Hardship Level
Family Type
Family Type
Residential location (if applicable)
Grade
Staff Member / Affiliate Type
Reason
Regular > Regular AssignmentRemote work accepted
Target Start Date
Job Posting End Date
Standard Job Description
Desired Candidate Profile
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
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Desired languages
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Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
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Nature of Position:
The Administrative Officer works under the leadership of the Head of Office in Mekelle. The Office in Mekelle, plays a crucial coordination role for supporting IDPs and refugees across the region. The incumbent will oversee the work of Administration, ICT, Finance and Human Resources function in the entire office and will supervise several staff members.
The incumbent will be a member of the Office management team and is relied upon by the Office to be responsible for the implementation of general administrative and resource management tasks. He / she will supervise several General Service Administrative and Finance staff, ICT as well as Human Resources staff of the International and General Service grade. Additionally, the incumbent will also perform finance tasks which include assessment, review, and ensure application of finance-related policies, instructions, procedures, etc. render advice to management regarding the application of financial policies and procedures and, when necessary, coordinate with the Representation Office in Addis Ababa, as applicable, regarding the interpretation of such policies and procedures. Ensure accounting records are correct and reliable, including, and not limited to timely bank reconciliations, maintenance of open items, timely processing of travel financial transactions, clearance of residual requisitions and purchase order balance. Ensure monthly and yearly closing as well as any other periodic accounting-related processes are executed in a timely and accurate manner. Ensure the maintenance and on-going validity of the Delegation of Authority Plan (DOAP). Ensure that payments made are timely and accurately, and all month-end and year-end cut-off processes are implemented in line with relevant guidance. Supervise the preparation of financial reports, monitoring, and supervising expenditures with respect to approved budgets and work plans. Ensure that local bank account administration and associated cash management functions are performed in adherence to financial guidelines Perform financial management and control related to Cash-Based Interventions in adherence to financial guidelines. Review and certify vouchers, including ABOD disbursements
Key skills and competencies required for the position:
This position requires counseling, employee coaching and development skills. Ability to lead a team in an extremely challenging environment. The role requires the incumbent to possess resilience and adaptability skills to operate under extremely difficult situation. The position requires solid experience in financial accounting - modified cash-based accounting as per international standards, financial auditing, ability to work with ERP Financial Management (SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Workday and other), financial management. In addition, the incumbent should have a track record of working with and lead functionally and culturally diverse teams. Strong interpersonal, advocacy, communication skills are a must for this position.
Living and Working Conditions:
Mekelle, is the capital city of Tigray Region in Ethiopia. It is located around 780 kilometres (480 mi) north of the capital Addis Ababa, with an elevation of 2,254 metres above sea level. Administratively, Mekelle is considered a Special Zone, which is divided into seven sub-cities. Mekelle is the economic, cultural, and political hub of northern Ethiopia. Mekelle has grown rapidly since 1991. In 1984 it had 61,583 inhabitants, in 1994, 96,938 (96.5% being Tigrinya), and in 2006 169,200 (i. e. 4% of the population of Tigray). Mekelle is 2.6 times larger than Adigrat, the second largest regional centre. It is the fifth largest city in Ethiopia, after Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Adama, and Gondar. Most of the population of Mekelle depends on government employment, commerce, and small-scale enterprises.
Mekelle has new engineering, cement, and textile factories, producing for the local and foreign market. There are limited medical facilities in Mekelle that are equipped to deal with moderate medical cases. Evacuation opportunities are also limited. However, air ambulance evacuation can be organized for life-threatening emergencies during daytime. Candidates with conditions requiring regular treatment or medical supervision should be appropriately advised. The climate of Ethiopia and the regions varies greatly. It is temperate on the plateau and hot in the lowlands. Generally, the high elevation of the land affects one's adjustment to the environment. While the primary hospital in Mekelle is functioning, it is currently running low on medical supplies. Most pharmacies in town are open, but they also struggle to get medical supplies, so staff with prescriptions should come with at least 3 months of prescription medication. UN Clinic medical team supporting staff is available in Mekelle.
The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr. Foreign currency may only be changed at authorized banks and hotels. Exchange of foreign currency outside the regulated banks (Black Market) is a criminal offence, and international UN personnel caught by police sting operations have been known to be arrested and detained for several days. Any entry or exit of cash more than US$3,000 (or the equivalent in other foreign currencies) must be declared to the customs authority upon arrival. ATM cash withdrawals are currently unavailable in Mekelle. As there are no functioning banks in Tigray, there is still a serious shortage of cash, but the office will provide advance cash from entitlements. While humanitarian partners' access to Tigray is improving, access to large areas continues to be impeded by insecurity, limiting the humanitarian response, particularly in rural hard-to-reach areas. Communications blackout persists in Tigray with no mobile network and Wi-Fi as all local internet companies are closed. In Mekelle, the office relies on VSAT for internet connectivity. Internet access only viable during office hours when the generator is switched on, possibly not available at hotels. Mekelle is classified as security level - high. The restriction of movement is imposed on the movement of the staff member and the activities in the field, depending on the development of the security situation.
No regular flights between Addis Ababa and Tigray (Mekelle & Shire), thus, Staff members will depend on the UNHAS available flights to Tigray (Mekelle & Shire) and sometimes by road convoy and should be prepared to operate under challenging conditions with extremely limited resources. Staff members will be working within a city that has been isolated for several months due to the crisis which began in November 2020. The office deals primarily with several local camp environments with inherent risks to staff health.
While humanitarian partners' access to Tigray is improving, access to large areas continues to be impeded by insecurity, limiting the humanitarian response, particularly in rural hard-to-reach areas.
Medical facilities almost non-existent but with the creation of a Snr Medical Officer P4 in Mekelle staff will have medical assistance when needed.
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
Certifications
Work Experience
Competencies
Accountability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Organizational awareness, Stakeholder management, Teamwork & collaborationUNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium
Bi-annual Compendium 2022 Part B – November 2022Functional clearance