ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT– GS-6

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 The UN Secretary-General’s launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator - the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level - support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs.

The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean functions under a Multi-Country Office (MCO) context, serving seven Eastern Caribbean countries: Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Over-seas Territories: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands and Montserrat. Under the MCO set-up, as of January 2021 the UN RCO will have presence in six Eastern Caribbean countries through the positing of a United Nations Country Coordination Officer.

As a Multi-Country Office, the UN Resident Coordinator leads the United Nations Sub-Regional Team (UNST) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean comprising of eleven resident UN Agencies based in Barbados and seven non-resident UN Agencies. The UNST works in support of regional and countries priorities as defined in regional and country level cooperation framework and/or programmes.

This temporary position is located in the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean in Barbados (MCO hub). It is aimed at supporting the roll-out of the MCO review and will contribute directly to the setting-up of a network of seven satellite offices of the Resident Coordinator across the Eastern Caribbean.

The Administrative Assistant works under the overall guidance of the RCO Strategic Planner and Team Leader and reports directly to the RCO Executive Associate. The working environment entails working collaboratively with the UN RCO team and Agencies staff and external counterparts for the successful achievement of the responsibilities and assigned tasks.

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

Human Resources Management •Working in close partnership with DCO/UNON, support the recruitment and onboarding of seven national officers for RCO satellite offices across the Eastern Caribbean •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. •Oversees the maintenance of vacancy announcement files and keeps track of status of vacancy announcements. Reviews and processes personnel actions through IMIS. •Supports all immigration and other administrative processes with the national authorities for relevant RCO staff members. •Monitors staffing table and prepare relevant statistical data/charts.

Budget and Finance •Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary. •Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions. •Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures •Prepares or customizes financial reports from IMIS system generated reports. - 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). •Support satellite office in establishing and/or adopting administrative protocols with respect to correspondences, organisation of meetings, and inter-agency communications •Assist in the setting up of office space for Satellite Office ensuring that the necessary supplies and equipment required for efficient functioning of office is acquired

•Orient new staff to UN administrative and operational policies and procedures with respect to mission planning, recruitment of consultants, accepted UN protocols with interacting with high level officials.

Work implies frequent interaction with the following: Staff within the RCO including outposted capacities and partners of the RCO. Human resource, administrative, accounting staff in Agencies, Funds and Programme and Headquarters, general support service and conference services staff. Consulting firms.

Results Expected: Works with minimal amount of supervision; independently provides accurate reports and/or records in the areas of work programming, budget/financial management, personnel administration and other administrative functions;

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.

• 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.

• 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.

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Education High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience Seven years of experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources or related area.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written 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 31 December 2021. 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.