Senior Administrative Assistant.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is a leading worldwide environmental domination that lays down the agenda for the environment, promoting the implementation of the contextual dimension of developing sustainability in the United Nations system, as well as serving as a trustworthy advocate for a global environment.
The position is in UNEP, in the Human Resource Section, Division of Corporate Services, in the Nairobi station. Under the Chief supervision, Human Resource Section, the Administrative Assistant will have the responsibility for these following duties:
Responsibilities.
Human resources:
- Coordinate several actions concerning human resources activities administration unit, for example, placement, relocation, recruitment, reviews of job classification, training, promotion, staff members separation, and performance appraisal.
- Collaborate with the administrative services or central administration as per requirement.
- Provide advice and information to consultants on service conditions responsibilities and duties, and entitlements and privileges and Rules and Regulation of Staff.
- Provide an expert hand in the development and preparation of the work programme unit and budget.
Data generation and analysis.
- Generate data on the human resource that will help in Human Resource planning or analysis, for instance, successional planning and workforce.
- Support the monitoring system development for achieving Vital Indicators of Performance for recruitment.
- Provide development of data analysis on human resources.
- Prepare custom-made financial reports after collecting data from appropriate databases. Assist in the preparation, revision, and reviews of the medium-term plan.
- Monitor staff tables for appointments expiration, appointments, transfer of staff, reassignments, and retirement.
Budget and finance.
- Analyze, review and assist in finalizing the budget proposals and estimating the cost, in line with requirements from non-staff and staff from various departments and also in the field, comprising of programmatic aspects; ensure legislative mandates compliance like medium-term plan and others.
- Help managers in elaborating resource requirements for submission of the budget. Monitor the implementation of budget and expenditures, reallocation of funds recommendation.
- Review goods and services requisitions to make sure (a) funds are available, and (b) correct charging of expenditure objects.
- Monitor resources that require extra budgets, reviewing cost plans and agreements, ensuring there is compliance with the rules and regulations, and establishing procedures and policies.
General administration.
- Provide training, daily supervision, and guidance to the other service staff generally in line with the duties.
- Coordinate frequently and considerably with the service units, as well as team members, both in fields and at Headquarters.
- Assist with the daily administering of contracts between external contractors and the UN for services. Audit invoices to contractors in terms of goods and services they have provided and accepted by the UN.
Competencies.
Professionalism: Ability to perform several administrative functions, for example, human resources, budget program, data analysis, and generate Business Intelligence and database management. Show pride in achievements, demonstrate mastery and competence on the subject matter, is efficient with meeting commitments, achieving results, and observe deadlines, showing persistence, especially on challenges, is peaceful when dealing with stress, committed to ensuring gender equality at work.
Client orientation: Considers everyone as “clients” and seeking to see from the client’s perspective on things, maintaining and establishing client partnerships by gaining respect and trust. Identifying the needs of clients and matching them to relevant solutions. Ensure the delivery of services or products to clients on time.
Planning and organizing: Develop goals that are clear and consistent with strategies, identify priority assignments; adjust the priorities as per the requirement, allocating proper resources and time for completing of work, foresee risks when planning and approve contingencies.
Education
Required diploma in high school. Pass the United Nations Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT) at UN Headquarters. An individual who has passed the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a precondition required for consideration in the United Nations Secretariat, category of General Service.
Experience
Have a 10-year experience in administrative services, audit, finances, human resources, accounting, or other required areas. Experience in analysis and data management in Business Intelligence. Experience in the use of systems like Enterprise Resource Planning, especially Systems and Application Platform (Umoja) for data generation, procurement, and human resources, and electronic recruitment like PeopleSoft as required. Experience in administrative functions in international settings as recommended.
Languages.
The main languages in the UN secretariat are French and English. Written and oral fluency in English is useful for the advertised post. There is an advantage in the knowledge of another language.
Assessment.
Qualified candidates will evaluate using assessment exercises and a competency interview.
Special notice.
The position is dependent on local recruitment concerning Staff rule 4.4. Staff belonging to General Service and other related categories will be recruited within the country or in commuting distances of the offices, regardless of nationality and duration of time in the country. All interested applicants are to make an application online immediately on opening dates and before it is closed, as indicated.
Regarding article 101, third paragraph, of the charter of the United Nations, a staff employment consideration is vital in getting the standards of competency, integrity, and efficacy. Candidates who have committed various violations such as sexual exploitation, global human rights law, humanitarian law, or having been involved in committing any of the acts, will not be employed to the united nations. There would be no revision, division, addition, amendment, or modification after submitting.
The job description is on a Senior Administrative Assistant. I acquire data on workplace policies and job applications from the United Nations Charter and the United States Department of Labor (U.S. Department of labor, 2020). These included regulations, employment laws, and administrative rules that are essential for the job description (United Nations, 2020). I also researched on the editorial of job professionalism and work ethics by Thomas and Lazarova (2013). Finally, I acquired data on human resource development from Pande and Basak, (2015). The job description applies to an actual job of today.
References
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
Human Resources Specialists. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-
financial/human-resources-specialists.htm#tab-6 (visited July 2, 2020).
Pande, S., & Basak, S. (2015). Human resource management: Text and cases. New Delhi
Vikas Publishing House Pvt Ltd.
Thomas, D. C., & Lazarova, M. B. (2013). Essentials of International Human Resource
Management: Managing people globally.
United Nations. (2020). Charter of the United Nations: The UN Charter. Retrieved from
https://www.un.org/en/charter-united-nations/.