Executive Assistant - GS5

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Representative, the Executive Assistant ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Front Office; comprising the offices of the Resident Representative and Deputy Representative office, in full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment, maintenance of protocol procedures, management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made.

The Executive Assistant works in close collaboration with UNDP Programme and Operations teams, UN Agencies and national authorities to ensure efficient flow of information, actions on instructions, agendas.

1. Effective and efficient functioning of the RR and Deputy Resident Representative office
2. Effective communications and administrative support to the office
3. Knowledge building and management
4. Supports communication and visibility for CO

1.           Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the Front Office focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Management of the Resident Representative’s office, ensuring an environment of professionalism and teamwork at all times, and setting exemplary standards of conduct for the CO team;
• Efficient and discreet management of the Resident Representative’s schedules
• Organization of regular and ad-hoc meetings; preparation of minutes and summaries of actions to be taken; tracking of progress on planned issues; follow-up with focal points.
• Screening of all incoming communications, filter outgoing correspondence for supervisor’s signature, clearance and further action by other staff; wherever possible.
• Ensuring quality control and timely preparations of Briefing Notes, Talking Points and/or Speeches for the Resident Representative, in collaboration with relevant CO colleagues
• Adherence to appropriate protocol and correspondence guidelines by CO team when communicating with Government and other external partners;
• Use of automated office management system

2.           Ensures provision of effective communications and administrative support to the office of the Resident Representative focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials. Use of automated filing system.
• Coordination of the information flow in the office and dissemination of corporate and interoffice communication to staff as required.
• Facilitation of information sharing with Management Support and Business Development, Programme and Operations Teams.
• Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to the Resident Representative.
• Draft routine correspondence, interoffice circulars, general briefing notes, documents, reports, and minutes of meetings when requested, translations when required.
• Administration of travel, meetings, appointments and briefings of Resident Representative i. Including drafting of background notes.
• Maintenance of Teams’ status reports, best practices, lessons learned, publishing on section intranet and compiling of information for resource mobilization and communications officers.
• Support to organization of advocacy events if required

3.           Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
• Organize trainings for UNDP staff on coordination, administration and protocol issues

4.           Supports Communication and Visibility for the Country Office:

• Supports the formulation and implementation of external communications and advocacy strategies,
• Development of communication materials for marketing and awareness-raising campaigns, including briefing and media materials in coordination
• Assistance in the design and maintenance of the office web sites based on corporate requirements in cooperation with the ICT staff.
• Preparation/checking the content for the web sites and social media platforms to ensure consistency of the materials

• 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

Cross-Functional & Technical competencies:

• General (across the functions) Public relations: Ability to build and maintain an overall positive public image for the organization, its mandate and its brand, while ensuring that individual campaigns and other communications and advocacy initiatives are supported in reaching the public
• Administration & Operations: Documents and records management: Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving.
• Business Management – Communication; Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.
• Business Management: Customer Satisfaction/Client Management:Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfill and understand the real customers' needs;
• Partnership management: Relationship management: Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.

• High School Education with specialized secretarial training or office management. Certificate in Communications an added advantage required.
• University degree in administration, office management, public relations, communications, media or related field will be duly consideration.

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), experience in handling of web-based management systems.
• Work experience as an Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant or similar role from UN and/or international organization is an added advantage.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including maintenance of the supervisor’s calendar, contacts with high-ranking visitors, arrangement of appointments and meetings.
• Experience in preparation of correspondence, briefing materials and coordination of the information flow in the office is an added advantage;

Language Requirements

Proficiency in English and Sesotho