Administrative Officer, NOA, Fixed Term, Damascus-Syria, MENA - Open only to Syrian nationals

Provide efficient administrative support services as focal point.

This opening expired 1 year ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Friday 31 Jan 2025 at 20:55 UTC

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Overview

Provide efficient administrative support services as focal point.

You have:

  • University degree in social sciences, business management, administration, finance or any other relevant field of discipline.
  • One year of relevant professional work experience with both national and international work experience in office management, administration, finance, accounting, ICT, human resources, supply or any other relevant function.
  • Fluency in English and Arabic is required.
  • Proven experience related to outlined duties and tasks is required.
  • Experience in a UN system agency is considered as an asset.

Contract

This is a NO-1 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-1 contracts.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Peace

UNICEF Syria was established in 1970 and has been working with partners to help empower children to fully claim and enjoy their rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF works with partners across Syria to deliver supplies, services, and expertise in areas of Child Protection, Education, Health, Nutrition, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation for every child. UNICEF also provides humanitarian assistance when needed.

Syria continues to face one of the most complex emergencies in the world. Unprecedented humanitarian needs are compounded by displacement inside the country and across its borders, extensive destruction of civilian and social services infrastructure, devastating impacts on the economy, and most importantly, the breakdown of the social fabric that stitched the country together for decades.

Today, 90% of people in Syria live in poverty, most are unable to make ends meet or bring food to the table. Families have had their resources depleted, with limited employment opportunities, skyrocketing prices, and shortage of basic supplies. For most people, the current socio-economic challenges represent some of the harshest and most challenging circumstances they have faced since the beginning of the crisis 11 years ago.

In 2024, 16.7 million people need humanitarian assistance. This is the highest number of people in need ever recorded in Syria since 2011. The number of children in need - more than 6.5 million – has increased by seven per cent in the past year alone. This is largely due the ongoing conflict, continued displacements, the unprecedented economic crisis, deepening poverty, and unemployment. The COVID-19 pandemic, the hike in price of commodities triggered by the overall global economic situation and the impact of sanctions are further compounding the dire situation. For information of the work of our organization, please visit our website: UNICEF Syria

How can you make a difference?

As focal point of administrative management services in a country or sub-country office, the incumbent is accountable for delivery of efficient and cost effective administrative support services, providing guidance for operations of administrative support services and management of administrative staff. Ensures the office’s administrative operations and services are in compliance with the organization's administrative policy, procedures, rules and regulations.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

1. Appropriate interpretation and application of administrative policy and procedures are timely implemented to support operations at the country and sub-country levels.

2. The budget preparation and implementation are properly administered, monitored and controlled in the area of administrative management and services.

3. Management and operations of delivery and improvement in administrative support services are timely and effectively provided, and security arrangements are well established for enhanced safety and security.

4. Property management of administrative supplies, office equipment, vehicles and other properties are effectively performed.

5. All administrative transactions and arrangements of contracts satisfy the requirements as stipulated and are in compliance with the applicable policies, procedures, rules and regulations.

6. Staff capacity is enhanced through active staff learning/development programmes in the area of administrative management and services.

7. Effective working relations are maintained with other agencies, local authorities and implementing partners.

8. Any other assigned administrative management responsibilities and services are effectively carried out and delivered.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: [ Administrative Officer Level 1.doc]

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

Minimum requirements:

Education:

University degree in social sciences, business management, administration, finance or any other relevant field of discipline.

Work Experience:

  • One year of relevant professional work experience with both national and international work experience in office management, administration, finance, accounting, ICT, human resources, supply or any other relevant function.
  • Proven experience related to outlined duties and tasks is required.
  • Experience in a UN system agency is considered as an asset.

Language Proficiency:

Fluency in English and Arabic is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

  • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
  • Works Collaboratively with others (1)
  • Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
  • Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
  • Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
  • Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Potential interview questions

Can you describe a time when you had to manage a budget effectively? The interviewer wants to assess your financial management skills. Provide a specific example that highlights your budgeting process and its outcome.
How do you ensure compliance with administrative policies? This question examines your understanding and application of organizational policies. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe a situation where you improved a service process. Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you build relationships with other agencies or partners? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What steps do you take to manage ambiguity in your work? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org