Administrative Assistant (Accountability), GS-3, Damascus, Syria #115598 (Temporary Appointment)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working to promote children’s survival, protection and development. In Syria, UNICEF works with partners to provide humanitarian assistance to most vulnerable children and women, in the areas of health and nutrition; water, sanitation and hygiene; education; child protection; adolescent development and participation, and social policy and protection.

UNICEF Syria Country Office (SCO) has been making efforts to enhance its accountability to affected populations, and in 2021, it is renewing and accelerating its commitment. As part of this, the office wishes to establish a hotline where people who receive UNICEF assistance can provide feedback about the quality and timeliness of the aid received and/or file a complaint about the aid received. This is particularly important and urgently needed for SCO’s cash-transfer and non-food item programmes, implemented under the Social Policy Programme. One of the key requirements when running cash-transfer programme is to have a redress/complain mechanism to allow beneficiaries to provide feedback and/or file a complaint, in order to improve programme efficiency and effectiveness and fulfil the accountability to affected population.

With this background, SCO wishes to hire an accountability assistant, who will be given means (mobile and/or landline phone) to receive feedback and/or complaints. In the initial period, the accountability assistant will focus on receiving feedback on the cash transfer and NFI programmes, but as possible and appropriate, the scope will be expanded to include other relevant programmes.

Find out how UNICEF programmes drive change for children and young people every day, in Syria by visiting this: www.unicef.org/syria

How can you make a difference?

Under the general guidance and supervision of the responsible officer as assigned by Chief, this post contributes to enhancing SCO’s accountability to affected population, by (1) making available a mechanism (e.g. hotline) where people SCO supports are able to provide feedback and/or complaint and be provided information about the resolution/information/action; (2) allowing swift decision making and actions to address urgent cases; and (3) allowing to aggregate and analyze information received to inform future programming.

For SCO to achieve the above objectives, the accountability assistant is expected to perform the following tasks:

• Receive, respond (as relevant and per protocol), log and report feedback and/or complaints received as per protocol.
• Submit a daily report to responsible officer of SCO PM&E Section.
• Follow up with relevant section (e.g. Social Policy) on resolution or action taken, and report back to complainant/who provided feedback.
• At the end of every month, provide a status report of feedback/resolution.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Completion of secondary education is required. Preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.
• A minimum of three years of relevant administrative work experience, and experience in humanitarian organizations desirable. Experience in interacting with vulnerable people and/or grievance system desirable.
• Proven ability to work well with people. Good interpersonal and communication skills. Basic knowledge of humanitarian principles.
• Fluency in Arabic, and proficiency in English is required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are

Core competencies:

• Builds and maintains partnerships (1)
• Demonstrating self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (1)
• Works collaboratively with others (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Functional competencies:

• Analyzing (1)
• Planning and organizing (1)
• Following instructions and procedures (1)

 To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. For this position, suitable women candidates will receive preferential consideration and selection, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements stated above.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

This is an internal/external vacancy announcement.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Temporary Appointment for 364 days