Batch VA - Programme Assistant (GS-5), Programme Group - Health, NYHQ - Temporary Appointment 364days (3 posts)

Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Programme Assistants will be responsible for executing a broad variety of procedural, administrative, and operational tasks within the Unit and Office of the Director, Health Programme, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies. and Office of Director, Health Programme

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

The Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent health programme (MNCAH) team consists provides policy and strategic guidance to over 100 country and 7 regional offices. It provides technical oversight in programme implementation and manages several large multiple country grants. 

For every child, a childhood……

Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Programme Assistants will be responsible for executing a broad variety of procedural, administrative, and operational tasks within the Unit and Office of the Director, Health Programme, requiring thorough knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies. and Office of Director, Health Programme

How can you make a difference?

Preparation and tracking of budgets, grant and financial management

• Monitors budgets and financial expenditures of the concerned programmes, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision/follow up.
• Provides support on budget revision/preparation, implementation status, determination position of funding utilization, operational, and financial closure.
• Prepares and maintains records, documents and control plans for the budget monitoring of project/programme implementation.
• Ensures the availability of timely, complete and accurate information and data for preparing unit work plans and project management plans.
• Supports the setting up systems, including spreadsheets and financial cubes, to track and monitor implementation of multiple grants and to support quality reporting.
• Carries out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants for the unit such as registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Carry out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs)and makes amendments and alterations as necessary.
• Responsible for collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in VISION. Uploads electronic files and verify results to destination system.

Support to information and knowledge management

• Provides support to manage web-based content management systems, SharePoint sites,  electronic resources etc.  Supports in the collation of inputs and information.
• Establishes, maintains and updates filing systems to conform to changing work requirements and priorities, utilizing latest automated, technology and systems available.
• Supports capacity development activities related to performance monitoring, programme development, and related internal UNICEF systems/tools by supporting the preparation of training materials.

Logistics and operational support

• Arranges appointments and maintains supervisor’s calendar
• Organizes and facilitates the administrative work of the office including establishing internal procedures and maintaining tracking systems for correspondence and documents
• Maintains team calendar and arrange meetings as required
• Takes minutes of meetings and keep the correspondence of the team well organized (electronically)
• Supports virtual meetings and other events by making logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, hosts, vendors as required. Arranges times through liaising with participants over availability.
• Liaises with budget focal points and section over costs and needs.
• Prepares background materials for participants and manages related information.
• Prepares and maintains agendas on meeting and events related to the work group commitments.

Managing staff travel

• Collects and prepare briefing materials for the Director concerning official trips or special meetings. Undertake travel arrangements for supervisor, including arranging itinerary, visas, and hotel reservations. Ensure offices are informed of travel arrangements and requirements.
• Provides travel assistance to staff in section for travel arrangements and entitlements (including HR related travel) based on the organization’s rules and policies.
• Extracts, inputs, maintains and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel
• Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintain travel plan and budgetary control records

Supplies/Equipment

• Supports management of administrative supplies, office equipment, updating inventory of items.
• Monitors and supervises adequate and appropriate use of supplies. Ensures that services and maintenance of premises are in accordance with organizational standards.
• Arrange for the purchase and timely distribution of office supplies.

Procurement

• Facilitates the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.

To qualify as a champion for every child, the candidate must have…

• Completion of Secondary Education (e.g. High School Diploma) is a minimum requirement.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience, preferably with one year closely related to programme /clerical support activities in an international organization and providing knowledge management and e-filing support is required.
• Excellent communication skills, multitasking and result driven as well as ability to manage competing priorities, are required.
• Advanced computer literacy and the ability to effectively use standard office software tools (MS Office, Enterprise database) and other office technology to create documentation, exchange and archive e-mail, and maintain electronic filing systems.
• Proficiency in using UNICEF SAP/ERP systems (VISION) is an asset.
• Ability to extract and format data and to solve operational problems. Ability to organize own and others work, set priorities and meet deadlines. Ability to organize meetings and events. Ability to handle work quickly and accurately under time constraints.
• Non-US candidates must be in possession of an existing US G4 visa or be a US permanent resident/citizen.
• Fluency in English (written & verbal) is required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

“UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.