Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Associate Administrative Officer is responsible for supporting the Office/Bureau in the implementation of general administrative and resource management tasks. S/he will work quite independently on regular assignments with an oversight from the supervisor, who will provide general guidance and work plans for identifying work priorities and appropriate approaches; work is controlled for meeting expected results.
S/he will establish and maintain efficient administrative control mechanisms to ensure compliance with UN administrative, financial and human resources rules and procedures. Contacts on administrative/budgetary related issues are mainly with Sections/Units/Offices within the organization both at HQ and in the Field and with local suppliers/services to ensure provision of services and resolution of difficult problems.
Frequent external contacts with counterparts in other organizations or at working level in national Governments on issues of importance to Organization¿s programmes. He/she acts as adviser or representative of the Organization with authority to discuss problems and seek common ground on which to recommend solutions based on predetermined guidelines provided by higher authority.
The incumbent directly supervises general service staff.
All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR¿s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.
Duties
– Contribute to the provision of resources (human, material and services) necessary to support the day-to-day activities of the staff in the office.
– Monitor the day-to-day personnel and administrative operations of the office.
– Provide advice on personnel and administrative policies and procedures.
– Assist with the implementation of processes and procedures to improve and strengthen internal controls in line with UNHCR rules and regulations.
– Participate in the recruitment and appointment process, and assist with administrative formalities concerning local General Service staff.
– Coordinate training and capacity-building activities to staff in administrative related areas.
– Assist with the preparation of staffing and administrative budget requirements for the office.
– Assist in the competitive procurement process for selecting, awarding and issuing local contracts, in line with UNHCR regulations, rules and procedures.
– Facilitate the mission travel of staff, including following up on travel authorizations, bookings, tickets.
– Monitor the quality and timeliness of goods and services delivered to the office.
– Manage contracts and relations with suppliers.
– In coordination with Human Resources and Field Security, undertake periodic reviews to ensure that the Office premises are set up and staff accommodation are managed in line with the organizational policies and any related issues are brought to the attention of DHR.
– Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For P2/NOB – 3 years relevant experience with Undergraduate degree; or 2 years relevant experience with Graduate degree; or 1 year relevant experience with Doctorate degree
Field(s) of Education
Public or Business Administration; Economics; or other relevant field.
(Field(s) of Education marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Certificates and/or Licenses
Not specified.
Relevant Job Experience
Essential
Work experience in at least one of the following fields: Human Resources, Administration, Budget, Finance, and Procurement. Excellent computer skills, in particular in MS Office applications.
Desirable
Working experience of at least one year in an intergovernmental organization (United Nations or similar). Good knowledge of UNHCR¿s administrative rules and procedures. Working experience with PeopleSoft/Oracle Financial and/or HR modules.
Functional Skills
MG-Resource Management
FI-General Financial Management
MG-Office Management
(Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)
Language Requirements
For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.
All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power.
As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.
This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.
Desired Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate should have strong management and communication skills to supervise and coordinate the work of Admin, Finance and HR. Given the remoteness of the sub-office’s location and the harsh working conditions, any demonstrated experience in following up on staff welfare issues would be an asset.
Required languages (expected Overall ability is at least B2 level):
,
Desired languages
Arabic
,
Operational context
Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:
To view occupational safety and health considerations for this duty station, please visit this link:
Nature of Position:
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Sub Office, the incumbent supports the office in the implementation of general administrative (including compound management and transportation), finance and human resource management tasks. S/he will establish and maintain efficient control mechanisms to ensure compliance with UN administrative, financial, and human resources rules and procedures. The incumbent should have:
o Practical knowledge of UNHCR Admin, HR and Financial rules, procedures, and processes.
o Proven ability to supervise and manage admin team performance.
o Practical experience working with MSRP (PeopleSoft) mainly HR, Finance and Supply Chain modules.
o The incumbent is expected to be an excellent team player, possess a good level of maturity to be able to resolve numerous and complex issues with regards to staff health and welfare.
o A clear understanding of staff entitlements and benefits, and ability to timely address and or bring to the attention of Senior Management the staff well-being issues.
o Strong negotiation, conflict resolution, coordination, communication, drafting as well as good leadership skills.
Living and Working Conditions:
The UNHCR operation in South Sudan provides protection and support to refugees, IDPs, and statelessness. The conflict that broke out in Sudan ‘s South Kordofan and Blue Nile States in 2011 led to widespread displacement of civilians to Upper Nile State and Unity State in South Sudan. As a result, in 2019, South Sudan is hosting almost 300,000 refugees mainly from Sudan but also from DRC, Ethiopia, and CAR. In 2019, almost 1.9 million people have been displaced in South Sudan because of the civil war which has brought massive destruction and loss of life, as well as serious violations of human rights. Since the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) was signed on 12 September 2018, the security situation in South Sudan improved in most areas.
R&R cycle for all duty stations in South Sudan is six weeks and all international staff reside at UNHCR provided accommodation with UN curfew in place. There are limited medical facilities in Juba and other cities in the country. The Bunj hospital has minimal medical facilities with serious to severe cases managed outside the duty station. In all UNHCR compounds, regardless of the location, accommodations are equipped with all the necessary furniture and cleaning services. In addition, most locations are equipped with a gym or some sports equipment. Food supply varies depending on the season; at Bunj Maban fruits and vegetables tend to be scarce most of the year. There is the option for staff to buy meals from a cafeteria. WFP UNHAS provides air passenger service three times a week. There is water, electricity, and Internet connection available on the UNHCR compound that houses both office premises and accommodation. The area has no banking facilities, and regular telephone communications are mostly erratic.
Additional Qualifications
Skills
Education
BA: Accounting (Required), BA: Business Administration (Required), BA: Economics (Required), BA: Finance (Required), BA: Public Administration (Required)
Certifications
Work Experience
Annual Budget OL in Operation/Office, Number of Persons of Concern Served, Number of Workforce in Operation/Work Setting, Workforce to Supervise, Working with Persons of Concern: Asylum Seekers, Working with Persons of Concern: Internally Displaced Persons, Working with Persons of Concern: Refugees, Working with Persons of Concern: Returned IDPs, Working with Persons of Concern: Returned Refugees, Working with Persons of Concern: Stateless
Competencies
Accountability, Analytical thinking, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Empowering & building trust, Judgement & decision making, Managing performance, Managing resource, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Political awareness, Teamwork & collaboration
UNHCR Salary Calculator
https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales
Compendium
Add.2 to Bi-annual Compendium 2022 – Part B
Functional clearance
This position requires Functional Clearance
How to apply
For a full job description and to apply, interested candidates are requested to visit https://bit.ly/3DBayPC
The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
Please note that UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, training or any other fees).
Closing date of receipt of applications: 16 February 2023 (midnight Geneva time)