Administrative Assistant

The Planning, Budget and Evaluation (PBE) Department is in charge of PAHO’s strategic planning, budget management, and corporate performance monitoring, assessment and evaluation. PBE coordinates the development of the Organization’s Strategic Plan (SP), biennial Program Budget (PB), and implementation of PAHO’s evaluation policy, applying results-based management (RBM) approach in line with the Organization’s mandates, policies, and strategies. PBE’s performance monitoring and assessment measures progress toward the priorities and results in the Strategic Plan and Program and Budget. The evaluation unit in PBE also evaluates how and why results were or not achieved and how corporate performance ca be improved. PBE as the custodian of the evaluation function in PAHO implements the Corporate Evaluation Work Plan, approved by the Executive Management on the basis of organizational requirements, significancy or unity. The Department is accountable to the Director and Deputy Director of PAHO, and the evaluation function collaborates with the WHO Evaluation Office and with the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG).

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the Chief, Budget (PBE/PB), and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Program Budget Operations (PBE/PB), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

• Review and approve or initiate budget amendments in the PAHO Management Information System (PMIS) to allocate funds to the output level, reprogram funds within or across entities to implement the PAHO Program Budget. Respond to support calls related to budget amendments or refer the users to the appropriate level of support as necessary;
• Initiate budget amendments as directed for review and clearance of voluntary contributions funds, in coordination with External Relations and Partnerships (ERP), Financial Resources Management (FRM), relevant departments and/or country offices, to ensure alignment with the program budget structure and specific requirements related to voluntary contributions;
• Initiate transactions in GSM/BMS and CEM (WHO Systems) or any other ERP available at WHO, as well as coordinate with enabling entities, technical and field offices to transfer resources between WHO and PAHO and vice versa;
• Support the design, maintenance and permanent update of a variety of programmatic and budgetary reports, combining data from all existing management information systems for analysis and decision making at all levels of the Organization;
• Support data cleaning activities by periodically reviewing relevant both PAHO and WHO reports available in PMIS and in (GSM and CEM) to find exceptions; follow up with entities/cost centers and other enabling entities (FRM, PRO, HRM) to clear negative output budget balances, funds budgeted in wrong budget lines, unspent balances in expired awards, and other identified budget exceptions including payroll costs;
• Collaborate in the development of comprehensive guidelines and instructions for both internal and external stakeholders, including drafting documents, outlining Job aids and creating SOPs to ensure clarity and consistency;
• Provide support in the development, maintenance and updating of a variety of programmatic and budgetary reports by combining and assembling data from all existing management information systems including WHO Systems (CEM, GSM and BMS and any other available) for analysis and decision making at all levels of the Organization;
• Support the Operations Team by participating in testing activities during Workday updates, and/or as required when modifications or changes are done in PMIS, as well as participate in any other relevant development related to improvements and processes streamline and reporting, and in any other activity related to modifications and improvements made to the system when required;
• Support activities related to the financial and budgetary closure of each biennium, including process of carry-over of voluntary contributions both PAHO and WHO;
• Act as the first point of contact for internal customers seeking technical assistance through any service requests (SRS) and liaise with necessary Business Owners to determine the best solutions based on details provided by entities;
• Substitute during the absence of other members of the Operations Team;
• Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Essential: Certificate of completion of high school.
• Desirable: Specialized training at college, university or business school level with emphasis on accounting/finance and/or business administration would be an asset.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.  WHO, only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Experience:

• Essential: Five years of experience in budget, finance and/or administrative work, or four years of experience in budget, finance and/or administrative work, and one year of specialized training at the college, university level towards a declared major in business administration, budget, finance or related field, or two years of experience in budget, finance, and/or administrative work, and two years of specialized training at the college, university, or business school level towards a declared major in business administration, budget, finance or related field

Technical Expertise:

• Knowledge of program budget, and control.
• Knowledge and understanding of accounting concepts and principles.
• Ability to write/originate routine and non-routine correspondence and reports in English and Spanish.
• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and carry out financial/accounting processes, such as: monitoring budget and accounting activities, developing operational standards and procedures manuals, determining priorities, adjusting, or identifying new internal procedures, etc.
• Skills in planning, organizing, evaluating, problem-solving and decision-making of routine office management processes.
• Ability to research, analyze and organize information to prepare charts, graphics, reports, etc.
• Effective oral and written communication in a business environment; ability to work with a variety of diverse groups in a tactful and effective manner; effectively handle multiple assignments; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external partners using principles of good customer service.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with appropriate discretion.

Languages:

• Very good knowledge of English and Spanish.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2407355