Administrative and Programme Support Team Assistant

Result of Service

The work of the individual contractor will assist in the overall administration and coordination of the Division’s work, i.e. providing substantive and administrative support to the Division Director in her/his coordination and management of the Division’ staff; coordinates and monitors multiple and diverse activities and work processes to ensure that management directives and decisions are properly carried out and products delivered in a timely manner; will provide organizational and technical support to the SBSTTA Bureau and for the COP-16 meeting scheduled in October 2024 and other associated meetings scheduled from July to October 2024.

Duties and Responsibilities

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING

The United Nations Environment Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for ‘sustainable development’.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was opened for signature in Rio in 1992. The Convention has three main objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is located in Montreal and is administered by United Nations Environment Programme.

Its main tasks are to arrange for and service meetings of the Conference of the Parties, including preparation of pertinent documentation, operation of the central node of the clearing-house mechanism, liaison and coordination with other international bodies and processes and, in close collaboration with these partners, the provision of technical support for the effective implementation of the Convention. The individual contractor will be reporting to the Director of the Science, Society and Sustainable Futures Division, in particular regarding the work for the COP-16 meeting (October 2024) and the preceding open-ended meetings leading to COP-16. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Director of SSSF Division, the individual contractor will perform the following duties:

• Provide administrative, organizational and programmatic support to the Director, in her/his management of the Heads of Units and to other staff members of the Science, Society and Sustainable Futures Division, contribute to the organization of CBD official meetings and operations of the SBSTTA Bureau as well as provide programmatic support to the Director in her coordination for SBSTTA and COP, and contribute to the SCBD overall, as required.
• Perform any other duties as requested.

Qualifications/special skills

• Academic qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent is required. University degree in international relations, global environmental policy, natural resources, or related field is desirable.
• Working Experience:A minimum of 7 years of working experience in administration is required. United Nations or another international organization setting experience is desirable. Knowledge of UNEP and CBD policies, activities and programmes as well as sound knowledge of UN Rules and Regulations is desirable. Good communication and writing skills are required. Proficiency in the use of the Windows Office Suite software is required, this includes MS Word, Excel, PPT. Good familiarity with TEAMS is required, that includes file sharing platforms, SharePoint drives, meeting scheduling.
• Competencies: Professionalism: Ability to work under pressure and to use limited time and resources effectively; flexibility to adapt rapidly to changing situations; ability to ensure that the highest possible quality outputs are produced.
• Communication: Ability to speak and write clearly and effectively; ability to communicate effectively with audiences of various levels of seniority and technical knowledge, tailoring language, tone, style and format appropriately; ability to communicate with various stakeholders with diplomacy and tact.
• Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, ability to work collaboratively with professional and technical staff at senior and junior levels from diverse cultures and backgrounds. 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.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. For this post, fluency in English, both oral and written, is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/236316?language=en