UNDP Jobs - 60471- Re- advertisement - Executive and Administrative A

Re- advertisement - Executive and Administrative Associate

Location :

New York, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Type of Contract :

FTA Local

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

12-Oct-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

GS-7

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Regional Director and in close coordination with the Special Assistant, the Executive and Administrative Associate provides executive and administrative support to the Directorate on matters pertaining to the substance, and operations of the Regional Bureau for the Arab States (RBAS), applying administrative rules and regulations and establishing internal operational procedures to enable the smooth functioning of Bureau. The Executive and Administrative Associate helps ensure effective and efficient functioning of the Regional Director’s office, including management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made. He/she provides support with translation into Arabic of various documents and correspondence prepared by the Bureau.

The Executive and Administrative Associate is a point of contact for many people outside the organization and interacts with senior UN/UNDP staff, UN agencies, senior government officials and representatives of UNDP’s constituencies. The Executive Associate is responsible for the smooth flow of a heavy volume of work dealing with management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made, and a wide range of highly sensitive and confidential matters, under constant pressure.

The Executive and Administrative Associate works in close collaboration with the Compliance and Operations team, Partnership Management team, the Planning, Coordination and Oversight team, and the Regional Hub, as well as other units in UNDP and maintains close collaborative arrangements with all UN partners, including the UN Secretariat, Programmes and Agencies and counterparts in the respective Permanent Missions of member states of the region.

The Executive and Administrative Associate is required to keep full confidentiality in all aspects of assignment and maintenance of protocol procedures, maintain the highest standards of calm, efficiency, personal communication, discretion and independent judgment, and also be a motivated and pro-active team player. The Executive Associate also works closely with the Special Assistant to ensure uninterrupted support to the Assistant Administrator and Regional Director, RBAS.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of Key Functions:

Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the office of the Deputy Regional Director of RBAS;
Ensures provision of effective communications support to the Deputy Regional Director of RBAS;
Provides support to advocacy of RBAS activities;
Provides administrative support toRBAS staff;
Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management.

Ensures effective and efficient functioning of the office of the Deputy Regional Director of RBAS, focusing on achievement of the following results:

In coordination with the Special Assistant, management of the schedule/calendar for the Deputy Regional Director of RBAS with external and internal parties, including visitors from external meetings, determining priority requirements;
Undertaking all travel arrangements for the Deputy Regional Director and other Bureau’s staff, ensuring coordination with other travel partners from the internal or external environment;
Coordination with the Special Assistant and with other Bureau staff for the timely preparation of high-quality briefing materials for appointments, meetings, missions;
In coordination with the Special Assistant, management of the Deputy Regional Director’s extensive mission and representation schedule Understanding of all protocol procedures and ensuring that procedures are fully implemented with respect to all visitors and guests of the Bureau;
Use of office management systems for effective functioning of the Deputy Regional Director’s office, including maintenance of rosters of high-level partners, telephone and contact lists, maintenance and use of automated filing systems and ensuring safekeeping of confidential materials

Ensures effective communications support to the Deputy Regional Director of RBAS, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Coordination of the information flow from the Deputy Regional Director’s office to other RBAS units at Headquarters and in the field, other UNDP and UN units; identification of opportunities to improve or streamline information flow and communications channels in the office including through innovative IT solutions ;;
Liaison in a timely manner with all RBAS units to ensure that the Deputy Regional Director’s decisions, instructions and requests for action and information are communicated to the correct persons for follow-up actions;
Self-directed and timely follow-up with all units on actions expected by the Deputy Regional Director;
Review of incoming correspondence for the Deputy Regional Director’s attention and prioritizing of documents according to action required;
Review, proofreading and editing of all correspondence for proper clearance prior to the Deputy Regional Director’s signature, ensuring quality control, substance, sensitivity of issues, and compliance with UNDP standards;
Directing queries to appropriate party or substantive focal points within RBAS for responses;
Presentation of proposals to eliminate communication bottlenecks in the office and streamline communication procedures between the Directorate and other internal and external units;
Drafting and preparation of correspondence, directives, comments on behalf of the Deputy Regional Director for his/her signature and ensuring follow-up as needed;
Assistance in the organization of Directorate’s meetings and tracking follow-up actions

Provides support to effective advocacy of UNDP and RBAS activities in close consultation with the Directorate management, senior management and the Special Assistant to the Director, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Support to the Directorate in facilitating the Bureau’s interaction (in sensitive, political, diplomatic, others) with various external partners of RBAS , such as ambassadors, donor country delegations, parliamentarians and high-level senior officials, as well as the Administrator and her office;
Assistance in the maintenance of information on the Directorate staff activities;
Assisting the Special Assistant and or the Executive Associate to the Regional Director in the research, obtaining and analysis of background materials for the preparation of the briefings, meetings, official missions and appointments;
Assistance in the preparation of public information materials and folders, as requested;
Assisting in the organization of official hospitality events on behalf of RBAS.

Provides administrative support to RBAS staff, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Application of ‘best practices’ with respect to administrative, procedures, rules, regulations and systems, and introduction of relevant proposals for their eventual application in the functioning of the Deputy Regional Director’s office;
Organization and scheduling of meetings originated by RBAS, including reservation of room, notification to attendees, logistics; preparation of agenda; organization and distribution of key documentation;
Drafting/revision of meeting minutes;
Posting of relevant outputs; support to Directorate staff in the development of presentations, briefing materials, talking points;
Processing of travel requests in ATLAS in line with UNDP Travel Manual;
Calculation of DSA entitlements and claims and ensuring the timely settlement of claims;
Support with creation of vendor profiles in Atlas, creation of requisitions and POs as required;
Administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats organized by RBAS;
Support with ordering and maintaining the stock of office supplies for use by Bureau staff.

Ensures facilitation of knowledge building and management, focusing on achievement of the following results:

Conducting research on various work-related subjects at the request of the Deputy Director and other members of the Directorate, in collaboration with the Special Assistant and/or Executive Associate of the Regional Director;
Contribution to knowledge networks and communities of practice;
Ensuring availability of coverage and backstopping for the Special Assistant during peak times as well as for other General Service staff in the Bureau on their absences.

Impact of Results

The key results of this job has a critical impact on the smooth functioning and overall effectiveness and efficiency of the Directorate of RBAS; the degree of its organization and efficiency determines to a large extent the quality of the overall management of the Bureau in general. As the staff member providing immediate support to the Deputy Regional Director, the role of the Executive and Administrative Associate is critical, and the incumbent is responsible and accountable for the smooth functioning and confidentiality maintained in the Deputy Regional Director’s office.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Building Strategic Partnerships:

Maintaining information and databases;
Analyzes general information and selects materials in support of partnership building initiatives;
Maintains databases of donor information;
Tracks and reports on mobilized resources.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change;
Documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system;
Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

Basic research and analysis;
Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing;
Develops awareness of the various internal/external learning and knowledge-sharing resources.

Strategic Alignment of Management Practice:

Gathers information on best practices in the relevant management practice in his/her area of responsibility;
Understands the organizational structure, knows key functional and operational areas of organizational units and provides inputs to the delivery of management systems and services;
Collects information to ensure increased understanding of policies and practicies.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures;
Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
Possesses basic knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position 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.

Design and implmentation of Management Systems:

Data gathering and implementation of management systems;
Uses information/databases/other management systems;
Provide inputs to the development of simple system components;
Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems.

Client Orientation:

Maintains effective client relationships;
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 clients.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

Gathering and disseminating information;
Gathers and disseminates information on best practice in accountability and results-based management systems;
Prepares timely inputs to reports;
Maintains databases.

Core Competencies:

Ethics & Values:

Demonstrating/Safeguarding Ethics and Integrity.

Organizational Awareness:

Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment.

Developing & Empowering People/Coaching and Mentoring:

Self-development, initiative-taking.

Working in Teams:

Acting as a team player and facilitating team work.

Communicating Information and Ideas:

Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively.

Self-Management & Emotional Intelligence:

Creating synergies through self-control Conflict Management/Negotiating & Resolving;
Disagreements: Managing conflict.

Knowledge Sharing & Continuous Learning:

Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others.

Appropriate and Transparent Decision-making:

Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Secondary Education with specialized secretarial training;
University Degree or equivalent would be desirable, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

At least 7 years of progressively responsible secretarial, administrative, programme experience is required at the national or international level within the United Nations Common System;
Advanced user of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, , etc.) and in handling web-based management systems;
Knowledge of ATLAS at the general user level.

Language:

Fluency in English, both oral and written, is required;
Working knowledge of Arabic language would be a desirable asset but not a requirement;
Working knowledge of other UN official language is an asset.

Other:

Passing the UN Clerical GGST or formally known as ASAT Examination is a requirement.

Note:

Selected candidate will need to start as soon as possible;
This is a re-advertisement with amended requirements. Candidates who applied to the first posting may re-apply to this one.