Background

Under the overall supervision of the UNOCHA Head of Office and direct supervision by the Administrative and Finance Officer (AFO), the Administrative Assistant shall provide timely and appropriate support towards the efficient execution of financial, administrative and human resource processes while promoting a client-oriented approach and in line with the UN rules and regulations. The incumbent would be expected to work closely with UNDP administrative staff on issues related to financial authorizations, common services, staff contracts, procurement amongst others.

Please see link for detailed procurement notice:  http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_notice.cfm?notice_id=17897 

Duties and Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for ensuring, or carrying out the following duties:

Administration:

• Support the preparation of the workshop operational, procurement and financial processes (venue, printing, hospitality, equipment);
• Support communication with workshop participants; receiving and filing correspondence, follow-up after workshop.
• Gather and maintain meeting attendance record;
• Ensure office files (chrono in/out file, HR, Finance, payments, various manuals, training, UN Circulars etc.) are maintained accurately;
• Perform other duties as required.

 Travel:

• Calculates and initiates entitlements for all such travel and submits to the AFO for approval, e.g., airfare, excess baggage entitlements, terminal expenses, airfreight entitlements, daily subsistence allowance for staff and dependents on traveling on missions, etc.;
• Calculates daily subsistence allowance for travel for senior UN staff or mission assignees and appointments, and other UN Staff, taking into account whether meals will be provided, which stopovers are designated official business or personal; depending upon actual category of the traveler, prepares travel authorization, calculates all other costs, including excess baggage, terminal expenses, subsistence allowance and travel advance;
• Provides information to staff and consultants on the most direct and economical route, and plans routings and itineraries plus the most economical airfare rates for such travel as permitted by the rules and regulations;
• Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries;
• Prepares travel arrangements such as facilitation on the approval of travel authorization and assembles information pertinent to the purpose of travel including coordination with the drivers for the means of transportation if needed;
• Contacts airlines or travel agency to make reservations at least expensive fares, and requests issuance of tickets;
• Arranges for changes or cancellations requested by travelers and has tickets reissued, including obtaining reimbursement, where applicable;
• Converts departure and arrival times, as needed, and identifies class of accommodation corresponding to the nature of the travel;
• Calculates the residual values of partially used tickets when there is a rerouting;
• Advises AFO of more efficient and cost effective routings with regard to more complicated staff itineraries, and assists them in making travel plans in order to take advantage of the benefits to be derived from advance purchases or special promotional fares;
• Maintains records of all travel authorizations processed and records savings accrued to the organization as a result of the cost savings techniques employed;
• Advises substantive offices, travelers, plus mission personnel and movement control staff of arrival information, requesting arrangements to be made accordingly for traveler;
• Initiates and facilitates requests for visas such as cable fax visa and visa extension;
• Coordinates with the various Consulates and the host government Ministries of Foreign Affairs regarding the provision of transit visas and resident visas respectively;
• Checks travel authorizations and cables and correct where necessary;
• Classifies and records travel authorizations numbers and maintains a good filing system for all travel related documents;
• Assists in hotel reservations request;
• Performs other duties as required and assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism:

• Knowledge of administrative and travel related processing requirements;
• ability to recognize and act in the face of conflicting priorities;
• Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter;
• Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results;
• Motivated by professional rather than personal concerns;
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; and
• Remains calm in stressful situations.

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; and
• Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Teamwork:

• Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
• Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise;
• 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; and
• Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Planning& 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; and
• Uses time efficiently.

Accountability:

• Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments;
• Delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards;
• Operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates,
• Provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; and
• Takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

Creativity:

• Actively seeks to improve programmes or services;
• Offers new and different options to solve problems or meet client needs;
• Promotes and persuades others to consider new ideas;
• Takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas;
• Thinks “outside the box”;
• Takes an interest in new ideas and new ways of doing things; and
• Not bound by current thinking or traditional approaches.

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.

Commitment to Continuous Learning:

• Keeps abreast of new developments in own occupation/profession;
• Actively seeks to develop oneself professionally and personally;
• Contributes to the learning of colleagues and subordinates;
• Shows willingness to learn from others; and
• Seeks feedback to learn and improve.

Technological Awareness:

• Keeps abreast of available technology;
• Understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office;
• Actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; and
• Shows willingness to learn new technology.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Tertiary Education required. Specialized training and/or certification in Management, Accounting, HR and Procurement would be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of progressively responsible administrative is required. Experience in travel administration, including travel rate construction, routing, and travel reimbursement, or related area;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems.

Language:

• Fluency in written and spoken English and Tagalog is essential; fluency in regional Filipino languages is an advantage