Administrative Assistant II

Contract

This is a G-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-5 contracts.

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

The primary objective of the Department of Health Systems and Services (HSS) is to strengthen health systems based on Primary Health Care, supporting universal health. Its work encompasses the following areas: strengthening of health systems stewardship and governance to achieve universal health and address the social determinants of health, including social protection in health; strengthening of regulatory frameworks and financial protection for progressive realization of the right to health; organizing people-centered, integrated health service delivery; promoting access to and rational use of quality, safe, and effective health technologies; health policies, and technical cooperation; and developing human resources for health.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the Director, Health Systems and Services (HSS), and the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Medicines and Health Technologies (HSS/MT), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

1. Perform administrative support functions, including but not limited to maintaining the Unit Chief’s agenda, organize teleconferences and virtual/on-site meetings, maintain the calendar of appointments and deadlines; prepare routine correspondence in English and Spanish; draft letters, reports, technical documents, charts, and a variety of correspondence involving the use of technical terminology; prepare agendas and other material for use on official trips or special meetings;
2. Review all incoming correspondence which require action by HSS/MT; identify urgent matters, and ensure that these are handled expeditiously, determining which can be answered by specific Office personnel; gather necessary background documentation for correspondence requiring action; make recommendations regarding the appropriate action to be taken; monitor to ensure that deadlines for responses are met; follow up with various personnel in the Unit for the submission of reports and formulation of correspondence;
3. Assist in the preparation of technical presentations, technical reports and articles by reviewing, correcting and/or rewriting texts to improve clarity, conciseness and coherence; prepare and verify the content of tables, graphs, and charts; follow up on the submission of reports and correspondence in order to meet established deadlines;
4. Assist in the preparation of technical and financial reports as well as consolidation of information within the unit to improve monitoring and follow up of plans, projects and related strategies;
5. Serve as liaison for logistical and operational processes and activities, as well as with other offices throughout the Organization; communicate procedures to be followed for meetings of Governing Bodies, Advisory Committees, etc.;
6. Prepare correspondence on own initiative or from verbal instructions for signature; prepare draft translations of correspondence and other materials from English into Spanish and vice versa.
7. Review all outgoing correspondence requiring the official signature; proofread for style, punctuation, grammar, spelling and adherence to the Organization’s standards and policies; recommend revisions to correspondence and other documents to ensure that they are clear and accurate in content;
8. Assist in the coordination, preparation and implementation of internal and external meetings, conferences, seminars, or other events; prepare correspondence and documentation as needed; initiate documents for recruitment of temporary staff and contingent workers; assist with travel arrangements;
9. Coordinate the administrative services of the Unit, distributing special assignments to other administrative support staff; brief and train new staff on administrative procedures and practices and give guidance, as required;
10. Establish and maintain physical and electronic files and controlled reference material; conduct research of files, reports, and other sources to obtain material requested and, when necessary, compiling summaries;
11. Organize travel plans and make necessary arrangements, including obtaining concurrences, airline tickets, required visas, hotel reservations, travel authorizations; prepare and assemble background materials required for duty travel;
12. Monitor the status of personnel actions required and follow up on staff reassignments and hiring of temporary staff, as needed; assist in the administrative process for the recruitment and selection of staff in the Unit;
13. Work closely with the Department’s Administration Team for matters related to the implementation of the Unit’s BWP;
14. Perform other related duties; including backstopping for other HSS/MT team members, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education****:

Essential: Certificate of completion of high school.

Desirable: Training in management and/or financial systems would be an asset.

In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO, only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/ and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience****:

Essential: Five years of administrative work experience.

SKILLS****:

PAHO Competencies:

• Overall attitude at work****: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.
• Teamwork****: Collaborate and cooperate with others/Deal effectively with conflicts - Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve results; encourages cooperation and builds rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the teams’ successes and shortcomings. Identifies conflicts in a timely manner and addresses them as necessary; understands issues from the perspective of others; does not interpret/ attribute conflicts to cultural, geographical or gender issues.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences****: Relate well with diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity - Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.
• Communication****: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Write effectively / Share knowledge - Quality and quantity of communication targeted at audience. Listens attentively and does not interrupt other speakers. Adapts communication style and written content to ensure they are appropriately and accurately understood by the audience (e.g., power-point presentations, communication strategies, implementation plans). Shares information openly with colleagues and transfers knowledge, as needed.
• Knowing and managing yourself: Remain productive /Manage stress/Continuously learn - Remains productive even in an environment where information or direction is not available, and when facing challenges; recovers quickly from setbacks, where necessary. Manages stress positively; remains positive and productive even under pressure; does not transfer stress to others. Seeks informal and/or formal learning opportunities for personal and professional development; systematically learns new competencies and skills useful for job; takes advantage of learning opportunities to fill competencies and skill gaps.
• Producing Results****: Work efficiently and independently / Deliver quality results/Take responsibility - Prioritizes work and makes planning/Organizational adjustments as necessary; seeks clarification from supervisor on timelines, as needed. Uses feedback and inputs from supervisor to achieve results. Produces quality results and has frequent discussions with supervisor to achieve results. Is action-oriented and sees tasks through to completion. Shows understanding of own role and responsibilities in relation to expected results. Solicits and accepts direction and guidance from supervisor and team members and takes responsibility for own work and actions, as appropriate.
• Acts proactively and stimulates action as needed; handles problems effectively and constructively. Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own time lines effectively and efficiently. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.

Technical Expertise:

• Ability to write/originate routine and non-routine correspondence and reports in English and Spanish.
• Ability to prepare working translations.
• Proficiency in office productivity and virtual collaboration platforms.
• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and carry out administrative processes such as: meetings, recruitment of staff, personnel matters, preparation of formal publications, budget and expenditures records, acquisition of supplies.
• Ability to research, analyze and organize information in order to prepare charts, graphics, reports, etc.
• Ability to coordinate, monitor and control administrative services affecting several projects and involving the allocation of work, developing/adjusting operational procedures, evaluating priorities, coordinating and supporting internal day-to-day activities, etc.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of English and Spanish.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and utilize platforms such as Teams, Zoom, Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as, Microsoft SharePoint and Project would be an asset.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary****: (Net of taxes)

USD $48,514.00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Local Recruitment)

This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level****.

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

A written test may be used as a form of screening.

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

PAHO/WHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.

PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

PAHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance). Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan, and health insurance scheme.

All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

Administrative/support positions in Washington, D.C. are open to Washington, D.C. metropolitan area residents only. Candidates must be U.S. Citizens or hold a Permanent Resident Alien card (Green Card).

Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. A written test and/or interview will be held for this post. The post description is the official documentation for organizational purposes.