Administrative Assistant

Terms of Reference

UNHCR´s National Office at Uruguay is located in Montevideo, and is part of the Multi-country Office in Argentina (MCO ARG) that covers Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, mainly countries of destination for refugees and migrants with need for immediate humanitarian assistance, protection intervention and, at the later stage, for various types of durable solutions.

In Uruguay, UNHCR supports asylum and regularization, preventing refoulement. Collaborating with local counterparts, the programming emphasizes inclusion, health, education, and labor market integration. Long-term goals involve creating complementary pathways through labor mobility and sustainable resettlement. 

At the end of 2023, the Refugee Commission (CORE) approved a Diagnosis with conclusions and recommendations regarding the challenges faced by the asylum system in Uruguay. To address these challenges, CORE also approved guidelines for a Strengthening Project for CORE and its Permanent Secretariat (2024 – 2025). In December 2023, during the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), Uruguay committed to: “Strengthen its asylum/refugee system to adapt to large-scale mixed movements as soon as possible.

This process will involve:

working on the reform of normative and administrative frameworks to ensure enhanced synergy between the refugee status determination system and migration regulations;

strengthening the administrative framework for refugee protection to achieve:

• preservation of data quality and system integrity through digital registration with biometric variables and the use of digital tools for managing individual cases;
• ensuring interoperability of various state databases for refugee and asylum seeker registration and documentation;
• developing and reinforcing differentiated procedures for refugee status determination.” Uruguay committed to optimizing existing resources for the asylum/refugee system and relying on technical and financial contributions from UNHCR and interested donor countries.

Additionally, during the GRF, Uruguay committed to developing pilot projects for the socio-economic, cultural, and legal inclusion of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. These projects aim to ensure early stabilization and local integration through inclusion, support for host communities, and the involvement of supportive cities and development actors. Furthermore, in May 2024, CORE approved a program for “Prima Facie Recognition of Refugee Status” as part of a comprehensive strategy to begin implementing measures to reduce the backlog of existing asylum applications. Similarly, a decree was approved for a “Residence by Roots Program,” based on criteria related to labor, family, and educational ties, targeting asylum seekers who entered the country at the border and have been continuously present for more than six (6) months until the decree’s effective date. The program is based on the consensus of the “Declaration on Migration and Protection from Los Angeles” (2022), which aims to open regular pathways for residence, including family reunification and regularization programs, to promote safer and more orderly migration. The National Migration Directorate (DNM) must take necessary measures to implement this program within 90 days of the decree’s publication. Since the beneficiaries are individuals with pending asylum (refugee) applications, the program will necessarily require strengthening both the capacities of CORE’s Permanent Secretariat and the DNM. Thus, the residence by roots program and the asylum capacity program are intended to be implemented together. As a result of these advancements, Uruguayan authorities are currently progressing with the implementation of the following initiatives to strengthen the asylum and migration system:

• Residence by roots programme;
• Prima Facie Recognition of Refugee Status Program;
• Asylum Capacity Enhancement Program;
• Inclusion Initiatives.
• The Administrative Assistant will report to the Head of National Office with frequent contacts and liaison with the MCO Argentina Administrative Unit and Supply Unit.
• The incumbent will perform routine administrative and finance tasks, general services activities, process travel requests as well as coordinate logistics and supply as requested, among other daily routine activities.
• The ideal candidate should have excellent interpersonal skills, be client-oriented and have proven administrative experience. The ability to work in Spanish and English is essential.
• Experience in the logistics, supply and finance areas is an asset, as well as experience working at government and/or international organizations.
• The successful candidate must be willing and able to work in dynamic, multicultural and fast-evolving environments, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Standard Job Description 

Administrative Assistant

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

• The Administrative Assistant will provide administrative assistance to the immediate supervisor and/or Head of the Office, and/or to the Unit as a whole to ensure that routine services and activities within the administrative domain are properly implemented. As per specific instructions, the incumbent may require liaising with other internal or external entities, to ensure effective delivery of services and achievement of objectives. The assignments are mostly standard tasks including limited interpretation of subject matter and information exchange between staff in the office, at the duty station and external officials of other institutions to ensure mutual understanding. The incumbent’s workload and the assignments will remain under constant guidance and direction of the supervisor.
• The Administrative Assistant is a position within an office/Division/Bureau that requires basic knowledge of administrative rules, procedures as well as operational standards of a UNHCR office. The nature of certain administrative/personnel functions require discretion and confidentiality.
• All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties

Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: (These duties are generic and may not be carried out by all Administrative Assistant: please refer to the organizational context).

• Arrange appointments/meetings both internal and external, some involving high ranking officials.
• Receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls, respond to routine requests for information and take notes at meetings as and when required.
• Maintain hard and electronic office files and records; classify and code material relating to a variety of topics;
• Receive, review, sort and distribute all incoming and outgoing correspondence, office pouch and material, highlight priority items and attach necessary background information. Maintain a follow up system.
• May be required to maintain/update confidential files.
• Draft routine correspondence, memoranda and reports. Format more complex documents by using the appropriate technology.
• Facilitate implementation of Personnel administrative formalities and processing of documents in relation to official travels, leaves and movements of staff. Support staff members with processing personnel-related documentation.
• Maintain office inventory and stocks of office supplies. Monitor the asset management track to ensure all admin procurements and disposal of UNHCR property are done and recorded accurately.
• Assist the supervisor to monitor and record expenditure/disbursement of funds.
• Following instructions from the supervisor make logistic and administrative arrangements for seminars, workshops, and briefings that may be required by the Office/Division.
• May regulate and monitor routine provision of services and/or shifts from providers, as and when applicable;
• Monitor office/compound facilities and equipment and in consultation with the supervisor take appropriate action to ensure proper functioning at all time.
• Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
• Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience

Years of Experience / Degree Level

• G4 – 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma; or Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Certificates and/or Licenses

• Business Administration, Finance, Office Management,
• Human Resources or other related field
• (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

• For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.
• For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.
• For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

Source: https://unhcr.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Buenos-Aires-Argentina/Administrative-Assistant-UNOPS-LICA-4–Montevideo_JR2447148