SPECIAL NOTE:
Applicants applying for UNFPA General Service posts located in New York must have a valid G-4 visa or U.S. Permanent Residency or U.S. Citizenship at the time of their application.

Additionally, applicants must have passed the UN Clerical Test (GGST/ASAT) in order to be eligible to be appointed to this position.

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The Position:

This Administrative Assistant position supports the Finance Branch and the Strategic Resource Planning Branch of the Division for Management Services. For administrative purposes the position is located within the Finance Branch and will directly report to the Chief of Finance Branch. The Finance Branch is responsible for global finance, including non-core budgets, accounting and treasury services, statutory and donor reporting as well as initiating improvement efforts in areas of financial operations. The Branch also plays a key role in the custody and distribution of financial resources and the monitoring of expenditures.

The Strategic Resource Planning Branch ensures transparent and efficient planning of UNFPA’s financial resources to support the achievement of the strategic plan. By taking a comprehensive perspective on the organization’s resources, comprising both core and non-core funding, SRPB helps both maximize impact and safeguard the financial sustainability of the organization. The Branch is responsible for preparing, coordinating and managing the organization’s Integrated Budget. The Branch plays a key role in the distribution and management of financial resources and the monitoring of expenditures.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

Under the overall supervision of the Chief – Finance Branch, the successful applicant will provide support on administration functions to the two branches, including work plan development, branch management, budget monitoring, as well as operations functions (such as procurement, HR and IT processes and monitoring). Based on sound knowledge of UNFPA policies and processes, the Administrative Assistant will demonstrate a client-oriented, results focused approach.

You would be responsible for:

Assist the Chief, Finance Branch and the Chief, Strategic Resource Planning Branch in the efficient administrative management of both branches activities in adherence to UNFPA financial controls and corporate financial policies, rules and regulations. The following major activities are expected:

Branch Management

Support the Chiefs (Finance Branch and Strategic Resource Planning Branch) in:

• Calendar management and coordination; maintenance of briefing materials as required.
• Management of the Branch work plans including entering activities in the corporate planning system and ensuring staff are aware of and respond to reporting deadlines
• Facilitating cross branch communication, managing logistics and providing support to Branch meetings, workshops and retreats, including compilation of background materials, agenda and drafting minutes of the meeting.
• Managing the internal control framework of the Branches, by acting as the global directory (or equivalent) focal point and facilitating requests for system approval in the corporate ERP system.
• Maintain the Global Service Desk (GSD) categories, and act as GSD focal point for the Branches
• Provide logistics and administrative support to Branch staff and other Branch personnel, including managing incoming and outcoming documents

Operations Management

Support the Chiefs (Finance Branch and Strategic Resource Planning Branch) in:

• Facilitating centralized procurement planning and preparation of all required documents for procurement processes; prepare procurement requisitions for approval and coordinate timely issuance of Purchase Orders. Coordinate the management of contracts across the Branches.
• Act as the focal point for the management of IT assets (laptops, screens, software etc.).
• Facilitate knowledge management by briefing branch staff on related administration processes and other learning topics, as required.
• Act as the travel focal point and travel arranger for all travel requests across the Branches, including obtaining the visas, medical and security clearances as well as timely closure of any travel advances.
• Support Human Resource management, including monitoring the staffing table, contract dates and renewals; providing support to HR processes such as recruitment (including temporary personnel and consultants), performance management, knowledge management and dissemination; and learning and career development activities. Act as the focal point for learning and development activities and as the Branch leave administrator and monitor.
• Maintain offices supplies by ordering, distributing and monitoring stationary
• Manage records and filing of the branches (on-line and hard copy) including the structure of the Branch electronic drive
• Support the Chiefs in conducting research and perform any other duties as may be required by the Chiefs at a similar level.

Financial Management

Support the Branch(es) in:

• Budget management including generating budget reports, analyzing budget data as required and facilitating Institutional Budget related processes to ensure the branch is within its budgetary ceiling
• Review of financial balances and general ledger transactions in support of the accuracy of the corporate Financial Statements
• Review of field and HQ office budgets (proposals and utilization).
• Act as the Finance Branch petty cash custodian, including administration and processing of expenses.
• Ensuring year end closure activities for the branches are completed (e.g. receipt accruals)

Key Outcomes:

• Support to the Chief, Finance Branch and the Chief, Strategic Resource Planning Branch is provided collaboratively, to the required level and on time.
• Clients of the Branches are engaged in a positive and professional manner.
• Branch Chiefs have timely information to enable effective and efficient Branch management
• Support to operations management is provided proactively and with an awareness of the impact that delays would have on branch delivery.
• Staff across the branches have a clear understanding of operations requirements and are supported in operations processes

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

As a minimum, completion of secondary school with additional training/studies in business administration or public administration. A first degree would be an advantage in areas of operations management (Human resources, finance, procurement, administration).

Knowledge and Experience:

• Five (5) years operations and administrative experience, covering human resources, procurement, finance and admin support.
• Experience with a UN Agency would be an advantage.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working with UN-related finance and HR regulations, rules, policies and procedures.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural organization.
• Ability to self-manage workload while achieving timelines and results.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in use of spreadsheets, word processing and computerized accounting systems.

Languages:

Fluency in English; knowledge of other official UN languages, preferably French and/or Spanish, is desirable.

Required Competencies:

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change

Core Competencies:

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
• Communicating for impact

Functional Competencies:

• Business acumen
• Client orientation
• Innovation/marketing of new approaches
• Job knowledge/Technical knowledge
• Organizational Awareness

Compensation and Benefits:

This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.

Disclaimer:

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. Fraudulent notices, letters or offers may be submitted to the UNFPA fraud hotline http://www.unfpa.org/help/hotline.cfm

In accordance with the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations, persons applying to posts in the international Professional category, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.