Background
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. UNDP has been working in Afghanistan for more than 50 years on climate change and resilience, gender, governance, health, livelihoods, and the rule of law. Under the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in close coordination with other UN agencies, UNDP supports the Afghan people’s aspiration for peace, prosperity, and sustainability. UNDP is currently implementing its flagship crisis response programme, ABADEI (Area Based Approach to Development Emergency Initiatives), as part of the ongoing UN-led response to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the breakdown of Afghanistan’s economy following the August 2021 shift in power and subsequent early recovery and stabilization.
In this context the office of the Resident Representative is entrusted with the oversight of strategic partnerships for sustainable development, in Afghanistan with the capabilities to partner at scale and deliver world-class knowledge and technical expertise. The RR assumes overall responsibility for the country’s programmatic, operational, partnership, advocacy and communication activities of UNDP and is responsible for ensuring that the UNDP programme and services are consistent with the national development priorities of the host country government, and supportive of the UN’s development efforts in the country. The RR also ensures consistency with the UNDP Strategic Plan and with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core principles at UNDP: we value diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, we foster inclusion as a way of ensuring all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, and we ensure equity and fairness in all our actions. Taking a ‘leave no one behind’ approach to our diversity efforts means increasing representation of underserved populations. People who identify as belonging to marginalized or excluded populations are strongly encouraged to apply. Learn more about working at UNDP including our values and inspiring stories.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Resident Representative the Executive Associate ensures effective and efficient functioning of the RR’s office, full confidentiality in all aspects of assignments, maintenance of protocol procedures, and management of information flow and follow-up on deadlines and commitments made. The Executive Associate promotes a collaborative, client-focused, high quality and results-oriented approach in the operations of the RR’s office.
The Executive Associate to the RR works in close collaboration with UNDP staff, UN Agencies, national authorities,
international organizations, and other stakeholders and external entities to ensure efficient flow of information and follow through on actions, instructions, commitments, and agendas. The incumbent is entrusted with the ongoing management and flow of internal communication and as such s/he is expected to deliver information with expediency, efficiency, discretion, and tact with the different units in communications, operations, and programme teams.
UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. This is a recognition of interconnected nature of development risks & crises that the world is facing and that call for assembling of multidisciplinary teams for an integrated & systemic response. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across issues, units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.
Duties and Responsibilities
Ensure effective and efficient functioning of the Resident Representative offices
- Maintain the RR’s calendar and contacts with high-ranking visitors, arrange appointments and meetings, take minutes, act as an interpreter, and/or prepare informal translations when required.
- Always ensures an environment of professionalism and teamwork environment and set exemplary standards of conduct for the CO team.
- Manage RR’s schedules efficiently and discretely with due regard to a balanced load, ensure punctuality, and help maintain a professional CO image and conduct for the CO team of support staff.
- Maintain protocol procedures as well as profiles, rosters and telephone lists of high-level partners and contacts.
- Maintain a log of all Note Verbale issued through the Executive Office.
- Compile research and prepare high quality briefing materials for the Resident Representative for appointments, meetings, missions, and for use in discussions; where required coordinate among relevant CO Units to draw in substantive content needed for briefing package.
- Plan Resident Representative’s official travel, including field missions and representation schedule.
- Prepare correspondence, directives, and comments on behalf of RR for his/her signature and follow-up when required.
Schedule and organize regular and ad-hoc meetings taking minutes and summarizing actions for follow up by the RR;
- Ensure to coordinate with Operations support units to ensure the administration and operational support requirements for the Resident Representative are planned in advance; ensure that budgetary requirements are planned for annually and submitted to Finance Unit for review.
- Ensure a repository of inter-agency coordination forum meetings (i.e. UNCT; HCT; SMT; etc.), mission reports, and other official communication are consistently saved
- Maintain an up-to-date Executive Office Share Point
- Ensures to schedule and coordinate regular meetings for the RR, with the Units/Teams that directly report to the RR
Provide effective communications support to the office to facilitate essential flow of information.
- Maintain paper and electronic filing systems to ensure safekeeping of confidential materials and accessibility of documents, and in keeping with UNDP’s documentation management policy.
- Facilitate information sharing between the RR’s Office, UN Country Team, UN Humanitarian Country Team, Security Management Team and the UN Development Coordination Office.
- Follow up on deadlines, commitments made, and actions taken; and coordinate the collection and submission of reports to the RR.
- Screen all incoming calls and correspondence establish priorities and advise RR and DRR, filter outgoing correspondence for RR and DRR’s signature, clearance and further action by other staff; wherever possible.
- Provide advice to senior officials on national protocols and UN related procedure
- Draft routine correspondence, interoffice circulars, general briefing notes, documents,
- reports, and minutes of meetings when requested.
- Preparation of formal and informal translation of note verbales, invitations, and other information required by RR and DRR.
- Timely follow up with relevant staff on the preparation of RR speeches and screen them for coherence, consistency in structure/template, before finalization.
- Ensure full compliance with established protocol and correspondence guidelines by CO teams when communicating with Government and other external partners.
- Programme and Operations Units are kept informed of important corporate initiatives and policies, programming and operational matters.
Ensures effective management of all contracts and services required for the Executive Office
- Ensures there is systematic planning, and timely procurements are initiated for required goods and services required by the Executive Office
- Ensures that payments are processed in a timely and compliant manner
- Ensures effective contract management for goods and services procured for or coordinated by the Executive Office
- Ensures to maintain a compliant repository of supporting documentation for all transactions managed by, or coordinated by the Executive Office.
- Ensures to plan travel and related requirements for the Resident Representative in timely manner, and compliant clearance of Travel Claims.
- Ensures that transactions related to incoming missions, or events organized by the Executive Officer are managed in a compliant manner, and fully operationally closed, in coordination with relevant CO Units (if applicable).
Facilitate knowledge building and management in the Country Office.
- Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.
- Organize specialized training for secretarial and/or support staff. ·
- Organize training for UN staff on coordination, administration and protocol issues.
- The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organisation.
Competencies
Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
Act with Determination LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
Engage and Partner LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
Enable Diversity and Inclusion LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Administration & Operations – Documents and records management- Overall document (hard or electronic) management; registry and retention policy including storing and archiving
Administration & Operations – Events management (including retreats, trainings and meetings) – Ability to manage events, including venue identification, accommodation, logistics, catering, transportation, and cash disbursements, etc.
Business Management – Communication – Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience. Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
Business Management – Customer Satisfaction/Client Management – Ability to respond timely and appropriately with a sense of urgency, provide consistent solutions, and deliver timely and quality results and/or solutions to fulfil and understand the real customers’ needs. Provide inputs to the development of customer service strategy. Look for ways to add value beyond clients’ immediate requests. Ability to anticipate client’s upcoming needs and concerns.
Business Development – Knowledge Generation – Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
- Secondary Education is required with specialized secretarial training.
- A university degree in Social Sciences, Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance or equivalent will be given due consideration but is not a requirement.
Experience:
- Minimum of 6 years (with high school diploma) or 3 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant progressively responsible secretarial, administrative, and/or programme experience is required at the national and international level.
- Experience in the use of computers, office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc), and in handling web-based management systems such as ERP is required.
- Experience in drafting official communication is required.
- Experience in coordinating complex initiatives/activities or projects is desired.
- Experience in supporting operations activities, including processing payments is desired.
- Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team is required.
- Fluency in English and Pashto or Dari is required.
- Experience in developing internal processes and filing systems is desired.
Disclaimer
Under US immigration law, acceptance of a staff position with UNDP, an international organization, may have significant implications for US Permanent Residents. UNDP advises applicants for all professional level posts that they must relinquish their US Permanent Resident status and accept a G-4 visa, or have submitted a valid application for US citizenship prior to commencement of employment.
UNDP is not in a position to provide advice or assistance on applying for US citizenship and therefore applicants are advised to seek the advice of competent immigration lawyers regarding any applications.
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.
Non-discrimination
UNDP has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and misconduct, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
UNDP is an equal opportunity and inclusive employer that does not discriminate based on race, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, age, language, social origin or other status.
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