Background

The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1986 in Lomé, Togo (resolution 40/151 G). UNREC, as a regional centre of the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), is mandated to provide, upon request, substantive support for initiatives and other efforts of Member States of the African region towards the realization of measures of peace, arms limitations and disarmament. It assists African Member States in their efforts to effectively implement their obligations found in various disarmament instruments and to reform their defense and security forces. It supports States, the African Union and subregional organizations by strengthening their capacity and providing them with the technical, legal and substantive assistance necessary to achieve sustainable peace and security. The UN Volunteer will be part of UNREC Substantive Team. He/She will be based at CNLPAL office in Mali or at UNOPS office. The UNVolunteer will work under the direct supervision of the Directorof UNREC.He/her will be evaluated through a remote mechanism from UNREC regional centre in Africa (Lomé), jointly with the UNV Office in Mali.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Directorof UNRECthe UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

  • Arrange information necessary to comply with UN procurement procedures on equipment and materials related to disarmament and SALW control;
  • Draft cost estimates;
  • Develop and maintain a plan for the acquisition of IT and other equipment for the project;
  • Develop and maintain a directory of participants to meetings;
  • Initiate and maintain all necessary contacts with the participants;
  • Establish and maintain contact with the officials of the host country for visas, venue and other necessary arrangements ;
  • Establish and maintain contact with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Peacekeeping mission (MINUSMA) for the organization of meetings (identification of the meeting room, room hire and conference facilities, hire the services of assistants and conference interpreters, making banners, and follow up security issues, etc.);
  • Follow the process of booking rooms in hotels;
  • Ensure that all arrangements are in place for the stay of participants;
  • Develop and maintain a directory of resource persons ;
  • Type all relevant documents for the proper conduct of meetings;
  • Monitor the activities and meetings;
  • Ensure dissemination of the final report of each meeting ;
  • Provide a general rule and useful support to the achievement of project objectives.

Promotion of the UN volunteer Programme mandate

UN volunteers are expected to integrate the UN volunteers Programme mandate within their assignment as well as promote voluntary action through engagement with communities (urban &rural) during the course of their work. As such UN volunteers should dedicate a proportion of their working week to the following in support of and in synergy with their primary roles as UN Volunteer is:

Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the influence of voluntary action by the communities serviced directly or indirectly by the UNV programme at UNREC by doing the following:

  • Research of the subject matter,
  • Develop knowledge of non-profit community based organizations and  promote  major issues of these organizations through publications and dissemination of information, that will influence development and peace-building initiatives,
  • Undertake awareness-raising (promotion) activities in communities that will increase knowledge of issues of interest to the UNV programme’s mandate and its role in supporting UNREC.
  • Encourage communities to volunteer thoughts and actions to the development of their communities on the basis of core issues discussed in or for publications  
  • Be acquainted with and building on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
  • Contributing articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; initiating and/or participating in local volunteer groups, including assisting them in submitting stories and experiences to the World Volunteer Web site;
  • Promoting or advising local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible;
  • Encouraging, mobilizing and supporting co-workers, fellow UN Volunteers to better understand the connections between the UNV programme’s engagement within UNREC and volunteerism;
  • Discussing with supervisors on how volunteerism for peace and development can be mainstreamed through the assignment and integrate activities that promote volunteerism for peace and development into work plan;
  • Assisting with the UNV ‘buddy programme” for newly-arrived UN Volunteers.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:   

Promoting Organizational Learning And Knowledge Sharing

  • Basic research and analysis:
  • Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things;
  • Documents innovative strategies and new approaches;Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures:

  • Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position (asset management);
  • Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures related to the asset management and applies them consistently in work tasks;
  • Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments;
  • Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills;
  • Ability to work as a part of a team and under stringent time constraints;
  • Demonstrate openness to change and ability to manage complexities.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development

Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change:

  • Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions;
  • Documents processes to support change initiatives.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems
Data gathering and implementation of management systems

  • Uses information/databases/other management systems;
  • Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems.

Client Orientation
Maintains effective client relationships:

  • Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
  • Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
  • Establishes, builds and sustains effective relationships within the work unit and with internal and external clientsResponds to client needs promptly.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management
Gathering and disseminating information:

  • Prepares timely inputs to reports;
  • Maintains databases.

Core Competencies:

  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Display cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;Creating synergies through self-control;
  • Managing conflict;
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
  • Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • The Admin and Logistics Assistant must hold a university degree (equivalent to a Bachelor).
  • BTS (BAC +2) with appropriate academic qualifications and4 years of proven experience in the field of management / finance / accounting may be accepted in lieu of the Bachelor;

Experience:

  • At least 3 years of experience in the field of finance and accounting.

Languages:

  • Excellent command of French and good working knowledge of English are required;
  • Knowledge of Arabic or Bambara is an asset.

Living Conditions:

  • Mali is a country that is currently trying to recover from a conflict in its northern part. This position is based in Bamako, whose living and security conditions are satisfactory (insecurity phase level 3 - moderate - as per UN security classification).
  • The selected UN Volunteer must attend, from the beginning of the assignment, all security-related trainings, which are compulsory for all UN personnel.

Conditions of Service:

  • A six-month contract (with the possibility of renewal subject to available funds and the UN Volunteer’s performances);
  • Monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities, equivalent to F CFA 390 000; settling-in-grant (if applicable);
  • life, health, and permanent disability insurance; resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.