Administrative Assistant

Result of ServiceThe Administrative Assistant reports to the Head of Brazil Office. He/She shall duly and timely perform his/her obligations, under these Terms of Reference. The consultant will work in close collaboration with the UN-Habitat’s operational and technical teams. Work LocationRio de Janeiro, Brazil Expected durationSeven (7) months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground The main mandate of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is to promote sustainable development of human settlements and policies conducive to adequate housing for all. Within this framework, UN-Habitat supports central and state governments, as well as local authorities and other partners, for the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, the 2030 Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. UN-Habitat helps the urban poor by transforming cities into safer, more inclusive, compact, integrated, resilient and connected places with better opportunities where everyone can live with dignity. It works with organizations at every level, including all spheres of government, civil society, and the private sector to help build, manage, plan and finance sustainable urban development. The Regional Office for Latin American and the Caribbean – ROLAC – is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Agency puts emphasis in developing and managing activities in the host country. Indeed, for the past years, UN-Habitat has expanded its portfolio in Brazil by working with the three tiers of government to support the formulation and implementation of more effective, sustainable, participative, and socially fairer urban economic, social, and environmental policies. To properly implement the UN-Habitat projects in Brazil, an Administrative Assistant is required. Report to UN-Habitat Manager The Administrative Assistant reports to the Head of Brazil Office, who will evaluate him/her. Responsibilities The Administrative Assistant will support the implementation of the programme and its activities, with the following responsibilities: Human Resources and Personnel Department a) Liaise with HR in UN-Habitat Headquarters for the review of Terms of Reference when needed. b) Follow up on hiring processes done by partner agencies. c) Schedule and set up interview panels through e-mail. d) Contact shortlisted candidates for interview and post-interview feedback. e) Gather necessary documentation according to UN rules and regulations needed for hiring in any modality (CIC, IC, UNOPS, UNDP, etc.). f) Request Index Number for new hiring. g) Request BP for new hiring. h) Support the preparation of Shopping Carts and/or Purchase Orders as needed. i) Track and monitor contract duration and expiry dates. j) Prepare monthly reports to Headquarters. k) Maintain HR database. l) Any other processes and actions as needed. Administration a) Organize and file all relevant documents and information in the administration of the projects. b) Support the team through audits and other administrative and financial compliance. c) Draft official letters and memos. d) Request, control, and organize all payment requests. e) Assist, if needed, with the monthly payroll. f) Support the finance management of UN-Habitat related to the planning, requesting, and controlling of all project-related activities. Finance Administration a) Support in advising on financial and administrative management. b) Assist in the control and budget management of projects in Umoja, advising on the procedures to be performed according to the needs of the implementation plan and/or accounting requirements. c) Raise requests of transactions required for the correct and effective implementation and closure of the projects. d) Assist in monitoring Umoja accounting of projects, including transactions created by UNON. e) Assist in the identification of possible errors in this area, request the corrections provided, and follow up on the correction. f) Assist in the preparation of Budget Revisions in collaboration with the Finance Manager and the PMO. g) Assist in the execution of Agreements of Cooperation (payments, expenditure reports, audits). h) Undertake any other duties and responsibilities within the incumbent’s expertise that can be reasonably expected to help maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of UN-Habitat. Other a) Support any other initiative requested by the Project and Finance Managers. b) Be responsible for maintaining an organized and accessible information file. c) Be responsible for ensuring that all activities observe the principles of integrity of the United Nations. The consultant will be responsible for completing all courses and training activities that are indicated to him/her by his/her supervisor. The security course BSAFE, from UNDSS, is required to be accredited during the first month of employment. The consultant will be responsible for his/her own security, so the person should get familiarized with United Nations security mechanisms and comply with them according to the Framework of Accountability for the United Nations Security Management System. Outputs/Work Assignment The Administrative Assistant will support the implementation of UN-Habitat portfolio. The Administrative Assistant shall be paid a monthly allowance, upon presentation and approval by the Head of Brazil of monthly activities’ report. Qualifications/special skillsEducation Required: • Bachelor’s degree in Administration, International Relations, Public Management or related fields, or additional three (3) years of relevant experience to the post, beyond the requirement. Work experience: • Minimum two (2) years of experience in administrative, secretarial, project management, operational and/or human resources activities. • Previous experience in the United Nations System will be considered an asset. Skills: • Proficiency in Office Package (MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook). • Mastery of technological tools and use of software and online platforms is necessary. • Good knowledge of project management methodologies is desirable. Competencies • Professionalism: Experience working in an inter-institutional environment, project management, monitoring-evaluation; approaches and strategies regarding good urban governance and local and regional development. • Planning and organization: Professional approach to work, strong sense of responsibility, operate with minimal supervision; proven organizational skills and ability to manage a workload efficiently and within set deadlines. • Communication: Ability to write clearly and effectively; listen to others, interpret messages correctly and respond appropriately; show openness in information sharing and keep everyone informed; solid abstract reasoning skills together with a proven capacity to write documents for diverse audiences. • Teamwork: Ability to work with teams, demonstrate leadership, conflict management and consensus facilitation skills; ability to work in a multicultural and multi-ethnic environment, and to respect diversity; sensitivity to the main streaming of vulnerability; willingness and ability to work in difficult environments. Knowledge Management • The person must know the processes, procedures, and norms of UN-Habitat, to guarantee an adequate quality of the activities described above, following the standards of the organization. • The person will propose formats and procedures that allow the efficient implementation of the activities related to the project development. • The person must know the file of the Office, work with it, and ensure its proper maintenance, accessibility for all staff, and due updating. • The person will prepare databases related to the project running. • The person will make sure that all relevant technical information will be adequately shared with the correspondent staff. • The person will ensure that all produced material will be fit-for-purpose and delivered, in an organized way, for posterior consultation and use of the Agency. • The person will only share the information produced with the team agency, assuring the privacy of the content. Languages• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat, and Spanish is the working language of the Regional Office. For the post advertised, fluency in Portuguese is required. Working knowledge of any other working language of the United Nations is desirable. Additional InformationTravel details: Applicable The consultant must be available to travel to the places related to the activities in the country, if requested by the Head of Brazil Office. Missions will be coordinated and financed by UN-Habitat, according to the United Nations travel rules and guidelines. Remuneration SB-3/1 – BRL: 4.891 (net amount) UNDP Brazil Salary Scale. Notes Appointment against this post is on local basis and only nationals from Brazil or external candidates who hold a permanent visa in Brazil may apply. The extension of this contract is subject to availability of funds and/or performance. Any contract extension is not automatic. It is required for all the curricular information to be inserted in the system, which may take a few hours. Only complete applications in English will be considered. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. Due to the volume of applications received, receipt of applications cannot be acknowledged individually. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Applications should be submitted through INSPIRA and must include all documents required at the system, please be ready to include the following information at the “Candidate Profile” (CP) at Inspira: • Cover memo (maximum 1 page) • Educational Background (incl. dates) • Professional Experience (assignments, tasks, achievements, duration by years/ months) • Expertise and preferences regarding location of potential assignments • Other Experience and Expertise (e.g. Internships/voluntary work, etc.) * * Please note that Internships, self-employment and part-time count as 50%. In addition to it, note experience not relevant to the position will not be considered. All applications should be submitted to: Inspira UN-HABITAT does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process. If you have any questions concerning people or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of these offices and requesting the payment of a fee, please contact: recruitment@unon.org. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.