Library Assistant

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 This position is located within the International Trade Law Division (ITLD), Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), which serves as the substantive secretariat to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and is based in Vienna. The Library Assistant reports to the Legal Officer in charge of the UNCITRAL Law Library.

For more information please visit https://uncitral.un.org/.

Responsibilities Within assigned authority, the Library Assistant will be responsible for the following specific duties:

With regard to the UNCITRAL library: - Receive external visitors and assist them in their research, provide technical support and instructions using electronic resources and reference tools. - Perform searches of a wide variety of full-text databases to locate specific items requested. - Review sources to identify appropriate materials that meet the information needs of the UNCITRAL secretariat and its clientele. - Participate in the digitization of library resources and contribute or exchange said resources to electronic legal resources and reference tools. - Screen journal issues for articles to be catalogued, ordered and accessed. - Catalogue articles, books and other resources. - Manage and maintain library subscriptions and recommend including acquisition of new titles (serials or databases). - Provide statistical data for assessing usefulness and relevance of materials. - Collect and analyse data, prepare data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, outreach activities, knowledge management, planning and decision making; assist with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. - Contribute to the development and maintenance of the UNCITRAL library catalogue and other relevant databases. - Procure materials and services, follow-up on status of orders and monitor expenditures. With regard to UNCITRAL publications and official UN documents: - Provide support in the compilation and digitization of documents to support the UN publications programme (i.e. UNCITRAL Yearbook). - Assist in the digitization and filing of publications and official documents. With regard to the UNCITRAL website: - Assist the Legal Officer (Legal Librarian) managing the legal content of the UNCITRAL website in maintaining and updating the UNCITRAL website, requesting translation in six UN languages, and preparing materials and archival materials for posting. With regard to UNCITRAL social media and outreach: - Provide support to the creation of marketing and social media-related materials. - Conduct outreach activities, including presentations, demonstrations and training sessions on access, search and use of legal databases. Perform other work-related duties as assigned.

Competencies - PROFESSIONALISM: Has knowledge of library operations, including editorial standards and cataloguing. Has ability to undertake relevant research, maintain records in a systematic fashion and retrieve necessary materials with maximum speed and accuracy. Has ability to perform analysis, modeling, and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. 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.

• 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.

• CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

  Education High school diploma or equivalent is required.

  Job - Specific Qualification Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite, i.e. is required, for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. The GGST is a proctored entry-level examination at the duty station. Any travel expenses incurred in order to take the examination are the responsibility of the candidate and will not be reimbursed by the Organization. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test [in English] at the United Nations headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Nations Office at Vienna, International criminal tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

  Work Experience A minimum of seven years of experience in library work, archives, information network administration or related field is required.

  Work experience with integrated library systems with an Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) is required.

  Experience in the advanced use of the Microsoft Office suite of tools (e.g. Word, Excel, Power BI, Access, Sharepoint) is required.

  Experience with developing and maintaining databases is desirable.

  Experience in cataloguing using an integrated library management system (ILS) and with SAP based applications such as Umoja or a similar business process system is desirable.

  Work experience with Machine Readable Cataloguing (MARC) records and classification systems such as the Universal Decimal Classification (used in UN libraries), Dewey Decimal Classification or Library of Congress is desirable.

  Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable.

  Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise and a competency-based interview.

  Special Notice This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

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.

Education qualification exceeding the specified requirement of this job opening including university degrees and certificates shall not give rise to additional entitlements or benefits, or facilitate a move to the Professional category. The movement of staff members from the General Service and related categories to the Professional category in the United Nations Secretariat is exclusively allowed through the Young Professionals Programme competitive examinations. Only a few staff members pass the competitive examinations. Passing the competitive examinations does not guarantee movement to the Professional category. For further information, please visit https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=GP

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.