External Relations Assistant (G-5)

Organizational Setting

This position is located in the Legal and External Relations Division (LEG).

Reporting Lines

Under the supervision of the Chief, External Relations, Protocol and International Cooperation Section, to:

Duties and Responsibilties

1. Assist the Section with drafting and reviewing official correspondence with Permanent Missions, national authorities, and other internal and external stakeholders as necessary. Assist with the preparation of periodic reports and respond to ad hoc requests in relation to other statistical reports;
2. Assist the Section in the preparation of outreach and integrated capacity building and training activities, such as regional workshops, national seminars, information visits, and CTBT education outreach events. Draft correspondence and other written materials in support of such activities. Prepare specific timelines and flow charts for these events. Prepare list of participants, keep relevant spreadsheets and statistics;
3. Assist in the facilitation and preparation of travel and other administrative, logistical and financial arrangements for events as well as arrange participation of Section staff in meetings (e.g. travel authorizations and claims, security clearance, information packages, shipments).Liaise with participants on all issues relating to their participation and internally, with Financial Services Section and other Sections, as necessary, on the preparation and submission of relevant documents. Ensure the processing of financial documents and claims before the closure of the accounts at the end of the year;
4. Assist External Relations Officers in scheduling meetings as well as the Section in general administrative and logistical tasks, including requisitions;
5. Maintain and coordinate the Section’s electronic document management system, files and all other relevant background materials; Maintain, reorganize and establish new files, as necessary, and archive incoming and outgoing correspondence as well as all documents produced by the Section;
6. Log and distribute incoming correspondence, while bringing to the attention of the Section Chief and other relevant staff those items requiring urgent attention;
7. Maintain and coordinate the Section’s electronic document management system, files and all other relevant background materials; Maintain, provide administrative support to the Section by drafting official correspondence and documents, assist with the preparation of periodic reports and respond to ad hoc requests in relation to other statistical reports;
8. Perform other duties as assigned.

Education

• Completed secondary education and relevant office training; training beyond high school in field relevant to the work is highly desirable;

Work Experience and Qualifications

• At least five (5) years relevant working experience in general office support or related area is essential, preferably part of which should have been in an international environment and/or in the area of external relation or protocol; 
• A good knowledge of Microsoft Office and other computer applications is essential; 
• Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as SAP is desirable;
• Ability to prioritize and manage a high-volume workload in a fast-paced work environment;
• High degree of accuracy and ability to pay attention to detail, and to follow written procedures;
• Ability to draft official documents and meeting notes in a clear and succinct manner is particularly desirable;

Languages

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are essential.
• A good working knowledge of German is highly desirable.
• Working knowledge of other official CTBTO languages is desirable.

Competencies

• Professionalism - 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;
• Communication - Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from other and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed;
• Planning and organizing - Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; 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;
• Team work - Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organisational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; builds consensus for task purpose and direction with team members; supports and acts in accordance with final group decisions, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings;
• Accountability - Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable;
• Creativity - Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs; promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas; thinks “outside the box”; takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; is not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches; 
• 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 relationships 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 and setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to clients;
• Commitment to continuous learning - Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession; actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally; contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates; shows willingness to learn from others; seeks feedback to learn and improve;
• Technological Awareness - Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitations of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks, shows willingness to learn new technology.