Country: United States of America
Closing date: 27 Jan 2019
Org. Setting and Reporting
These positions are located in Inter-Governmental Policy Section and Policy Analysis and Innovation Section, the Policy Branch (PB) of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in New York. OCHA is the part of the United Nations Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions.
The incumbents of the posts report to the respective Chiefs of Sections.
Responsibilities
Within limits of delegated authority, the Team Assistants will be responsible for the following duties:
- Performs a wide range of office support and administrative functions.
- Responds or drafts responses to routine correspondence and other communications; uses standard word processing package to produce a wide variety of large, complex documents and reports.
- Monitors processes and schedules related the unit’s outputs, products, tasks, etc.; where applicable, assists in the verification of receipt and accuracy of requisite documents, approvals, signatures, etc. to ensure compliance with relevant legal, financial and other requirements.
- Researches, compiles and organizes information and reference materials from various sources for reports, work plans, studies, briefings, meetings/conferences, etc.
- Generates a variety of standard statistical and other reports, work orders, etc., using various databases.
- Proofreads documents and edits texts for accuracy, grammar, punctuation and style, and for adherence to established standards for format.
- Screens phone calls and visitors; responds to moderately complex information requests and inquiries (e.g. answers requests requiring file search, etc.), and as necessary, refers inquiries to appropriate personnel for handling.
- Provides secretarial, administrative and logistics support to meetings, boards, committees, conferences, etc.
- Assists in the preparation of presentation materials using appropriate technology/software.
- Maintains calendar/schedules; monitors changes and communicates relevant information to appropriate staff inside and outside the immediate work unit.
- Performs data entry and extraction functions.
- Reviews, records, distributes and/or processes mail and other documents; follows-up on impending actions.
- Updates and maintains large distribution lists; monitors, prepares and distributes various materials, reports, where possible using electronic formats; handles arrangement for printing and translation as necessary; coordinates shipment arrangements, courier services, etc.
- Performs general administrative tasks (e.g. leave and attendance recording, arrangements for meetings and other events, reservations, budget follow-up, etc.), to include preparing and/or processing administrative requests/documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel requests, contracts, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, etc.).
- Maintains files (both paper and electronic) and databases for work unit.
- Assists in providing software and office equipment support.
- Provides guidance to less experienced staff on general office processes and procedures, computer applications, etc.
- 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.
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.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Work Experience
A minimum of three years of experience in general office support or related area is required. Experience with any enterprise resources planning systems, such as Umoja, Inspira, IMIS or similar is desirable. Experience working in the United Nations Common System or similar international organization is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the posts advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This Temporary Job Opening (TJO) is for two positions and is open to internal and external candidates. The duration of the temporary appointment/assignment is through 30 June 2019, with a possibility of extension (subject to extension of the mandate and/or availability of funds).
Passing the United Nations Administrative Assessment Support Test (ASAT) or the Global General Service Test (GGST) at Headquarters, ECA, ESCWA, UNOG, UNOV, ICTR, or ICTY is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Service category in the United Nations Secretariat. Candidates should have no expectation of any fixed-term appointment possibility after the end of this temporary assignment. If the selected candidate is an internal staff member of the UN Secretariat, the selection will be recorded as a temporary assignment. Subsequent to the initial temporary appointment, new and successive temporary appointments may be granted for service in the same office or in a different office any number of times, for any duration, provided that the length of service does not exceed the period of 364 calendar days. All TJOs in the General Service and related categories, at the levels GS-5, GS-6 and GS-7 shall be open only to internal staff members at the respective duty station holding a Fixed- Term Appointment, Continuing Appointment or Permanent Appointment. When a qualified internal staff member cannot be identified, the hiring manager may submit a request for an exception for selecting an external candidate (including a staff member holding a temporary appointment). Such requests must be substantiated and submitted to the respective Recruitment focal point who in turn will review for transmittal to the Office of Human Resources Management in New York.
In addition, all new entry-level recruitment in the General Service and related categories, for positions at the GS-4/TC-3/S-2/ PIA I levels and below, irrespective of the source of funding, will only be granted Temporary Appointments. Vacancies at these levels are open to both internal and external candidates, including staff members on temporary appointments. However, priority consideration will be given to serving staff members holding Fixed-Term Appointments followed by those holding Temporary Appointments. New external candidates will only be considered when a serving staff member holding a Fixed-Term or Temporary Appointment cannot be identified. Selection of a new external candidate requires the approval of OHRM. No entry level Fixed-Term Appointments will be granted to new external candidates.
For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17. The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English.
United Nations Considerations
According 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 or sexual abuse, or crimes other than minor traffic offences, 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.
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.
Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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 Fee
THE 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.
How to apply: