EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Development Business Unit of the Sales and Marketing Section of the Outreach Division in the Department of the Department of Global Communications. The Sales and Marketing Section works to promote the United Nations’ knowledge, communication, and outreach objectives by publishing, selling, distributing, and licensing print and electronic publications, periodicals and databases that disseminate the United Nations’ knowledge, studies, and data. It publishes titles aimed at a broad public, as well as electronic products and services for individual readers and institutions. United Nations Development Business (UNDB) is the official online publication to access daily procurement notices and contract awards from partners at multilateral development banks, national governments, United Nations’ agencies and more. Development Business delivers timely and consolidated information on contract opportunities in the developing world to its global audience. Access is available through paid subscription for the private and public sector. Development Business collaborates actively with regional entities and organizations with local expertise. Through the establishment of cross-promotional arrangements, it seeks to multiply its outreach effectiveness and offer valuable networking opportunities to its subscribers. The incumbent reports to the Chief of the Unit.

Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the Development Business Unit, the Editorial Assistant is responsible for the following duties: • Assists in screening documents and requests submitted for online publication in order to ensure compliance with submission standards and regulations; • Edits, formats and publishes procurement materials from Multilateral Development Banks on the UNDB website; ensures accurate, correctly formatted and proofread procurement information in accordance with a strict publication schedule; • Prepares, formats and publishes monthly Bank Operational Summaries for the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the African Development Bank (quarterly); • Prepares invoices and responds to requests from clients for paid advertisement of procurement announcements; • Registers publications requests in SharePoint; informs senior Assistants and/or Chief of Unit of technical problems concerning submission and registration and assists in resolving them. • Assists Chief of Unit and senior Assistants in assigning incoming jobs and tracking the workflow; keeps all concerned informed of changes in processing schedules and transmits corrections made by author departments/divisions to texts in process. • Responds to queries from other departments or services concerning documents submitted for processing; refers queries to the appropriate parties as necessary. • Maintains the Unit’s reference collection of UN documents, publications and other reference materials, including special databases. • Compiles statistics on the output and workflow of the Unit. • Provides basic computer technical support to all staff in the Unit; performs basic trouble-shooting functions in a timely manner; maintains contact IT team and reports problems when required. • Performs general office support functions for the Unit. • Carries out other tasks requested by the Chief; covers other General Service staff functions when the staff members are absent on annual or sick leave. • Assists with the collection and analysis of data as well as preparation of data presentations and reports for information sharing, responding to queries, knowledge management, planning and decision making. • Assists with design, visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

Competencies

• PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of UN documentation, the document processing chain and relevant operational and administrative procedures. Knowledge of UN editorial policies and practices; thorough understanding of the Editorial, Terminology and Reference Service and the roles of related services/sections. Shows pride in work and in achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. • COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed. • TECHNOLOGICAL AWARENESS: Keeps abreast of available technology; understands applicability and limitation of technology to the work of the office; actively seeks to apply technology to appropriate tasks; shows willingness to learn new technology.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of experience in office support functions, desktop publishing and in editorial work (including editing, fact-checking and proofreading) is required. Experience in word processing programs (including Microsoft Word) is required. Experience with publication of content on websites is desirable. One year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable. Experience with graphic design software (InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop) is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

• This position is temporarily available until 31 December 2024. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. • While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. • Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station. • Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation. • Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. • This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions. Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile of the inspira account-holder homepage. The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.