Administrative Assistant, New York, United States - UNDP - United Nations Development Programme - Closing Date: 19-March-2017


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UNDP
Title
Administrative Assistant
Job ID
8767
Poverty Reduction - UNDP-GEF, Management - UNDP-GEF
Vacancy End Date
(Midnight New York, USA)
19/03/2017
Time Left
5d 5h 0m
New York, United States
Education & Work Experience
C-HS Graduate or Equivalent - 5 year(s) experience, G-Bachelor's Level Degree - 5 year(s) experience
Required:
Desired:
English
French, Spanish
Grade
G5
Vacancy Type
TA Local
Posting Type
External
Bureau
Development Policy
Contract Duration
364 days

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has corporate responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan.  BPPS’ staff provides technical advice to Country Offices, advocates UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogue initiatives, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas.  
 
The Cluster on Sustainable Development focuses on integrating UNDP’s economic, social and environmental work into a coherent sustainable development policy and programming framework. It seeks to provide an integrated package of services covering all strands of sustainable development, including on integrated development planning and inclusive and sustainable growth, sustainable livelihoods and economic recovery in post crisis situations and natural capital and the environment. 
 
Based in UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, Sustainable development Cluster, the UNDP-Global Environmental Finance Unit (UNDP – GEF Unit) has an objective to help countries achieve the simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion by assisting Country Offices in accessing environmental finance for sustainable development. This objective is achieved through five inter-related areas of work: (i) sustainable management of ecosystem goods and services; (ii) scaling up of climate change adaptation and mitigation; (iii) sustainable, affordable and accessible energy services; (iv) sustainable management of chemicals and waste; and (v) improved water and ocean governance. These areas of work are fully aligned with the four environmental outputs of the UNDP Strategic Plan.
 
UNDP is an accredited implementing entity for the following environmental vertical funds: (i) the funds managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF): the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF TF); the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund (NPIF); the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF); (ii) the Adaptation Fund (AF); and (iii) the Green Climate Fund (GCF). As an Implementing Agency for these funds, UNDP offers countries highly specialized technical services for eligibly assessment, programme/project formulation, due diligence, mobilization of required co-financing, project implementation oversight, results management and evaluation, performance-based payments and knowledge management. 
 
The UNDP – GEF Unit is organized into five substantive technical teams corresponding to the five areas of work above and a Directorate comprised of Management, Finance and Operations, and Human Resources supporting the technical teams. The regional teams are based in regional hubs/regional service centers (Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Bangkok and Panama) from where they support UNDP’s country offices and partners in their region.
 
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the UNDP-GEF Chief of the Management and Programme Support Unit, the Administrative Assistant provides support to office and DIM project operations including variety of administrative services ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Administrative Assistant promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach.
 
The Administrative Assistant collaborates with other staff throughout UNDP as necessary, to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.
 
Duties and Responsibilities
Ensures implementation of operational strategies, focusing on achievement of the following results:
  • Provision of inputs to the UNDP-GEF administrative business processes mapping and implementation of the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs);
  • Provision of inputs to preparation of administrative team’s results-oriented work plans;
  • Performance of a Buyer role in Atlas and preparation of POs;
  • Ensuring that proper documentation is in place, processing requisitions, handling purchase orders, contracts, budget checks, dispatch, receipt and payment vouchers. Processing in Atlas payments for vendors;
  • Managing Atlas vendor information and liaising with BPPS ROM for vendor set up;
  • Coordination of the approval process with budget owners/approving officers;
  • Liaising with OFRM and Atlas PS support on problematic payment vouchers; 
  • Handling of Vouchers, PO reconciliations, and deal with year-end data clean up;
  • Assist in preparation of procurement plans and provision of information for audits;
  • Full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP Financial Regulations and Rules and internal control framework.
Manages assets, procurement and requisitions for equipment, furniture and supplies
  • Tracking orders and follow up with ASD/Vendors;
  • Managing corporate card for purchasing low value items, liaise with the card provider on statement issues, and ensure verification/receipt and invoice attachments;
  • Custodian for management of office stationery supplies including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff and keeping a log of distribution;
  • Maintain files and inventory of UNDP-GEF assets and inventory;
  • Acting as asset management focal point and preparing asset reports for review and certification.
Manages travels for the Executive Coordinator and HQ-based Management and Programme Support Unit and serves as alternate for the Directorate
  • Processing Travel Requests based on approvals; 
  • Liaising with the Travel Unit/Ultramar on travel authorizations and issuance of tickets;
  • Processing Atlas Travel transactions, handle claims, refunds and settlements;
  • Reconciling with Travel Unit travel transactions to ensure all exceptions are reviewed and resolved;
  • Assisting with travel arrangements for global staff retreats/workshops;
  • Acting as Level 1 approver on travel requests;
  • Providing administrative support to conferences, workshops, retreats.
Focal point for communications/telephone usage, maintenance, and space requirements
  • Managing the communication/telephone reports, liaising with Treasury on payments;
  • Managing Cell phone accounts, monitoring usage, tracking and processing payments, liaising with service provider on billing statement and payment issues, and filing of hard copy documents and files; 
  • Monitoring cost recovery for common services, landline telephones and Cell phones;
  • Liaising with ASD on maintenance issues and needs for furniture and equipment; 
  • Assist in allocation and monitoring of office space.
Provides administrative support to the Management and Programme Support Unit
  • Maintenance of the filing system ensuring safekeeping of all financial, administration supporting documents including POs, AP & AR vouchers, GLJEs, and etc.; 
  • Extraction of data from various sources upon request;
  • Research and retrieval of statistical data from internal and external sources, preparation of statistical charts, tables and reports upon request;
  • Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, actions taken and coordination of collection and submission of the reports to head of unit;
  • Assistance in the preparation of budget and provision of information for audits;
  • Support the training of the operations/programme staff on administration and Atlas;
  • Other duties as required.
Competencies
Core
 
Innovation
  • Ability to make new and useful ideas work.
Leadership
  • Ability to persuade others to follow.
People Management
  • Ability to improve performance and satisfaction.
Communication
  • Ability to listen, adapt, persuade and transform.
Delivery
  • Ability to get things done.
Technical/Functional
 
Primary
 
Quality Assurance 
  • Ability to perform administrative and procedural activities to ensure that quality requirements and goals are fulfilled.
Supplier Management 
  • Knowledge of supplier management concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply to strategic and/or practical situations.
Office Administration 
  • Ability to manage day-to-day office activities (including but not limited to travel management, facilities and asset management, policy and procedures maintenance) to meet operational needs.  
Operational Efficiency 
  • Ability to identify and execute opportunities to improve operational efficiency.
Audit 
  • Ability to examine and verify accounts and records.
Secondary
 
Knowledge Management
  • Ability to efficiently handle and share information and knowledge.
Relationship Management 
  • Ability to engage with other parties and forge productive working relationships.
Event Facilitation 
  • Ability to organize and plan events.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
  • Secondary education;
  • University Degree in a relevant field is desirable.
Experience
  • 5 years’ experience in administration or programme support service, or experience in related areas;  
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.);
  • Good knowledge of an ERP system (such as Atlas) and web-based management systems desirable; 
  • Good drafting, communication and analytical skills;
  • Successful completion of UN Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT), formerly known as the UN Clerical Test.
Language Requirements
  • Excellent command of written and spoken English;
  • Working knowledge of another UN language (French or Spanish) desirable.
Disclaimer
Important applicant information
 
All posts in the GS categories are subject to local recruitment. 
 
Externally advertised GS fixed-term appointment and temporary appointment (TA) positions located in New York/Washington D.C. are open to candidates who are either US Permanent Residents, US Citizens or holders of a valid G4 visa at the time of their application and whose G4 visa has been acquired on account of their employment in the UN Systems based in New York or Washington, DC.
 
Selected candidates who meet the above mentioned eligibility criteria are responsible for their own travel and/or relocation costs.
 
Selection to GS fixed-term appointment positions at Headquarters requires passing a UN administered clerical test (ASAT). External applicants to General Service (GS) positions in New York who already possess a Bachelor’s degree or an accredited certification in a technical field (e.g. IT, Finance, or Procurement) will not need to obtain/pass the UN Administrative Support Assessment Test (ASAT). However, passing specialized tests (e.g. Finance and Accounting technical assessments) may still be required for some General Service (GS) positions, as specified in the vacancy announcement.
 
Applicant information about UNDP rosters
 
Note: UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
 
Workforce diversity
 
UNDP is committed to achieving diversity within its workforce, and encourages all qualified applicants, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, sexual orientation, culture, religious and ethnic backgrounds to apply. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
 
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