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 Controller, Office of Programme Planning, Finance and Budget (OPPFB), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC). The Staff Assistant reports to the Assistant Secretary-General. The incumbent may also provide general office and administrative support to other senior officers.

The Office of the Controller assists the Controller in discharging his responsibilities under the UN Financial Rules and Regulations including reviewing and monitoring the execution of financial agreements; formulating and monitoring the implementation of financial policies and guidelines; and coordinating interdepartmental activities relating to planning, programming, budget and accounting matters.

Responsibilities Within limits of delegated authority, Staff Assistant will be responsible for the following duties;

• Assists in the overall administration of the Office, i.e., provides secretarial, substantive and administrative support in managing priorities and workflow of the ASG 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. (e.g., leave and attendance, travel arrangements, visa applications, expense reports, conference room bookings, etc.).
• Compiles and analyzes basic data from a variety of sources (including Umoja), summarizing and presenting conclusions for review by the ASG.
• Serves as a communications link between the ASG and senior staff; on behalf of the ASG, keeps others informed by conveying directives, reports, status updates and other relevant information; brings sensitive and urgent matters to the attention of the ASG.
• Takes full responsibility for time management, maintaining calendar of the ASG and scheduling on behalf of ASG with appropriate consultation as required; effectively prioritizes and resolves related conflicts and competing demands.
• Undertakes representational duties on behalf of the ASG, to include serving as first point of contact and liaison with senior officials internally and externally.
• Screens and prioritizes all incoming correspondence; compiles relevant background documents and references; identifies issues requiring the manager's attention and refers others to relevant officer for appropriate disposition; monitors and follows-up on actions to be taken.
• Researches, compiles and summarizes background materials for use in preparation of reports, briefs, speeches, etc; scan reports from specialized agencies, as well as newspapers, magazine, periodicals and other information sources to identify articles of interest to the ASG.
• Independently handles a wide range of complex information requests and inquiries (e.g., answer requests requiring file or other research); responds, or drafts routine correspondence/responses, to a diverse range of correspondence and other communications.
• Supports the ASG in presentations to intergovernmental bodies and other meetings, researching issues, preparing briefing notes, slides and subject files, gathering relevant documentation, etc.
• Establishes/improves administrative procedures and systems to ensure smooth functioning of the department, including maintaining the filing (paper and electronic) systems and database of important contacts. Establishes priorities and deadlines, trains office support staff in administrative, protocol and other relevant procedures
• 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.).
• Prepares, processes and classifies confidential information.
• Exercises quality control function for all outgoing documents; proofreads and edits texts for adherence for format, grammar, punctuation and style.
• Uses standard word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports.
• Manages, updates and further develops internal databases; updates website; generates a variety of standard and non-standard statistical and other reports from various databases.
• Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

  Competencies Professionalism: Knowledge of general office and administrative support including administrative policies, processes and procedures. The 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.

Work Experience A minimum of seven years of experience in general office support or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

At least three years of experience working with a senior official in the front office in the United Nations or a similar international organization is required.

Experience with MS Office programs, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook is required.

Experience in calendar maintenance of a senior official and scheduling with various constituencies in a high-volume environment is desirable.

Experience in using ERP systems such as SAP, Umoja or similar application is desirable.

One year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

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

Assessment Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by 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.

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.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

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.