Administrative Assistant

Contract

This is a FS-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Field Service. It usually requires 8 years of experience, depending on education. More about FS-5 contracts and their salaries.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the field mission of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). The Administrative Assistant, FS-5, will be based in Mogadishu, serve in the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), and report to the Special Assistant to the SRSG.

Responsibilities Under the supervision of the SRSG and the Senior Special Assistant, the Administrative Assistant provides high quality administrative, management and secretarial support to the Office of the SRSG and ensures the effective and smooth flow of work within his/her office. As Administrative Assistant to the SRSG, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Prepares and coordinates the daily agenda of the SRSG and the tentative agenda of his/her future commitments: receives and requests appointments, receives high-ranking visitors and coordinates their visits with the Senior Special Assistant; follows up on replies to invitations, changes of dates and/or venues of meetings and deadlines for submission of speeches, presentations, credentials, press articles, etc.

• Schedule appointments/meetings based on workload and protocol requirements and prepare relevant material for such appointments/meetings; notify all relevant professional staff of the daily appointments and coordinate the attendance of necessary staff.

• Make all internal and external calls relevant to the SRSG’s programme and/or as requested by the SRSG or the Senior Special Assistant.

• Organize all administrative requirements with respect to the SRSG’s official travel by making travel arrangements and coordinating all administrative, logistical and security requirements.; Remit relevant travel documentation to the Travel Unit upon SRSG’s return. Ensure that all concerned are informed of the SRSG’s scheduled activities.

• Anticipate SRSG’s requirements for background material and ensure compilation of briefing material for appointments, meetings, or missions are complete and up-to-date.

• Maintains an overview of the work of the SRSG’s office to ensure that timely administrative support is provided in general and specialized areas.

• Prepares correspondence and justifications as required on general administrative or specialized tasks that may be of a confidential nature within assigned areas of responsibility as assigned by the SRSG.

• Establishes and maintains a filing system for SRSG’s correspondence and files, drafts and dispatches routine correspondence as instructed, as well as memoranda of an administrative nature.

• Provide administrative support related to the recruitment of staff for the Office of the SRSG.

• Monitor attendance, sick leave and annual leave of staff reporting to the SRSG; Refer and highlight issues which require immediate attention of the SRSG;

• Coordinate the secretarial service of the office, distributes special assignments to other staff in the unit and clear correspondence for the supervisor's signature;

• Take dictation, using either shorthand or directly on computer on a variety of subject-matters and transcribe, ensuring that spelling, punctuation and format are correct, and where necessary, maintaining a high-level of confidentiality;

• Maintain policy, confidential (code cables) and general management files;

• Support OSRSG as required.

Performs any other duties as may be assigned

Competencies Professionalism: •Ability and experience across a broad range of administrative functions which should include budget/work programme, human resources and database management. Knowledge and application of the UN systems and Staff Regulations and Rules. High degree of commitment to ensure the proper use of the Unit’s resources. •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 area of work. •Thorough knowledge of and application of relevant operational, administrative and protocol policies to ensure adherence to relevant guidelines and procedures and overall quality of outputs; •Proven tact and discretion in dealing with highly confidential and sensitive matters, as well as excellent interpersonal skills;

Planning & Organising

•Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; •Identifies priority activities and assignments; •Adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate •Amounts of time and resources for completing work; •Foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; •Monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary;

Teamwork

•Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; •Solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; •Is willing to learn from others; •Places team agenda before personal agenda; •Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; •Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education High school or equivalent diploma is required. Technical or vocational certificate in administrative services, finance, human resources, business administration or personnel management is a requirement.

Work Experience A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible experience in secretarial, administration or related field of progressively responsible experience in the field of administrative services is required. Previous experience working in direct support / a front office role of a Senior United Nations Official in a UN political or peace operation is required. Previous experience with administrative and secretarial functions for senior officials involving wide contact with diplomatic personnel, government representatives, and similar high-level offices requiring sound communication, judgment, strong organizational skills, and discretion is highly desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position(s) advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required.

Assessment Previously rostered candidates are not subject to any further assessment and as such, will not be invited for such an assessment.

Special Notice This "Recruit from Roster" job opening is only open to roster applicants who are already placed on pre-approved rosters, following a review by a United Nations Central Review Body. Only roster applicants who were placed on rosters with similar functions at the same level are considered to be eligible candidates. Eligible applicants receive an email inviting them to apply. Rostered applicants are encouraged to apply only if they are interested and available to take up the position at the duty station/s specified in the Job Opening. Applying to this job opening carries an expectation to accept the offer, if selected.

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.