SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (Temporary Job Opening) [Temporary]

This temporary position is located in the Executive Office, Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (DGACM), New York.

The Executive Office is responsible for all resource planning, financial management, staff and personnel administration matters, and general administrative matters concerning the Department. With about 1,600 staff positions established in the Department and many temporary language professionals hired each year (between 100 and 200 are working each month), the biennial budget amounts to over 340 million US dollars.

The Executive Office strives for business excellence by continuously enhancing the delivery of services to support its clients and meet the objectives of the Department and the Organization as a whole.

The core functions of the Office include the following:

• To provide policy advice with regards to implementation and compliance with policies and procedures of the Organization.
• To assist the staff and managers of the Department in the development and implementation of the delegation of authority framework with regards to financial, HR and administrative framework.
• To support programme managers in the preparation of the proposed programme budget and financial performance reports, to provide guidance and necessary templates to facilitate resource planning process.
• To review and certify the incurring of obligations and expenditures against the funds allocated to the Department and to advise on exception requests.
• To coordinate the full range of staff and human resource issues, i.e. performance appraisal, staff recruitment and promotion, training and career development, and staff and personnel administration ensuring consistency in the interpretation and application of the Staff Regulations and Rules and related personnel policies and directives.
• To represent the Department in intergovernmental bodies that deal with administrative, budgetary and financial matters.
• To maintain contact with other Secretariat bodies, in particular the Offices in the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC) and the Department of Operational Support (DOS) on a wide range of policy implementation and operational matters.
• To provide guidance to staff and management on all staffing matters and policy issues.
• To coordinate resource planning, budget implementation and staffing matters with the Department’s offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.

The incumbent reports to the Administrative Officer who leads the Team.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Senior Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

Human Resources Management

• Coordinates various actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, placement, promotion, relocation, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures. Liaises with central administration/executive services as required.
• Oversees the maintenance of vacancy announcement files and keeps track of status of vacancy announcements.
• Reviews and processes personnel actions through Umoja.
• Advises staff on visa matters.
• Provides advice and answers general queries on classification procedures and processes.
• Provides information and advice to staff/consultants with respect to conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.
• Monitors Umoja staffing tables for a variety of human resource activities, e.g., appointments, retirement, expiration of appointments, reassignments, transfer and movement of staff.

Budget and Finance

• Assists in monitoring budget/work programme with respect to various budgets, trust funds, grant and other funds on a regular basis, and suggests reallocations of resources and implements the reallocations as necessary.
• Monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
• Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds.
• Collects data from relevant databases and prepares customized financial reports.

General Administration

• Provides assistance in drafting of host country agreements, budget agreements, or contributions for grants or other activities as appropriate.
• Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., operational travel programme, monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services, physical space planning and the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems, organize and coordinate seminars, conferences and translations).

Contract Administration

• Assists with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for outsourced services.
• Audits the contractors’ invoices against the goods and services provided by the contractor and approved by the UN.
• Processes the payment of contractors’ invoices and monitor payments.
• Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff, including: UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, swipe-card access and door keys.

Competencies

• Professionalism: Knowledge and understanding of the work, policies and procedures of the Organization; Knowledge of current events and issues in the various areas of the Office. Knowledge of internal policies, processes and procedures related to general front office support, communication, and dissemination of information. Ability to greet visitors of the Secretary-General in a kind, welcoming and friendly manner, being courteous and respectful at all times; Ability to monitor the situation in a calm, polite and confident manner and handle appropriately. Ability to interact with other high-level constituents. Ability to identify issues,formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.

• 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.
• Technological Awareness: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

A minimum of ten years of experience in administrative services, human resources, finance, accounting, audit, or related area is required.

Experience in the use of ERP systems and business intelligence tools is required.

Experience in complex data analysis and reconciliation using Excel pivot tables or Power BI is desirable.

Experience with integrated business processes, analytical and reporting tools is desirable.

Experience in Project Management software is desirable.

Experience as a Certifying Officer for financial commitments, such as in travel and procurement is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required; Working knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment against this temporary position is for an initial period of up to 364 days. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and/or the 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.

Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Having passed the Administrative Support Assessment Test [in English] at the United Nations headquarters, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, United Nations Office at Geneva, United Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia may be accepted in lieu of the GGST

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. 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.

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.