Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Placing women’s rights at the center of all its efforts, the UN Women will lead and coordinate United Nations system efforts to ensure that commitments on gender equality and gender mainstreaming translate into action throughout the world. It will provide strong and coherent leadership in support of Member States’ priorities and efforts, building effective partnerships with civil society and other relevant actors.

Under the guidance and oversight of the supervisor, the Administrative Associate supports the Office Operations by performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Administrative Associate promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach.  S/he works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects staff team to ensure consistent service delivery and to resolve complex administration related issues and information delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

• Ensure effective and efficient functioning of the Somalia Programme office;
• Organization of procurement processes;
• Support to HR implementation services;
• Logistical and general administration support;
• Supports knowledge building and knowledge sharing.

 Implements Operation Processes

• Facilitates full compliance of administrative activities with UN Women rules, regulations, policies and strategies;
• Provide inputs to the Programme Office administrative business processes mapping and implementation of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs);
• Preparation of correspondence on behalf of the Programme Manager for his/her signature and making follow-up when required;
• Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials.

Organizes procurement processes

• Contribute to the preparation of procurement plans for the office and their implementation monitoring;
• Generates procurement related reports; researches and drafts responses to enquiries for clearance by the Programme Manager;
• Review procurement requests and initiate procurement procedures for office and project equipment, supplies and services in a transparent and cost effective manner;
• Organize procurement activities and processes, including preparation and conduct of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs,  opening and evaluation of tenders, coordinate contract negotiations (as required), prepare request for award of contract for the review and approval of relevant authorities,  in full compliance with UN Women regulations and rules;
• Coordination and contract management of vendors providing support to conferences, workshops, retreats;
• Prepare Purchase orders and contracts in and outside Atlas including preparation of Recurring Purchase orders for contracting of services, and create vendor profiles in Atlas;
• Under guidance conducts reviews of procurement processes conducted by projects; submissions to the Regional Acquisition Management Review Committee (RAMRC), and Acquisition Management Review Committee (AMRC);
• Facilitates implementation of the internal control system, and prepares and dispatches Purchase Orders. Timely corrective actions on POs with errors (e.g. POs with budget errors, match exceptions, unapproved POs etc.), and provide timely information and response to relevant department to resolve the issues.

Support to HR implementation services

• Provide support in personnel administration for international and national staff as appropriate (e.g. renewal of UNLPs, visas; extension of contracts, administration of national benefits and allowances; administration of home leave entitlements; etc);
• Assume overall responsibility for attendance and leave management monitoring;
• Prepare staffing/personnel related reports; research and draft responses to enquiries for clearance by the Supervisor.

Logistical and general administration support

• Arrangements of travel and hotel reservations, preparation of travel authorizations, processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents in the projects assigned;
• Support organization of shipments, customs clearance arrangements, preparation of documents for UN Women shipments (received/sent);
• Perform a Buyer role in Atlas and preparation of POs for travel activities;
• Provide administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats including arranging venue, travel and hotel reservations;
• Support collection of information for DSA, travel agencies and other administrative surveys, support to organization of common services;
• Provide necessary administrative support to maintenance of premises and common services.

Supports Knowledge building and knowledge sharing 

• Provide administrative support in the organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on administrative related matters;
• Compilation of lessons learnt and best practices in Procurement;
• Make sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

Competencies

Core Values/Guiding Principles:

Integrity

• Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.

Professionalism

• Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.

Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity

• Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff;
• Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core competencies:

Ethics and Values

• Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity.

Organizational Awareness

• Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Development and Innovation

• Take charge of self-development and take initiative.

Work in teams

• Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.

Communicating and Information Sharing

• Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Self-management and Emotional Intelligence

• Stay composed and positive even in difficult moments, handle tense situations with diplomacy and tact, and have a consistent behavior towards others.

Conflict Management

• Surface conflicts and address them proactively acknowledging different feelings and views and directing energy towards a mutually acceptable solution;

Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Encourage learning and sharing of knowledge.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision Making

• Demonstrate informed and transparent decision making.

Functional competencies:

• Ability to administer and execute administrative processes and transactions;
• Ability to extract, interpret, analyze data and resolve operational problems;
• Ability to perform work of confidential nature and handle a large volume of work ;
• Ability to support a team and team building skills;
• Good knowledge of administrative rules and regulations;
• Strong IT skills;
• Focuses on result for the client and responds positively to feedback;
• Ability to handle web-based management systems;
• Attention to detail;
• Excellent knowledge of office software packages;
• Strong organizational and planning skills;
• Strong focus on client service; ensuring impact and results for client;
• Produces quality outputs in a timely manner;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude;
• Ability to work well under pressure, and to meet deadlines.

Required Skills and Experience

•  Education:
• Secondary education;
• Undergraduate degree in Business Administration or related fields is desirable but not a requirement.

Experience:

• 6 years of relevant experience in administration, procurement, HR, or logistic support service;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.).

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English is required;
• Knowledge of official national language essential.