STAFF 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 in the Office of the Deputy Secretary-General in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. The incumbent reports to the Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary-General.

EOSG, under the guidance of the Secretary-General (SG), work as a team pursuing in a cohesive and coherent manner, the SG’s vision, priorities and policies for his second mandate in office. It seeks alignment of the United Nations family with the SG’s vision, priorities and policies. It is guided by the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity and of achieving gender and regional balance among staff.

All EOSG units will support the EOSG senior officials, as appropriate, depending on the tasks at hand, regardless of which senior official they formally report to, and will work together through a matrix team approach, as necessary, to ensure EOSG leads by example on integration and cross-pillar work.

Responsibilities The Staff Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

•Assists in the overall administration of the Transition Team, i.e. provides substantive and administrative support in managing priorities and work flow of the Deputy Director and of the work unit; coordinates and monitors multiple and diverse activities and work processes to ensure that management directives and decisions are properly carried out and products delivered in a timely manner.

•Maintains calendar/schedules; monitors change and communicates relevant information to the Deputy Director and appropriate staff in the Team ; takes full responsibility for time management and scheduling on behalf of manager with appropriate consultation as required; effectively prioritizes and resolves related conflicts and competing demands.

• Supports the Deputy Director and the Team in researching issues, preparing briefing notes, slides and subject files, gathering relevant documentation, etc. in support of presentations to intergovernmental bodies, to the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General and other meetings.

•Uses standard word processing and powerpoint tools to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents; independently makes corrections and changes, and provides edits and comments on the documents for the Deputy Director’s and substantive personnel’s review and clearance.

•Screens and prioritizes all incoming correspondence; identifies issues requiring the manager’s attention and refers others to relevant officer for appropriate disposition; responds or drafts responses to correspondence and other communications; carries out quality control function for outgoing documents; proofreads and edits texts for adherence for format, grammar, punctuation and style.

•Organizes official receptions, meetings, etc., handling all necessary arrangements (e.g. room reservations, guest/participant lists, invitations, catering, seating arrangements, background documentation, special equipment, etc.).

•Provides technical and administrative advice and training (UMOJA, Unite Connections, INSPIRA, CorLog, ECorrespondence, etc.) as required, to support the Deputy Director and personnel in the Team when required;

•Performs general administrative tasks (e.g. leave and attendance recording, arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, etc.), to include preparing and/or processing administrative requests/documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests, contracts, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, UN grounds passes, swipe-card access, door keys, etc.).Supports when required in the staff selection processes; oversees the maintenance of vacancy announcement files; keeps track of status of vacancy announcements.

•Serves as a communications link between the Deputy Director and the Team; on behalf of supervisor, keeps others informed by conveying directives, reports, status updates and other relevant information; brings sensitive and urgent matters to the attention of the manager; maintains files (both paper and electronic) and databases for work unit.

•Independently handles a wide range of information requests and inquiries; identifies and resolves diverse issues/problems as they arise, and determines appropriate actions; takes initiative and engages in the work of the Team through a proactive approach; prepares, processes and classifies confidential information.

•Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies •Professionalism –– Knowledge of general office and administrative support including administrative policies, processes and procedures. 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. 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 audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

•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.

•Planning& 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.

Education High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience A minimum of seven years' experience in general office support or related area is required.

Experience providing assistance to senior officials, including in a front office and/or highly demanding environment, is required.

In depth-knowledge of the United Nations and its workings, particularly in the Secretariat, is also required.

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

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

Special Notice - This position is available for 365 days with possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.

• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post.

• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.

• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as "retirement." Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.

  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.