Portfolio Senior Assistant

Contract

This is a LICA-5 contract. This kind of contract is known as Local Individual Contractor Agreements. It is normally only for nationals. It's an external contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about LICA-5 contracts.

Background Information - UNOPS

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.

Background Information - Job-specific

UNOPS supports partners to build a better future by providing services that increase the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of peace building, humanitarian and development projects. Mandated as a central resource of the United Nations, UNOPS provides sustainable project management, procurement and infrastructure services to a wide range of governments, donors and United Nations organizations.

New York Service Cluster (NYSC) supports the United Nations Secretariat, as well as other New York-based United Nations organizations, bilateral and multilateral partners in the delivery of UNOPS mandate in project management, infrastructure management, and procurement management

Sustainable Development Cluster (SDC) supports diverse partners with their peacebuilding, humanitarian and development operations. It was formed by combining the following portfolios: Grants Management Services (GMS), UN Technology Support Services (UNTSS), Development and Special Initiatives Portfolio (DSIP) It provides Services to partners' programmes that are designed, structured, and managed with a global perspective and primarily serving partners that are headquartered in New York. The SDC has a footprint of approximately 125 countries.

Under supervision of the Project Manager, the Portfoliio Senior Assistant provides a range of administrative services to the portfolio. The incumbent may take routine decisions on administrative actions based on established authority and guidelines.

The incumbent of this position will be personnel of UNOPS under its full administrative and financial responsibility.

Functional Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions

• Financial and Administrative Support
• Implementation of operational strategies and procedures
• Knowledge building and knowledge sharing

Financial and Administrative Support

• Assist with administration and regular monitoring of all budgetary, financial, procurement and routine aspects of project delivery;
• Assist with the preparation and processing of budgets and required formats in compliance with UNOPS requirements for internal approval, review of budgets to confirm if funds are available; run budget reports including transactions details and exceptions; Monitor expenditures, verification for accuracy of expenditure requests (CPs, invoices, F10s) and availability of funds, completeness of documentation submitted;
• Lead administrative arrangements (e.g. logistics) for conferences/meetings;
• Interact with colleagues, clients and partners to exchange information on administrative issues and seek co-operation. Resolution of routine administrative and process problems, referring complex issues to supervisor with recommendations for course of action;
• Create Requisitions and Purchase Orders (POs); performance of reconciliation activities such as closure and cancellation POs. Inquiries on PO details and activities. Generation of PO reports for expedition, status and details information; and create receipts including information such as distributions,rejections and cancellations;
• Create vendor details and approval follow-ups;
• Monitoring of payments and follow up when problems arise; Review of payment vouchers and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, compliance with UNOPS FRRs and correctness of account code charges;
• Analysis of financial reports, investigation and preparation of adjustments as required;
• Maintain contract-tracking plan to review sub-contractor invoices and supporting documentation and ensure that services provided and claims are in conformity with the terms of the contract;
• Act as focal point with projects on Asset Reporting as per UN MOU requirements.
• Create, import, review, correct and proces journal entries in General Ledger. Review and run inquiries included in journal, ledgers, or accounting entries;
• Prepare routine project communications, documentation, reports and contracts, checking documents for accuracy and compliance with UNOPS format and style;
• Prepare briefing materials , as required for mission travel and/or discussion on project activities and status;
• Prepare financial authorizations for project activities for approval of the Supervisor;
• Maintain accurate records of all operational and financial transactions for easy reference and retrieval; efficient document management including file closures, archiving and monitoring due dates for project progress status reports and submission by UNOPS of substantive and financial/budget utilization reports to clients;
• Process travel and expenses according to established procedures and practice;
• Review of international and/or local consultant, staff and consulting firm’s Terms of reference (TOR) to ascertain conformity with work-plans; initiation of recruitment on receipt of client/supervisor clearance. Request of contracts for international programme staff including consultants;
• Support Project Manager in management, implementation monitoring of HR related requests including HR Monitoring Tools;
• Perform backstopping role during the absence of Project Manager under the overall cordination of the Senior Portfolio Manager
• Perform other duties as may be reasonably required and in line with the incumbent’s scope of services above.

Implementation of Operational Strategies and Procedures:

• Full compliance of operations with UNOPS rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
• Inputs to the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in operations, in consultation with the direct supervisor and office management.

Knowledge Building and Knowledge Sharing:

• Input and update of accurate data and information to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of project activities, and to institutionalize and disseminate knowledge.
• Use of technology and electronic systems and tools to initiate work, share information with colleagues and clients.

Competencies

Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.

Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles. Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role). Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries. Open to change and flexible in a fast paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements. Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving. Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

*********FEMALE CANDIDATES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY****** *CANDIDATES WITH NO UNITED NATIONS OR UNOPS EXPERIENCE ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

Education:** - Secondary education/High school diploma is required. - University degree (Bachelor’s or Master’), will be considered an asset and may substitute for some of the required years of experience.

Experience:

• Minimum five (5) years of progressive experience in administration, finance, programme project support or related experience is required.
• Proficiency in MS Excel and Word or G-sheets and G-Docs is required

Desired Experience (The following experience is optional. Candidates who do not have it are welcome to apply): - Knowledge of OneUNOPS is desirable. - Familiarity with UNOPS policies and procedures, especially with regard to finance, procurement of personnel, goods and services desirable.

Language:

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of a second UN official language an asset.

Contract type, level and duration

Contract type: Local Individual Contractual Agreement (LICA) Contract level: LICA-5/ICSC-5 Contract duration: Ongoing ICA – Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

The personnel must be able to perform the functions during New York, USA working hours i.e. 9:00 am to 5:00 pm EDT Monday through Friday.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link: https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

Additional Considerations

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns. Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.