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 within the office of the Chief of Mission Support in the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC), with duty station Bogotá. The Administrative Assistant reports to the Chief of Mission Support (CMS).

Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Chief of Mission Support (CMS), the Administrative Assistant provides high quality administrative, management and secretarial support to the CMS and ensures the effective and smooth flow of work within the CMS' office. Within the limits of delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will perform the following duties:

Human Resources Management - Maintains records of the performance evaluation status of the office. Assists in formulating responses related to rebuttal cases. - Advises staff on visa matters and other relevant rules and regulations; coordinates the induction and orientation of new staff members in the office. - Provides information and advice to staff/consultants with respect to conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.

Budget and Finance - Provides expert assistance and coordination in the preparation and development of the office’s work plan and budget. - Assists in monitoring budget/work plan with respect to various budgets, on a regular basis, suggests reallocations of resources and implements the reallocations as necessary. - Collects data from relevant databases and prepare customized reports when required. - Reviews, analyzes, and assists in the finalization of the cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements for the section/office, including programmatic aspects. - Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. - Monitors budget implementation/expenditures and recommend reallocation of funds as necessary. - Assists in the preparation of the year end budget performance report submissions. - Assists in finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and the actual expenditures.

General Administration - Prepares and coordinates the daily agenda of the CMS and the tentative agenda of his/her future commitments. - Follows up on invitations, changes of dates and/or venues of meetings and deadlines for scheduled appointments/meetings based on workload and protocol requirements and prepares relevant material for such appointments/meetings. - Anticipates CMS' 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 CMS’ 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 CMS. - Establishes and maintains a filing system for CMS' correspondence and files, drafts and dispatches routine correspondence as instructed, as well as memoranda of an administrative nature. - Serves as Focal Person for Share Point and for the OCMS’s resources of documentation: research, retrieve and manage their compilation, distribution, processing and filing. - Coordinates the provision of guidance, training, and daily support to other staff within the Mission Service Division (MSD). - Identifies and resolves diverse issues and problems as they arise, determining the appropriate actions. - Coordinates extensively with MSD sections and units and liaises frequently with mission personnel both at UNVMC Headquarters and in the field. - Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., operational travel program, monitoring accounts and payments to vendors and individual contractors for services, physical space planning and the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software, and systems, organizes and coordinates seminars, conferences and translations).

Competencies Professionalism

- Knowledge of and ability to apply UN rules, regulations, policies and guidelines in work situations. Demonstrates sound judgement in decision making to prioritize assigned tasks, maximizing the use of resources available to ensure that the requirements of the office and/or operational requirements are met. -Ability to use of initiative to resolve problems/identify exceptions which may arise from time-to-time. -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 & 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

Client Orientation

-Considers all those to whom services are provided to be "clients " and seeks to see things from clients' point of view -Establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect -Identifies clients' needs and matches them to appropriate solutions -Monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients' environment to keep informed and anticipate problems -Keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects -Meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job - Specific Qualification Technical or vocational certificate in administrative services, finance, human resources or business administration is required.

Work Experience At least eight (8) years of experience providing effective administrative services within the United Nations system (inclusive of peacekeeping, political missions and UN agencies, funds, and programs) or the private sector in the field of administration, finance, accounting, human resources, or in other related fields is required.

Experience supporting the front office of a senior official is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; and knowledge of Spanish is desirable.

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

Special Notice - This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2023. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• 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.

• 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.

• Candidates interested to work for the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia may wish to check out our Realistic Job Preview videos to get an idea of the living and working conditions in different duty stations in Colombia:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-8SCkVjg-e3073SwTDG1VQf1oLTWfUQ4

• 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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.