Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Client Support and Special Situations Section (CSSSS) in the Division for Special Activities (DSA) in the Department of Operational Support (DOS) at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

DOS was established to provide operational advisory services to operating entities across the Secretariat, including other departments, offices-away-from headquarters, field missions, and regional commissions.

DSA oversees a range of specialized or cross-cutting operational capacities. A large part of its responsibilities are to support start-up, surge, transition and liquidation requirements and to exercise authority on behalf of entities to which authority has not been granted owing to a lack of capacity or from which authority has been temporarily withdrawn.

CSSSS works with counterparts across DOS and other United Nations entities to effectively and rapidly support the deployment, establishment, transition and liquidation of client entities. The Administrative Assistant reports directly to the Chief of Section and will also work closely with the Division Director.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
• Initiates, processes, monitors, reviews and follows-up on actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, placement, relocation, promotion, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of regulations and procedures.
• Enters, maintains and certifies administrative data and records for time and attendance, performance appraisal, etc. in electronic information systems.
• Reviews entitlements-related claims and reports.
• Provides advice and guidance to staff with respect to administrative procedures, processes and practices, liaising with central administrative services as necessary.
• Maintains and reviews organizational staffing tables; prints and reviews IMIS reports.

BUDGET AND FINANCE
• Provides support to higher level staff with monitoring and status of relevant expenditures and compares with approved budget.
• Reviews status of relevant expenditures and compares with approved budget.
• Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged and (b) availability of funds.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
• Prepares, processes and follows-up on administrative arrangements and forms related to the official travel of staff.
• Drafts routine correspondence.
• Maintains files of rules, regulations, administrative instructions and other related documentation.
• Maintains up-to-date work unit files (both paper and electronic).
• Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field.
• Performs other related administrative duties, as required, e.g., managing priorities and workflow of the Director; scheduling on behalf of the Director with appropriate consultation as required; effectively prioritizing and resolving related conflicts and competing demands; screening and prioritizing all incoming/outgoing correspondence; compiling relevant background documents and references; identifying issues requiring the Director’s attention and referring others to relevant officer for appropriate disposition; monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services; physical space planning; identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems; organizing and coordinating administrative arrangements for seminars, conferences and translations.
• Independently handles a wide range of complex information requests and inquiries (e.g. Answer requests requiring file or other research); responds, or drafts responses, to a diverse range of correspondence and other communications.

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
• Assists with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for outsourced services.
• Audits the contractors’ invoices against the goods and services provided by the contractor and approved by the UN.
• Processes the payment of contractors’ invoices and monitor payments.
• Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff, including UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, swipe-card access and door keys.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. 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.

• 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.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience

• A minimum of five years experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher.

• Experience in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, such as Umoja, SAP or equivalent is desirable.

• Experience working in an international organization is desirable.

• Experience in use of a correspondence management system is desirable.

• Experience supporting high level official or leadership team is desirable.

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 a competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• 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.

• This position is funded for a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the availability of the funds.

• Applicants, who successfully go through a competitive recruitment process and are recommended for selection and/or inclusion in the roster of pre-approved candidates for subsequent job openings at the same level and with similar functions, may have their application information and roster status shared with other UN Organizations. Such applicants may be contacted by other UN Organizations for similar job openings, subject to the confirmation of their interest. Placement on the roster is no guarantee of a future selection.

• 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.

• 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.Staff members who were granted a fixed-term, continuing or permanent appointment as a result of having passed a predecessor test recognized by the Office of Human Resources Management, and who have continuously held such appointments, are not required to take the new test.

• 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.