters units for administrative support and coordination purposes. She/he takes on additional operational tasks as assigned by the Regional Manager to support the interests of UNV in the region under the guidance of the organization’s Strategic Framework.
 

Provision of financial, administrative and logistical support services

• Provide financial, administrative and operational support services to the Regional Office;
• Establish accruals and maintain an internal expenditures control system to ensure that vouchers processed are matched and completed, transactions are correctly recorded and posted in Atlas, and travel claims are duly processed;
• Keep a suitable filing system for finance records and documents;
• Prepare routine correspondence and reports in accordance with standard internal procedures;
• Support the Regional Manager in the preparation, oversight, and maintenance of the RO’s budget, including allocations to Field Units (FU) such as Programme Officer Empowerment Mechanism (POEM) and Field Unit Monitoring Travel (FUMT);
• Maintain administrative control records such as commitments and expenditures. Prepare system-driven reports as required:
• Compile basic documentation, such as statistical data on volunteer mobilization, for the region as an input into corporate exercises;
• Support with protocol matters, registration of staff, coordination with local authorities, space management for special events and other administrative and logistical matters;
• Maintain and classify general office files and keep information and reference material in a manner that allows easy reference and retrieval.  Collect and distribute incoming and outgoing mail and maintain accurate tracking;
• Act as leave monitor for the RO personnel;
• In cases where there is no UNV Field Unit in the country where the RO is located, support recruitment and other administrative needs of volunteers for the given country.

Support to procurement, assets management and event activities

• Assist in procurement processes by preparing requisitions and checking their completeness and authorization/documentary support to ensure that specifications, budget provisions and all other requirements are in order; follow up and place receipts in ATLAS after goods/services have been received or rendered;
• Support UNV HQ and UNDP Regional Bureau and Country Offices’ asset focal points on asset management, collecting, maintaining and consolidating records of UNV assets located in Regional Offices and Field Units to ensure data in ATLAS is correct;
• Act as administrative and logistical focal point for the organization of RO-led workshops, retreats and other events including financial budgeting, identification of procurement needs and initiates procurement action.

Travel management processes

• Process travel requests in ATLAS, as per relevant procedures. Ensure availability of budget according to Chart of Account as well as competitive price from travel provider;
• Provide information to staff on travel, including entitlements, travel route and hotel arrangement. Support arrangements for security clearance when required;
• Process travel authorizations --including timely follow-up action on security clearances-- and travel claims in a timely manner and as per travel entitlements for staff, consultants, meeting participants to RO events, etc., ensuring that travel arrangements are in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations and related travel  policies;
• Monitor and keep track record of the travel requests and expense reports from the RO and FU personnel in T&E Dashboard and take corrective actions when needed;
• Process requests for visas for all UNV travelers, as well as hotel reservations, and requests for Resident Permit and Diplomatic Identification Card for international staff. Process applications and renewals of UN Laissez-Passer for UNV staff.

Core Competencies:

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 Competencies:

Office Administration

• Ability to manage day-to-day office activities (including but not limited to travel management, facilities and asset management, policy and procedures maintenance) to meet operational needs

Operational Efficiency

• Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency

Financial Planning and Budgeting

• Ability to create and manage processes to achieve UNDP's long and short-term financial goals

Procurement

• Ability to acquire goods, services or works from an outside external source

Quality Assurance

• Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled

Relationship Management

• Ability to engage and foster strategic partnerships with other parties, inter-agency coordination and forge productive working relationships

Knowledge Management

• Ability to capture, develop, share and effectively use information and knowledge

Education

• Completed secondary education; 
• Certification in administration, accounting or finance is highly desirable.

Experience

• 5 years of relevant experience in administration support services;
• Alternatively, bachelor degree in combination with two (2) years of qualifying experience may be accepted.

Language Requirements

• Fluency in English and Arabic;
• Proficiency in another official UN language is an asset.

Other

• Proficiency in the use of computers and office software packages (ERP, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.);
• Knowledge of web-based management systems is highly desirable.

Note:

• Only short-listed applicants will be contacted;
• The successful candidate will hold a UNDP letter of appointment;
• All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment.

Applicant information about UNDP rosters

UNDP/UNV 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/UNV at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

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