Archives 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 United Nations Investigative Team to promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL in Iraq and the Office Evidence Management, Information and Evidence Management Unit. The Archives Assistant reports to the Head of the Information and Evidence Management Unit in the Office of Evidence Management.

UNITAD was established by the Secretary-General pursuant to Security Council resolution 2379 (2017), according to which it is mandated to support domestic efforts to hold ISIL (Da'esh) accountable by collecting, preserving, and storing evidence in Iraq of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity.

Responsibilities Within limits of delegated authority, the Archives Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Archives and Records Management:

• Oversee and manage the field mission Archives; ensuring that documentation is properly stored and safe-guarded and available for reference by authorised field mission staff members.
• Oversee records accessioning operations by supervising and guiding staff in receiving transfers, ensuring the application of retention schedules, and the establishment of links to previous accessions.
• Manage records-storage operations by approving space allocations and associated accessions and database updating; responding to problems that arise with solutions; and monitoring environmental quality controls.
• Participates in planning and organizing of on-site digitization projects to collect evidence from Iraqi ministries and courts.
• Advised digitization/scanning and e-discovery teams on developing policies, protocols, finding aids, best practices, and specification documents related to digitization, archival, duplication, and transfer of paper and electronic evidence.
• Establish archival procedures and supervise archival arrangements and description operations performed by Unit staff.
• Oversee reference and research operations and supervise reference staff in records identification, retrieval, and reproduction services.
• Supervise and direct access and declassification reviews by monitoring the screening of records for security-classified materials, approves declassification review requests and ensures the Unit database is properly updated.

Evidence Management:

• Assist with collection of a broad range of existing documentary, digital and testimonial evidence, obtained from actors including Iraqi national authorities, other national governments, victims and witness groups, civil society bodies and international and regional organizations.
• Manage preservation and storage of evidentiary material collected by the Investigative Team in accordance with international standards.
• Perform quality checks on evidence source and intake records, evidence packaging, and chain-of-custody documentation completed by investigation personnel.
• Perform evidence inventory checks and audits of evidence records to ensure compliance with Mission evidence-management standard operating procedures.

Documents:

• Manage the provision of research and document delivery services provided by the Unit and prepare related reports for the supervisor and senior management.
• Decide on changes in practices and procedures in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness of services provided.
• Evaluate statistics on services, systems, and workload of the Unit, and prepare related reports for the supervisor and senior management, making improvements and changes where required.

General:

• Prepare budget submissions related to the operation of the Information and Evidence Management Unit; draft narrative justifications for the proposed budget and monitor budget expenditures once approved.
• Consult and advise other units/sections throughout the field mission to identify and plan the provision of information-management services and ensure the efficient provision of such services.
• Prepare work output and progress reports on the work of the Unit for the supervisor and senior management.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

  Competencies Professionalism: 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.

Planning and 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.

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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education High school or equivalent diploma is required. Technical or vocational certificate and/or training inevidence, archives, or records management techniques and systems or related fields is a requirement. Training and/or certification in automated information systems applicable to documentation, records management, information networks and archives is required.

Membership in and/or certifications from well-recognized information-governance, records management, evidence management, or information management organizations.

Project management training and certification is desirable

Work Experience At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in the field of archives and records management is required.

Experience with managing records in Microsoft SharePoint is required.

Experience with document-digitization projects is desirable.

Experience with evidence management and electronic-discovery systems, including familiarity with Relativity or similar document-review platforms is desirable.

Experience handling, registering, and managing evidentiary material is desirable.

Experience in evidence management work is required.

Languages Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of a Arabic is an advantage.

Note: "fluency" equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four areas (speak, read, write and understand) and "knowledge of" equals a rating of 'confident' in two of the fours areas.

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

Special Notice - Full vaccination status for COVID-19 or willingness to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 is required for this position.

• 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.

• 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. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

  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.