RCS recruits 01 Administrative Assistant

RCS recruits 01 Administrative Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

The position is located in the United Nations Development Coordination Office (UNDCO) Regional Office for Africa – Dakar Hub at the Dakar duty station in Senegal, and reports to the Deputy Regional Director of the DCO Regional Office for Africa based in Dakar.

Responsibilities

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

General administration

• Sets up, files, stores and manages data, minutes of meetings and information relevant to the scope of the DCO Regional Office for Africa – Dakar Hub coordination activities in support of RCs/UNCTs and AFPs regional directors.
• Identifies and resolves diverse issues/problems as they arise, and determines appropriate actions.
• Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at DCO Regional Office, DCO Headquarters and Resident Coordinator Offices.
• Liaise with other administrative staff of the UNCT at the duty station and across Africa to ensure consistency in application of processes.
• Performs other related administrative duties, as required such as operational travel programme, monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services, physical space planning and maintenance of equipment, and/or organizing and coordinating seminars, conferences and translations.
• Liaise with UNDP on matters of interest (Provisioning of UNDP services for the Regional Office.
• Manage the Deputy Regional Director’s schedule, liaising with the Senior Administrative Assistant of the DCO Regional Office and facilitating participation in meetings with Resident Coordinators Offices, UN Country Teams (UNCT), Regional UN entities, DCO headquarters, staff of the DCO Regional Office for Africa – Dakar Hub, DCO Regional Office for Africa in Addis Ababa, and with other stakeholders and partners .

Human Resources Management

• In close collaboration with the Senior Administrative Assistant of the DCO Regional Office for Africa, 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 in maintaining up-to-date information on the recruitment, relocation, performance appraisal, separation of staff members, training etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.
• Advises staff on visa matters and follows up with UNDP on visa applications and facilitating the pickup of passports from embassies as appropriate and relevant.
• Monitors staffing tables for a variety of human resource activities, such as appointments, retirement, expiration of appointments, reassignments, transfer and movement of staff; especially monitors appointments and reassignments of Resident Coordinators and ad interim appointment arrangements for Resident
• Coordinators ad interim (RCs) in West, Central and North Africa regions; maintains up-to-date list on RCs including their contact details.

Budget and Finance

In close collaboration with the Senior Administrative Assistant of the DCO Regional Office for Africa, provides expert assistance in the preparation and development of the DCO Regional Office for Africa work programme and budget.
Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
Reviews requisitions for goods-and-services to ensure (a) correct objects of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds.
Assists in the preparation of budget performance submissions in coordination with other finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.

Contract administration/Procurement

• Provide operational coordination and administrative services in Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP – known as Umoja in the UN), to support procurement projects and activities, following standard processes; raise requests for goods, services, and hiring of consultants/individual contractors.
• Review and prepares requirements and scope of work and specifications of goods and services and necessary documentations in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Coordinate with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for goods and services.
• Maintain internal files and relevant documentations for procurement activities.
• Inspect and receipt goods/services received against the purchase order, invoices provided by the contractor and perform asset management activities
• Process the payment of contractors’ invoices and monitor payments upon satisfactory receipt and performance.
• Prepare and process all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff including grounds passes, property passes, swipe-card access and door keys.

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.
• Plannibng and organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Client organization: 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.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• 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. Kindly refer to the GGST website at https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=GGST&lang=en-US

Work Experience

• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in administrative services, finance, accounting, audit, human resources or related area is required.
• Work experience with an Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) system, such as Umoja or similar, is desirable.
• Work experience with the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable.
• Experience with inter-agency or inter-organizational collaboration in sustainable development at the regional is desirable.
• Experience working in a multicultural team at country, regional and global levels is desirable.

Languages

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

NOTE: « Fluency equals a rating of « fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and  » Knowledge of” equals a rating of’ confident » in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Services 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 Nations Office at Vienna, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda or International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; or the United Nations Accounting or Statistical Assistant Examination at the United Nations Headquarters may be accepted in lieu of the GGST.

Kindly refer to the GGST website at https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=GGST&lang=en-US

This position is available for an initial period of 364 days. Extension of appointment is subject to the availability of funds.

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.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

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.

Closing date : 15 April 2022.Postuler