Senior Administrative Assistant, New York, United States At Resident Coordinator System

Posting Title: SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, G7

Job Code Title: SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Department/Office: Resident Coordinator System

Duty Station: NEW YORK

Posting Period: 27 April 2023 – 09 May 2023

Job Opening Number: 23-Administration-RCS-207918-R-New York (X)

United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity

Organisational Setting and ReportingThe position is located in the United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO) and reports to the Chief, Global RC System Operations Management Section.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Logistics and Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: Procurement and Contract Administration

•  Supports the implementation of procurement strategies, in collaboration with Procurement Officer
•  Manages preparation of the programme requisition plan for DCO HQ units and supports in contract management and renewals/extension procedures
•  Serves as first point of contact and liaison with the UN staff internally and externally, for procurement, travel and office premise, and logistical requests.
•  Facilitates efficient contracting of companies/firms as well as individual contractors/consultants including contract management (drafting contract, negotiation, signature) against the established criteria, setting up financial obligations, effecting certified payment, and evaluating performance.
•  Coordinates submission of bidding/procurement cases for review by applicable Procurement Committees.
•  Finalizes purchase orders and contracts for approval by the Procurement Officer; may authorize purchases in line with delegated signature authority, and, if required, prepares submission to the Contracts Committee for review and subsequent approval by the authorized official.
•  Elaborates proposals and implementation of cost reduction strategies, in consultation with office management Budget and Finance
•  Provides expert assistance in the preparation and development of the unit’s work programme and budget.
•  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.
•  Collects data from relevant databases and prepares customized financial reports.
•  Provides assistance in the review, and preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions.
•  Reviews, analyses and assists in the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals for projects, activities and purchases; ensures compliance with budget, Financial Rules and Regulations and other legislative mandates.
•  Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
•  Monitors budget implementation/expenditures and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary.
•  Reviews requisitions for goods and services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds.
•  Monitors extra-budgetary resources, including review of agreements and cost plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and rules and established policies and procedures.
•  Assists in the preparation of budget performance submissions.
•  Assists in finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures. General Administration
•  Provides guidance, training and daily supervision to other general service staff in the area of responsibility.
•  Provides assistance in drafting of host country agreements, lease agreements, business case submissions, contracts, budget agreements, or contributions for grants or other activities as appropriate.
•  Identifies and resolves diverse issues/problems as they arise, and determines appropriate actions.
•  Coordinates extensively with internal and external units and clients and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field.
•  Acts as DCO Umoja alternative focal point and troubleshoots all system-related issues
•  Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff, including: office space management, security business continuity UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, swipe-card access, and door keys.
•  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, property management).

Competencies

•  PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. 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.
•  TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
•  Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed..
•  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.

EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent. Must have passed the United Nations Global General Services Test (GGST) at Headquarters or an equivalent locally-administered test at Offices Away.

Work ExperienceA minimum of 10 years of experience in operations, procurement, administration, contract management, or a related area, is required. Experience working with SAP or PeopleSoft/Oracle based ERP systems, such as Umoja and Inspira is required. Experience in providing professional administrative and management support to field offices in the United Nations system or a comparable organization is desirable. Experience with self-service analytics and data visualization applications (MS PowerBI, Qlik, Tableau or similar), or business intelligence tools (SAP Business Objects, etc.) is desirable.

LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

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

Special NoticeAppointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to Staff Rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for General Service and related positions must be authorized to work in the country where the position is located. A staff member subject to local recruitment is not eligible for the allowances or benefits applicable to international recruitment. 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.

United Nations ConsiderationsAccording 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. 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.

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