Administrative Assistant

Contract

This is a G-6 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 6 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-6 contracts.

Org. Setting and Reporting This position is located in the UNOCC Watch Room, which is part of the UN system’s 24/7 situational awareness and crisis management hub at ODCSS and DPPA-DPO Headquarters. The incumbent reports directly to Watch Room’s Coordination Officers. The UNOCC provides rapid situational awareness and analysis of events in the field, in order to enable informed, coordinated and timely decision-making and strategic engagement on operations and crisis management at UN Headquarters (UNHQ) through 24/7 support to senior managers across the UN system. The UNOCC is part of the Office of the Director for Coordination and Shared Services (ODCSS) serving the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affiars (DPPA) and Peace Operations (DPO). ODCSS enables, directs and coordinates departmental efforts to ensure the effective integration and management of both Departments.

The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) focuses primarily on five action areas in international peace and security, ensuring sound analysis and early warning, preventing conflict and engaging in peacemaking, managing political crises and violent conflicts, sustaining peace, and enhancing partnerships. The Department's mandate is to prevent and resolve conflict through inclusive political solutions.

The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) serves as a center of excellence for peace operations, responsible for preventing, responding to and managing conflict and sustaining peace in countries where peace operations under its purview are deployed, and provides support to other entities on peace and security issues.

Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Human Resources Management - Initiates, reviews, processes and follows-up on actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment of staff and consultants, placement, promotion, relocation, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures. - Responds to enquiries and provides information and advice to staff regarding their entitlements, administrative procedures, processes and practices, conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations. - Monitors staffing table and prepare relevant statistical data/charts.

Budget and Finance - Assists in the preparation and review of financial and human resource proposals/requirements. Consolidates budget/work programme with respect to Headquarters’ budget, trust funds, grants and procurement. - Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary. - Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. - Co-ordinates with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.

General Administration - Drafts routine correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant administrative, financial audit, personnel matters. - Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field. - 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; identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems; organizing and coordinating seminars, conferences and translations).

Operational duties - Assists in the overall administration of the Watch Room, including by providing substantive and administrative support in managing priorities and work flow; - In close coordination with the Watch Room Information Management Unit, facilitates information management support to the Reporting Officers, including training new staff in the use of software, information management tools and ICT equipment. - Contributes to the improved functioning of the Reporting Officers, by providing research and editorial assistance and supporting the maintenance of Watch Room’s extensive point-of-contact repositories and all associated administrative/technology-based means by which Watch Room interacts with its clientele. - Coordinates and assists with the preparations for meetings, in both crisis response and early warning regional monthly/quarterly reviews. - Backstops colleagues when required and performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies PROFESSIONALISM - Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. - Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. - 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. - Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

PLANNING AND 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.

COMMUNICATION - Speaks and writes clearly and effectively. - Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately. - Asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication. - Tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience. - Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in administrative service, human resources or related area is required, of which at least three years are in an international organization are required. Experience working with senior managers is desirable. Experience in a duty room or a 24/7 environment desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

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

Special Notice - This position is temporarily available until 23 March 2021, with possibility of extension depending on post availability. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

  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.