STAFF ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and ReportingThe position is located in the Europe and Central Asia Division (ECAD) of the shared Regional Structure of the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO). The Division carries out a wide range of responsibilities in the areas of conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacekeeping in the assigned regions. The incumbent will report and provide administrative support to the Deputy Director of the Division. He/she will also support a regional team covering South Caucasus and Central Asia led by the Senior Political Affairs Officer/Team Leader. ResponsibilitiesWithin delegated authority, and under the supervision of the Deputy Director and Team Leader, the incumbent: • Provides direct administrative support to the Deputy Director in the performance of his/her functions and responsibilities and performs the full range of office management and administrative support functions related to the work of the regional team. • Maintains liaison with the DPPA-DPO Executive Office and other relevant units regarding on-going programmes and other administrative matters; monitors processes and schedules related to the team’s outputs, products, and tasks. • Ensures smooth and efficient information flow within and outside the team; maintains calendar/schedules; prepares and processes documents for submission; assists in the development of office administrative systems and procedures. • Researches, compiles and summarizes background materials for use in preparation of reports, briefs, and other documents and submissions by the team. • Reviews working documents for completeness prior to submission for final approval and signature; identifies inconsistencies; distributes working documents to relevant parties upon approval. • Assists in preparing travel authorizations; verifies availability of funds; ensures necessary approval, processing in the computerized system. • Performs a variety of administrative duties, including liaison within DPPA-DPO and with the Executive Office, including preparing and processing administrative requests/documents, obtaining necessary clearances, recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel requests and arrangements, training, procurement of equipment and services, leave recording, scheduling of meetings. • Compiles, summarizes and enters data on team’s and Divisional work output and project delivery; drafts related status report, maintains, manages and updates internal files and databases. • Orients new staff to relevant administrative procedures and practices and provides general assistance to other office support staff, as required. • Supports the visits of senior UN field mission leadership and other officials to the Headquarters. • Provides back-up for other Programme Assistants and the Personal Assistant of the Director of the Division. • Performs other duties as assigned. Competencies• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of general office and administrative support including administrative policies, processes and procedures. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. • TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is 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; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings. • PLANNING AND 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; uses time efficiently. EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent is required. Job - Specific QualificationNot available. Work ExperienceA minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in programme or project management, administration, technical cooperation, or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to 3 for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Administrative support experience in the United Nations or similar international organization is required. Experience with office software (such as Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint and OneDrive) is required. Experience in use of document databases (such Unite Docs or similar system) is required. Experience with information systems (such as Umoja and Inspira or similar database application) as it relates to travel and recruitment, is required. Experience with supporting results-based management tasks and extra-budgetary project development and management tasks, is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage. AssessmentEvaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview. Special NoticeThis post is financed by the Support Account for Peace Operations for an initial period of one year. The appointment and renewal thereof are subject to availability of funds. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. United Nations ConsiderationsAccording to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date. 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.