Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of the Director of the General Assembly and ECOSOC Affairs Division (GAEAD) of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM) in New York. The Meetings Services Assistant reports to the Director of the Division.

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Chief, the incumbent is responsible for the following duties: • Assisting in drafting procedural notes for the presiding officers of assigned meetings. • Undertaking research and providing reference materials for preparation of briefs, notes and statements. • Ensuring that all required services, including the availability and distribution of documents and personnel are available in order for meetings to convene according to the schedule. • Ensuring that all preliminary logistic arrangements are made in advance for the efficient conduct of meetings, in in-person, hybrid and virtual formats. • Preparing floor plans of seating arrangements in accordance with meeting requirements and UN protocol. • Drafting announcements for publication in the United Nations Journal. • Organizing and participating in preparatory coordination meetings with relevant offices and delegations regarding procedural and organizational arrangements for meetings. • Making arrangements for video and teleconference activities. • Maintaining and updating filing and reference system. • Servicing meetings to ensure the proper conduct of meetings in accordance with the rules of procedure of the General Assembly or ECOSOC, customary protocol and established practice. • Drafting and circulating correspondence and notes. • Responding to queries from delegations and Secretariat members. • Organizing and coordinating meetings between the Director and representatives of Member States and Secretariat officials. • Providing guidance/training, as needed, to junior staff. • Participating in the recruitment and training of temporary assistants and interns. • Assisting in maintaining the list of speakers. • Assisting in supporting meetings held away from Headquarters, as required. • Performing other duties as required

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of the Organization’s conference policies, procedures and practices and of the work of intergovernmental bodies, including rules of procedure. Demonstrated use of initiative and ability to make appropriate linkages in work requirements and anticipate next steps. Ability to research, select, organize and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings. 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 & 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.

Job – Specific Qualification

Advanced organizational skills and attention to detail, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of experience in conference support and meetings servicing or related area is required. Experience in using electronic programmes, databases and documentation management software is required. Experience working in an international organization, including in the field of administration is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is desirable.

Assessment

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

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. Applicants for positions subject to local recruitment are required to be authorized to work in the country regardless of where they live at the time of applying for the job opening. Selected candidates/staff members will be responsible for any costs related to their travel and relocation in the context of onboarding to report for duty. 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.

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.