Meeting Services Assistant

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.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 1,440 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

Org. Setting and Reporting ECA's mission, objective and strategic directions:

ECA's mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA's five strategic directions which are: advancing ECA's position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent's problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa's position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

This position is located in the Publications & Conference Management Section (PCMS) within the Publications, Conference and Knowledge Management Division (PCKMD) at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Meeting Services Assistant works under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Conference Management and Interpretation Unit and overall supervision of the Chief Publications and Conference Management Section in PCKMD.

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

• Produces daily and weekly programme of assigned committees and meetings/conferences prepared by senior staff for distribution.
• Prepares and organizes sets of official documentation in the document booth, in the six official languages, for distribution in the conference room.
• Informs relevant offices/persons of changes in the daily programme of committees and meetings/conferences.
• Ensures the distribution of procedural notes for the chairpersons of assigned committees and meetings/conferences.
• Assists in the preparation of the preliminary list and annotation of agenda items, the list of participants, and daily material concerning the proceeding of committees and meetings/conferences.
• Undertakes research and provides reference materials for preparation of briefs, notes and statements for the chairperson of committees and meetings/conferences.
• Maintains an accurate record of speakers and/or an attendance record and coordinate with the Secretariat, verbatim reporters and delegations on their position on the list of speakers.
• Ensures that reports of committees and meetings/conferences meet the UN document standards and coordinates with the documents control office for reproduction of reports.
• Prepares floor plan of seating arrangements in accordance with meeting requirements and UN protocol.
• Prepares monthly statistics on meetings held at headquarters and offices away from headquarters.
• Prepares for committees and meetings/conferences to be held away from Headquarters, other UN Offices or Regional Commissions, coordinates with substantive offices, and prepares cost estimates.
• Drafts routine correspondence for signature.
• Makes arrangements for and coordinate video and teleconference activities at headquarters.
• Responds to queries from delegations and the Secretariat.
• Provides guidance/training, as needed, to temporary assistants and junior staff.
• Processes recruitment of short-term language staff and their entitlements by sending request for availability, sending confirmations, drafting recruitment memos, preparing letters of offers, raising travel authorizations, making all logistics arrangements for visas, hotels and transportation;
• Processes and follow-ups payment of salary and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for short-term language staff and support staff;
• Participates in in-session servicing by ascertaining availability of all interpreters including equipment at the venue, providing interpreters with relevant documentation (meeting documents, presentations, and speeches), making sure that water is available in the booths; typing daily roster during meeting; monitoring time an attendance for each interpreter;
• Maintains a list of meetings serviced indicating names of interpreters and translators recruited for each event and their payments status and maintains databases of freelance interpreters and translators and their respective files;
• Undertake clients satisfaction surveys on performance of interpreters, analyze data and share results with management;

• Performs other duties as required.

  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. 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.

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.

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.

A bachelor's degree in administration or office management or related fields is an advantage.

Work Experience At least five years of progressively responsible in the area of conference services is required.

Experience in management of short-term language staff including freelance interpreters is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge another UN language is an advantage.

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include a substantive assessment which will be followed by 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. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures.

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.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite 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. 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.

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.