Country: United States of America
Closing date: 24 Apr 2019
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Executive Office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), based 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. OCHA also ensures there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response efforts. 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 Administrative Officer reports to the Executive Officer.
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Executive Officer, and within delegated authority, the Administrative Officer will be responsible for the following duties as it relates to relevant parts of the Executive Office:
Overall
• Strengthens monitoring, reporting and analysis of management information to facilitate improved senior management decision-making on legal and administrative issues.
• Develops quality assurance mechanisms to enable successful development of the Administrative agreements, in particular the provision of high-quality and timely client service.
• Provides management guidance and advice on complex administrative and legal issues, including proposals for new agreements incorporating mainstreaming of services, efficiency gains ensuring OCHA’s operational needs are aligned with the business model.
• Engages strategically with stakeholders at the corporate level with a view to promote the standardization and streamlining of service provision.
• Provides legal advice on diverse procedural questions of considerable complexity, which may include those related to administration and management, institutions support, contracts and agreements.
• Performs legal analysis and provide legal advice to the unit/divisions related to all agreements and contractual arrangement including proposed agreements MoUs and SLAs, institutional and operational modalities, and other legal documents to meet OCHA’s unique operational needs.
• Contributes with a legal review and design of new administrative instruments, policies and guidelines, regulatory or oversight for the use of OCHA.
• Liaises with internal and external Oversight Bodies to the UN for all the audit exercises including the OIOS, JIU, BOA.
• Provides legal and administrative support to the design and implementation of the multi donor framework agreements hereunder CBPF, CERF and others as well as coordinates with the relevant stakeholders for the design and strengthening of internal control mechanism.
• Liaises with the oversight bodies for all fraud cases which may result in the course of implementation of those agreements.
• Provides legal oversight on the procurement and lease agreements in close coordination with procurement team.
Budget and Finance
• Initiates and conducts studies to improve budget reporting systems and cost-effective utilization of program resources.
• Establishes and maintains a set of sound policies, procedures, standards and tools which are consistent with UN policy and practice in order to ensure proper accounting, financial management and control.
General Administration
• Serves on various standing boards, committees, ad hoc working groups and task forces, as required; promotes the work of the United Nations and represents the organization at meetings, conferences, seminars, etc.
• Contributes to review and design new applications of legal instruments, policy, guidelines, etc.
• Produces major/complex reports for management.
• Provides expert guidance and leadership to more junior staff.
• Performs other related work as required.
Competencies
• Professionalism: Knowledge of administrative, budgetary, financial and human resources policies and procedures. Ability to apply various United Nations administrative rules and regulations in work situations. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• 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.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
Education
Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in political science, social science, public administration, international studies, economics, engineering, earth sciences or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in administration, finance, accounting, human resources management or related field, of which at least five years should be at the international level is required. Experience in the application of United Nations administrative rules and regulations is required. Experience working with strategic and work planning in an administrative context is required. Experience in the analysis of complex administrative issues is desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the position advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by a competency-based interview.
Special Notice
This position is funded for a finite period of one year. Extension of the appointment is subject to extension of the mandate and availability of funds.
Staff member is 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.
The United Nations is Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.
An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential.
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: