Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) is the UN headquarters in Africa and the Director-General of UNON is the representative of the Secretary-General in Kenya. UNON supports programme implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the Resident Coordination System (RCS) globally, as well as other UN offices in Kenya, by providing administrative, security, conference and information services (www.unon.org). This position is located in the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), Central Support Services (CSS), Property Management Unit (PMU). The Mail Assistant will report to the Chief, Mail and Pouch Unit. Within limits of delegated authority, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

1. Outbound Process: a) Date-stamp received items prior to distribution. b) Delivers special mail and packages weighing up to 35 lbs. c) Assists in coding, sorting, processing, and looking-up address, where insufficient. d) Delivers x-rayed packages. e) Ensures that outgoing pouches and courier shipments are processed to meet pick-up schedules. f) Delivers mail to specified units, agencies and missions and delivers balance to common sorting area. g) Processes all outgoing official correspondence, publications, and informational material. h) Checks that outgoing mail is official and is dispatched by the most efficient mode. i) Returns to staff members mail/pouch items deemed to be private in nature. j) Ensures that mail is clearly and correctly addressed. k) Weighs the mail in order to determine the postage and to frank accordingly. l) Ensures timely distribution of conference documents. m) Delivers urgent mail/messages. n) Ensures prompt delivery of urgent mail. 2. Inbound Process: a) Ensures safety and security of items received in area, i.e., that all items are x-rayed and date-stamped prior to distribution. b) Logs incoming items and raises discrepancies to supervisor, e.g., missing pouches, incoming mail items, incorrect pouch numbers, misrouted pouches etc. c) Receives incoming pouches, incoming mail, express mail, and parcels; verifies airlines and courier documents. d) Assists in tracing items and is accountable for actions taken. e) Compares incoming log sheet against the number of pouches or specials received from couriers, contractors, and the government postal service. f) Ensures that incoming pouches/courier shipments are processed in a timely manner. g) Assists in unloading containers. h) Assists in x-ray, and pre-sorts. i) Operates tow motor, forklift, or other equipment, as needed by unit. 3. Records Management and Reporting: a) Prepares accounts, statistics, and other reports. b) Prepares weekly activities report for management. c) Ensures that reports are completed on time. d) Determines and apportions freight charges proportionate to usage by other UN agencies. e) Tracks the distribution of all mail, as well as the pouch service. f) Establishes the degree of mail priority based on considerations such as cost effectiveness and schedules. g) Checks and verifies invoices for payment. h) Assists in preparation of yearly budget for Registry sub-unit in relation to pouch, overnight express service, and mail. i) Signs the credit memos, and summary of enclosures and Diplomatic Pouch tags. j) Records and calculates the daily postage charges for individual UN offices. k) 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. l) Assists with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. 4. Other Duties: a) Assists in training new staff and provides guidance to other staff on the proper use of diplomatic pouches or other mail service. b) Maintains petty cash to pay for surcharges of official incoming correspondence, which do not have sufficient postage. c) Monitors the petty cash balance. d) Answers inquiries with regards to international postal services, and the UN pouch service and regulations. e) Liaises regularly with postal and courier services to keep abreast of new developments in the industry. f) Rotates services between various sub-units. g) Responsible for the Unit’s stationery store. h) Performs other related duties as assigned.

Competencies

PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of general office procedures, safety and security regulations. 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. ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honors commitments. Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards. Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules. Supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments. Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. 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

Completion of a high school diploma or equivalent is required. Supplementary technical training in information management and courier services is desirable.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of three (3) years experience in handling mail, pouch, registry operations or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to one (1) year for candidates who possess a first level University degree. Experience in supporting more than one entity or multiple clients simultaneously is required. Experience providing services to the United Nations Common System, or a comparable international organization is desirable. Knowledge of United Nations administrative procedures, safety and security regulations is desirable. Experience in courier services and information management is desirable. One (1) 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 this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of ” confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment against this position is for an initial period of one year and any extension will be subject to availability of funds. 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. 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. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. Internal Applicants: When completing the form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. 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 provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” link.

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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.