Administrative Assistant, GS-5, Services Contracting Centre, UNICEF Supply Division, Budapest, Hungary (Fixed Term Post - Open to EU Nationals or candidates with valid work permit)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a champion

Supplies are essential to fulfilling children’s rights. UNICEF procures and supplies over 5,000 products to address the needs of children. Supporting child survival and development programmes around the world, UNICEF-procured supplies are critical in providing for children’s health, education and protecting them from abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

The Service Contracting Centre (SCC) is part of UNICEF Supply Division. Established in 2017 to bring efficiencies and improve compliance by leading the procurement of services for diverse category of services across all Headquarters Divisions/Offices & becoming source of expert knowledge and resources in the various categories of services.

How can you make a difference?

Under the general supervision of the Centre Chief, provides overall administrative and secretarial support to the team, including a broad range of transactional, procedural and administrative tasks in support of the efficient contracting of services and related goods for the Headquarters Divisions, ensuring timely and efficient output that is in compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations.

In addition, and upon request from Centre Chief, the Administrative Assistant will provide assistance to the centre’s units in the procurement of services and a portfolio of goods.

Key Functions & Responsibilities:

1. Assists the Chief in ensuring that the daily duties of the Centre are properly performed in particular time management, proper sorting/distribution of the daily mail, preparation and planning of meetings, training sessions and missions, handling of calls and visitors.
2. Performs administrative tasks related to the organisation of official travels, missions, internal and external meetings of the Chief, such as preparing travel forms/documents, organising appointments, preparing briefing documents in collaboration with the Contract Officers.
3. Assists in the preparation of budget estimates in consultation with the Chief, SCC and SD Copenhagen in prescribed format per Budget Guidelines. Co-ordinate year-end closure including PO/Contract closures. Acts as the Centre’s budget focal point and maintains necessary budgetary records. Monitors, reports and files the project status reports and resources used against budget. Prepares/raises ZHQP (Direct Order), Purchase Orders/Contracts as requested. Reviews invoices and certifies for payment.
4. Acts as Rapporteur to the Contract Review Committee (CRC), assists CRC Focal Points in preparing and registering Contracts; prepares agenda for the meetings; maintains files and prepares minutes; submits and distributes minutes for signature and notify appropriate procurement managers/officers/requisitioning units once the minutes are approved.
5. Maintains Centre Team library, samples and works with Knowledge Management focal point on web-site and intranet information. Acts as the Centre’s focal point for the Intranet and Internet ensuring that relevant information about the Business Unit is posted to promote the understanding of the Division and the Centre.
6. Prepares routing correspondence and produces minutes and unofficial translations as required. Drafts routine correspondence for signature by Chief. Ensures that policy, confidential and management files are properly maintained and up to date.
7. Supports Chief with personnel administration, including following-up with supervisors and staff that all PER’s and related discussions are completed on time and are documented.
8. Monitors daily attendance of centre staff and prepares monthly absence reports. Provides advice and ensures administrative support as required.
9. Compiles and prepare statistics for presentation by Chief at Management meetings including information material and power point presentations for internal and external use and presentation for senior staff of the Centre.
10. Any other duties as requested by the supervisor or the OIC, including management of procurement processes and transactions

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Completion of secondary school education is required, with courses/certifications in business administration, supply chain management and/or procurement.
• Relevant work experience in an administrative position, preferably in a secretarial function in an international environment is required. For candidates with a Bachelor's degree in the relevant supply area, a minimum of 1 year of professional experience and for candidates with diploma/secondary education a minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience is required.
• Familiarity with UNICEF, UN Supply procedures and systems is advantageous.
• Strong computer skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SAP.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

s an advocate for every child you will receive :

• A competitive salary that is tax-exempted in Hungary
• Net salary range of HUF 483,583 – 549,916 depending on experience (medical insurance and pension premiums will be deducted from net salary). Access here the UN Salary Scale for Hungary, and here a salary calculator for simulation.
• Holidays and leave, including 2.5 days of annual leave accrual per month
• Parental leave
• Dependency allowance
• United Nations-sponsored medical insurance plan, pension plan, and optional life insurance plan
• Access to professional development and learning programs, online learning, and learning path
• Access to staff well-being and career development support

Please visit the Compensation and Benefits site on UNICEF Career page

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.