Divisional Coordinator

VN Category (INT / EXT / EOI):

The recruitment policy of the WTO is to seek to attract and retain staff members offering the highest standards of competence, efficiency and integrity. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, the WTO gives full regard to merit and diversity.

The Secretariat of the WTO is seeking to fill a full-time position of Divisional Coordinator in the Trade Policies Review Division.

This is an External Vacancy Notice open to external candidates and WTO staff. It is posted on the WTO internal as well as external career site. Eligible WTO staff on short-term, fixed-term or regular contracts and interns must apply through the Workday internal career site.

This is a full-time position that requires flexibility regarding working hours as dictated by work demands.

General Functions

Under the general supervision of the Director of the Division, the incumbent will undertake the following functions:

1.         Ensure the provision of overall office management and administrative responsibilities for the Division: manage the day-to-day running of the Director's office; prioritize and schedule appointments; provide administrative support and guidance to Divisional staff on the use of administrative procedures (e.g. official travel, leave, etc); following up and coordinating as required on the practical and logistical aspects of activities concerning the Division (e.g. conduct of Trade Policy Reviews, support to Trade Monitoring and Regional Trade Agreements work, divisional staff meetings, individual and collective training activities etc.); reminding staff of the timely completion of activity reporting and other divisional reports; assisting staff with travel requests as needed; ensuring office supplies are available; and maintaining office space allocated to the Division.

2.         Provide overall administrative support to the Trade Policy Review Body. 

3.         Oversee the management of the divisional information and documentation flow, which includes managing, filing and helping to collect, compile and disseminate records, correspondence and documents, both electronically and in hard copy; continuously improve and create, as necessary filing systems both electronically and in hard copy.  Maintain structured shared drives for the Division.

4.         Draft responses to correspondences as directed by the Director; keep a record of such correspondences and keep track of any follow-up where required; draft basic notes and assist with drafting internal meeting summaries.  

5.         Be the primary focal point for Human Resources (HR) Division and follow-up on HR-related divisional matters, such as preparing requisitions for hiring staff, short-term assistance, interns; assist with planning for and addressing staffing issues, maintaining staff records (e.g. leave records, mission dates etc.) and deal with basic personnel issues in consultation with the Director and HR specialists.

6.         Administer and monitor allocated divisional budget, support the Director in budget planning and administration, and track and report on financial commitments.

7.         Coordinate and supervise the work of eight secretaries, train and mentor them, and undertake the evaluation of their performance. Participate in the recruitment of secretarial staff.

8.         Organize division-wide activities aiming to keep staff members engaged with Division's work and strategy.

9.         Maintain skills up-to-date and remain abreast of new office procedures and software.

10-       Undertake other necessary tasks as requested by the Director.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Completed secondary education. Secretarial/office management qualifications are an asset.

Knowledge and Skills:

Technical Knowledge and Skills:

Experience in office management; good understanding of electronic file management and of establishing and maintaining electronic drives.

Good secretarial and word processing skills.

Good skills in the use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Experience and familiarity with supporting the work of a large Committee or working group preferably in an international organization, would be an asset.  

Experience in applying administrative procedures, including staff rules and regulations and policies, preferably in an international organization.

Behavioural Skills:

Good organization skills and attention to detail, including demonstrated ability to prioritize, work under pressure and to meet deadlines.

Flexibility and commitment to the mission of the division.

Tact and discretion.

The following interpersonal capabilities are required: relate to and build relationships with colleagues;   capable of working in a diplomatic environment and interact with delegates and subject matter experts; communicate information in a clear way and understand information; and work as a member of a team, while being capable of fulfilling tasks independently to achieve his/her objectives.

Work Experience:

At least eight years of administrative and secretarial experience, of which preferably five with international organizations.

Languages:

Excellent knowledge of English and either French or Spanish (at a level corresponding or equivalent to a minimum of C1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)). Working knowledge of a third WTO working language will be considered an asset.

Additional Information:
 
Only applications from nationals of WTO Members will be accepted. 

The recruitment process will be undertaken as per Administrative Memorandum No. 976 (OFFICE(16)/15) on Staff Promotions and external recruitment through Vacancy Notices.

For non-entry level positions, the position may be offered at a lower grade if the selected candidate does not fully meet all the required qualifications. 

The initial fixed-term contract shall be two years, which shall be probationary, as per Administrative Memorandum No. 997 (OFFICE(23)/4) on Probation Policy.

The WTO may use various communication technologies such as video or teleconference for the assessment and evaluation of candidates. The recruitment process may also involve the use of various forms of testing, assessment centres, interviews and reference checks. 

Applicants may be required to sit a written examination. 

Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview. 

Candidates not selected whose performance in the selection process nevertheless shows them to be suitable for a similar position may be kept on a roster for up to 24 months, and may subsequently be called upon as and when the need arises for additional resources.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the closing date – Geneva (Switzerland) time – stated in the vacancy announcement. 
PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE CLOSING DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 
The WTO is a non-smoking environment.