Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office Accommodations Unit (OAU), Planning, Design and Construction Section (PDCS), Facilities and Commercial Activities (FCAS), Division of Administration (DOA), Department of Operational Support (DOS). The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Section.

The Department of Operational Support 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. The Facilities and Commercial Activities Service (FCAS) operates the Headquarters complex, striving to provide effective and efficient planning, management, maintenance and operation for all existing physical facilities and assets at the UN Headquarters, New York. FCAS also supports office and conference facilities, property management, travel and transportation services, archives and records management, mail and pouch operations, catering, giftshop and the United Nations Postal Administration.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and under the overall guidance of the Chief of the Section, the incumbent is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the Office Accommodations Unit.

These responsibilities include:
Management of both in-house and externally contracted movers:
• Oversees move and relocation of staff, reconfiguration of offices and workstation furniture, conference rooms, events related set-up and support, and other requests for space renovation and reconfiguration for UNHQ and annex building locations.
• Issues assignments based on work orders, job orders, requisitions, etc.
• Reviews and provides interpretation of partition layouts and furniture layouts based on architect’s drawings.
• Performs inspection of premises prior to and upon completion of a project to ensure safety of staff.
• Coordinates with other units of the Facilities and Commercial Activities Service (i.e., Carpentry Shop, Paint Shop, etc.) in the management of projects.
• Assigns personnel and equipment to a project to ensure safe and speedy completion of work.
• Coordinates with externally contracted movers, providing guidance and supervision to ensure full understanding of project scope and timelines.
• Assists in procurement matters including drafting of RFPs, managing contracts related to the Unit, approving invoices, monitoring NTE, evaluating and monitoring vendors’ performance and liaising with the vendor focal points.
• Provides budget estimates for move projects.

Management of the furniture operations and stock rooms:
• Manages the staff who are tasked with the provisioning of furniture and related items.
• Monitors and ensures that the furniture inventory is up to date, determines level of stock of furniture to ensure prompt availability and initiates orders when necessary.
• Oversees the physical disposal of furniture and equipment, reviews to ensure recommendations for disposal of furniture and related items are in accordance with the established regulations and rules prior to submission to the Headquarters Property Survey Board. Implements the decision of the Board and proposes the most economical cost for disposal.
• Provides temporary furniture for special events throughout UN premises.

General Administration:
• Supervises all move personnel (staff, consultants, outsourced temporary assistance).
• Assists in the recruitment for the Unit and provides a recommendation in the selection of moving consultants and other outsourced services.
• Supervises and directs technical training of all moving staff personnel.
• Monitors and manages all relocation requests.
• Supervises all requests for staff relocation, office and conference room configuration, and coordinates with staff, movers and other support services.
• Is responsible for assignment of work schedule and distribution of workload, reviews and approves payroll time sheets for externally contracted moving staff and approves annual leave requests of move staff.

Competencies

Professionalism: Demonstrated competence in office space planning, construction and design services. Knowledge of office accommodation functions and move coordination; ability to interpret the space layout drawings for the correct placement of furniture and equipment. Ability to apply judgment in the context of assignments given. 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.

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 one’s own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Managing Performance: Delegates the appropriate responsibility, accountability and decision-making authority. Makes sure that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clear to each staff member. Accurately judges the amount of time and resources needed to accomplish a task and matches task to skills. Monitors progress against milestones and deadlines. Regularly discusses performance and provides feedback and coaching to staff. Encourages risk-taking and supports creativity and initiative. Actively supports the development and career aspirations of staff. Appraises performance fairly.

Education

High school or equivalent Trade School Diploma is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive experience in facilities management, logistic support, project management, office accommodation moving or move related trades is required.

Experience in the proper use of equipment and tools related to the trade is required.

Experience supervising others is required.

Experience in inventory management using an ERP system is desirable.

Experience in processing work orders through an automated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system 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 United Nations official language is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.

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 selected candidate may be required to perform late night shifts including weekends on rotation, in order to perform assignments that require off-hours as well as to provide prompt response in case of emergencies.

The selected candidate will be required to perform physical requirements, which include lifting materials e.g. furniture, desks, chairs, table etc., over 35 pounds and loading/unloading materials if necessary. As a work supervisor, the selected candidate will be walking frequently from one job to another, standing to assess men at work, and sitting to write and evaluate daily work.

Passing the Trades and Crafts Test (TCT) is a prerequisite for selection in the Trades and Crafts category in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the TC test 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.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at midnight (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.