Administrative Assistant in Ghana

BACKGROUND

• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated to implement both the organization’s Drug and Crime Programme in an integrated manner, addressing the interrelated issues of drug control, crime prevention and criminal justice, and international terrorism in the context of sustainable development and human security.
• UNODC is the central drug control entity of the United Nations with exclusive responsibility for coordinating and providing effective leadership for all United Nations drug control activities. UNODC is also responsible for activities in the field of international crime prevention and control, with special focus on strengthening regional and international cooperation in preventing and combating transnational crime, in particular organized and economic crime, money laundering, illicit trafficking in women and children, financial crimes and terrorism in all its forms. Furthermore, UNODC acts as the custodian of the international standards and norms in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice, including those specifically designed for the management of prison facilities and the treatment of prisoners, in particular the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).

Posted in Accra under the overall supervision of the UNODC Representative for West and Central Africa and the direct supervision of the Head of the Prison Reform Team and the UNODC National Programme Coordinator in Ghana, the Administrative Assistant will;

• Perform general administrative tasks for the programme office in Ghana, including the preparation and processing of administrative requests/documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests, contracts, visa applications, budget overviews, participation in administrative programme management meetings, etc;)
• Assist in the development and implementation of Field Office activities of prison reform, organized crime and Illicit drug trafficking, by providing administrative expertise in the areas of planning, procurement, human resource, etc;

Position Purpose:

Provide a brief, one paragraph summary of the position’s key objectives, contributions and scope of responsibilities to serve as an introduction to the Key Duties and Accountabilities.

• The Administrative Assistant will provide administrative support to project officers in the execution of project-specific activities (such as workshops, meetings, official and assessment missions, concept notes and terms of references development, budget plans and overviews, etc.) in a timely manner and in accordance with UN standards and procedures;
• Assist in managing supplier relationships with internal and external vendors of the UNODC Office in Ghana to ensure the sustainability of Field Office activities.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Provide general administrative support for the programme office in Ghana on prisons reforms:

• This includes preparing and/or processing administrative requests/documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests, contracts, visa applications, etc;).

Draft correspondence on substantive and budget-related issues:

• For instance, prepare and update periodic project activity reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, budget overviews and programme spreadsheets, including precise monitoring of expenditures and approved budgets and preparation of financial reports.

Develop and manage supplier relationships with internal and external vendors of the UNODC in Ghana to ensure sustainability of Field Office activities:

• This includes preparing and/or processing administrative requests (various requisitions, purchase orders in line with UN procurement rules and regulations, etc).

Draft correspondence and provide updates on periodic substantive reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries and programme spreadsheets

• Draft responses to correspondence from implementing partners and stakeholders, and other communications; assist project team in producing project documents and reports; assist in keeping the webpage and social media accounts up to date.

Liaise with various departments at the Regional and Global UNODC Head Offices on Grant Management activities as may be required;

• This includes, using the umoja platform to operate project grants and other operational activities and participation in administrative programme management meetings.

COMPETENCIES

Core Competencies:

• Achieve Results - LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively - LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously - LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility - LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination - LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner - LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion - LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

REQUIREMENTS:

Education:

• 5 years with secondary education or 2 years with Bachelor degree of experience is required
• University degree in the field of administration, marketing, development studies, human resource management, or in a closely related field will be considered an asset.

Experience:

• At least four (5) years of relevant work experience in office management and programme support;
• Essential knowledge and skills required for entry into position. (Please do not duplicate what has been covered in the responsibilities & competency section)
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office packages (Word, PowerPoint and in particular Excel) and experience in handling of web-based management systems;
• Experience in finance, human resources management or related field is highly desirable;

Language Criteria:

• For this post, excellent written and verbal communication skills in English is required; knowledge of other UN official languages is considered an asset.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Candidates selected pursuant to this vacancy may be subject to UNDP’s policy on Probation upon assignment.