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ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Apia

  • Organization: UN - United Nations
  • Location: Apia
  • Grade: Junior level - P-2, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
  • Closing Date: Closed

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

UNEP's Science Division is responsible for analyzing the state of the global environment, providing early warning information and assessing global and regional environmental trends to catalyze and promote international cooperation and action on the environment.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Programme on “Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in five island countries of the Pacific Ocean” will be hosted by UNEP’s sub-regional office for the Pacific. This post is located in the Enabling Innovation Unit of the Science Division in Apia, Samoa.

Under the direct supervision of the Programme Coordinator and within delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

A. Budget and Finance:
• Assists in developing the programme’s annual budgets with guidance from the Programme Coordinator and support from the Finance and Administrative Assistant.
• Prepares accurate and detailed expenditure reports, budget revisions, cash advance requests, co-finance reports, audited financial statements, and other financial documents; records and accounts for foreign exchange in expenditure reports; Monitors and reports on the income of the programme, in accordance with the Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and Funded Activity Agreement (FAA) and facilitates return of funds to UNEP.
• Supports the management of programme finances using appropriate accounting software and in accordance with UN and Green Climate Fund (GCF) rules and regulations.
• Undertakes actions related the management of payments, transactions and other according to the programme timelines with a view to achieve 70% disbursement for cash advances annual.
• Monitors and reviews budget reallocations to ensure they do not exceed 10% across programme outputs.
• Contributes to financial supervision of implementing partners and service providers; Liaises with the Executing Entities on financial management and approvals, advances, and reporting.
• Updates the Programme Coordinator on cash reserves for timeline requests; obtains and reports bank statements periodically.

B. Procurement:
• Supports the implementation of procurement activities according to respective Government policies and guidelines as issued by the Ministries and as supplemented by the UN Procurement Manual and in accordance with the Project Cooperation Agreement and Funded Activity Agreement.
• Assists in developing annual procurement plans and ensuring that proposed expenditures are in accordance with the mandate of the relevant entity, and ensures that sufficient time is available to undertake a procurement exercise, based on the Programme Document for approval of the Programme Steering Committee.
• Contributes to defining solicitation strategies in collaboration with the requisitioner, upon review of the acquisition plan and in alignment with the respective category management strategy.
• Reviews the requirements and evaluation criteria and ensures they are appropriate from a procurement perspective.
• Ensures sufficient funds are available for the requirement and drafting the requirements in the form of specifications, statements of work or terms of references, as well as associated technical evaluation criteria in consultation with the Programme Coordinator. Secures specific funding allocated only to the applicable procurement, both at the time of contract award and during the entire life of the contract.
• Supports the sourcing process and conducts supply market analysis in consultation with the CTA, including issuing Requests for Expression of Interest (REOI) and preparing solicitation documents, as well as facilitating and managing the solicitation process.
• Reviews the technical evaluation to ensure that it is conducted in accordance with the pre-established technical evaluation criteria and that the narrative of the report corresponds with the matrix and the scoring/rating.
• Prepares accurate and high-quality reports and documents for no-objection of UNEP prior to contract awards and liaises with UNEP Procurement/Administrative Officer on no objection procedures.
• Prepares and issues contracts and purchase orders; Undertakes actions related to contract management duties including vendor performance evaluation and contract closeout activities, where appropriate, in coordination with the Programme Coordinator, if applicable.

C. General Administration:
• Supervises support staff as required.
• Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., operational travel programme, monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services, physical space planning and the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems).
• Contributes to the collection and analysis of data as well as identification of trends or patterns and provides draft insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods for data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of administrative, procurement, budgetary and financial policies and procedures. Ability to apply various United Nations administrative rules and regulations in work situations. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. The ability to analyze and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

PLANNING & ORGANIZING: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; 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; uses time efficiently.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours 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.

Education

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business administration, public administration, finance, accounting, commerce, or related field is required.

A first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Successful completion of both degree and non-degree programs in data analytics, business analytics or data science programs is desirable.

Additional training or certification in procurement such as the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply CIPS4 or equivalent is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, budget, business administration, procurement, contract management or related area is required.

Practical experience in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) accounting and finance system and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) is desirable.

Experience in implementing financial controls and in financial management of projects with bilateral or multilateral support and/or funding is desirable.

Experience in the United Nations system or other comparable international organization is desirable.

Experience in implementing procurement controls and procurement management of projects is desirable.

1 year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable (none if successful YPP or P-1 with a related degree).

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

NOTE: 'Fluency' equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand) and 'Knowledge of' equals a rating of 'confident' in two of the four areas.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which will be followed by a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

Appointment against this project position is for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension.

Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Internal Applicants – When completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you.

Individual Contractors and Consultants who have worked within the UN Secretariat in the last six months, irrespective of the administering entity, are ineligible to apply for or be appointed to any professional and higher temporary or fixed-term positions, within six months of the end of their current or most recent service. For such positions, at least six months need to have elapsed between the end of a consultancy or individual contract and the time of application and consideration for an appointment as a staff member under the Staff Rules and Regulations of the United Nations.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira "Contact Us" link.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.

This vacancy is now closed.
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