Result of Service

The staff assistant is expected to perform, under minimal supervision, the full range of office management and administrative support functions; typically provides direct assistance to a senior officer or manager responsible for a major programme, such as, support in organizing meetings/conferences.

Work Location

Addis Ababa

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Background

The Gender, Poverty and Social Policy Division (GPSPD) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) delivers sub-programmes 6 and 9 in the context of the overall objective to achieve inclusive, equitable sustainable human and social development for transformation in Africa. The overarching focus of the Division is poverty and inequality.

The Division is organized in three sections: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Section (GEWES); Social Policy Section (SPS); and Urbanization Section(US). It undertakes analytical and empirical research to strengthen the capacities of member States to design and implement effective policies that promote inclusive and equitable development in the areas of employment and social protection, population, youth, women’s empowerment, and urbanization. The findings of its research work are used to support policy change, through the provision of advisory services and capacity development services at the request of African countries.

The work of the Division responds to ECA’s three core functions, which are (i) Think-tank; (ii) Operational; and (iii) Convening. In addition, it is guided by the five strategic directions of the Commission, namely:

• Build ECA analytical capabilities: Build on the unique position and privilege of ECA to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solutions to the continent.

• Formulate macroeconomic and structural policy: Formulate policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation for the transformation of Africa.

• Design innovative financing models: Design and implement financing and leverage models for the development of human, physical and social infrastructure assets.

• Support regional and sub-regional transboundary initiatives: Support ideas and actions to foster deeper regional integration, and the development of regional public goods with a focus on peace, security and social inclusion.

• Global Advocacy and regional responses: Advocate for the common position for Africa at the global level and develop regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

The work programme of the Division is planned in Annual Business Plans. These consist of planned outputs funded from the regular budget, Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation (RPTC), the Development Account, and extra budgetary (XB) technical cooperation trust funds. In addition to the planned outputs, Since the beginning of the year, the division has also been heavily involved in assisting African countries to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. Objectives of the Individual Contractor

The overall objective of the individual contractor is to support the Urbanization and Development secton of GPSPD, in line with ECA’s core functions and five strategic directions.

The Individual Contractor will be responsible for the following duties under the overall guidance of the Senior Administrative Assistant.

3. Duties and responsibilities

Under the leadership of the Acting Section Chief, the individual contractor will undertake the following responsibilities:

• Performs, under minimal supervision, the full range of office management and administrative support functions.
• Provide assistant in servicing meetings convened by the Urbanization and Development Section of GPSPD.
• Maintains liaison with the Executive Office and with senior officials in other units regarding on-going programmes.
• Ensures smooth and efficient information flow within the section; prepares and processes confidential. information; assists in the development of office administrative systems and procedures.
• Conduct research, compile, and summarize background materials for use in preparation of meetings.
• Handles a wide range of administrative duties/processes using Umoja, that is travel arrangements, visa. applications, expense statements, telecommunications charges, conference room bookings, etc.).
• Responds or drafts responses to a wide range of correspondence and other communications.
• 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.
• Responds to complex information requests and inquiries (e.g., answers requests requiring file search, etc.).
• Maintains calendar/schedules; monitors changes and communicate relevant information to appropriate staff inside and outside the immediate work unit.
• Uses SharePoint platform to store, manage content, publish information of the Urbanization and Development Section.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/special skills

High school diploma or equivalent is required.
A minimum of six years of experience in general office support or related area is required.
Experience in using computer applications and office software such as MS-Excel is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this Individual Consultant engagement, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the other is an advantage. Knowledge of another United Nations official language is an advantage.

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.