This position is open to Syrian Nationals Only
BACKGROUND
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort.
OCHA Syria addresses and facilitates issues relating to coordination, communications, and humanitarian financing, and serves the entire humanitarian community. OCHA Syria serves as the coordination point for humanitarian actors; it consolidates information, assesses needs, facilitates access, monitors security/humanitarian access constraints, and works with donors to mobilize funding. The organization works within the framework of the Humanitarian Response Plans (HRP) for Syria, and cooperates with national and local partners, UN country teams, clusters/sectors (e.g., health, WASH, displacement, protection) to allocate resources, avoid duplication, cover gaps.
Position Purpose:
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Head of Administration (Administration Unit), the Admin Associate assists in the overall management of OCHA administrative services, travel of staff, procurement, and asset management, administers and executes processes and transactions ensuring high quality and accuracy of work.
The Admin Associate works in close collaboration with the operations, programme, and projects” staff in the country office, with UNDP and OCHA Administration office for resolving admin-related issues and information exchange. The Administrative Associate promotes a client, quality, and results-oriented approach.
Summary of Key Functions:
- Implementation of operational strategies
- Administrative support services
- Travel Administration
- Procurement and contract management
- Logistics and Assets management
- Knowledge Building and Sharing
Key Duties and Accountabilities :
Under the direct supervision of the Head of Administration and Finance, the incumbent will perform the following duties:
1. Ensure implementation of operational strategies, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
- Full compliance with administrative activities with UN OCHA rules, regulations, policies, and strategies.
- Provision of inputs to the OCHA Syria administrative business processes, mapping and implementing the internal standard operating procedures (SOPs).
2. Ensures efficient administrative support, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
- Implement administrative activities within OCHA rules, regulations, and policies and familiarize them with the administrative duties, responsibilities, and rules
- Support with protocol matters, registration of staff, customs clearance, import/ export authorization letter and coordination with the local immigration authorities.
- Oversee the maintenance of office equipment.
- Maintenance of standard services/office space management to ensure integrated activities on common services and implementation of the UN reform.
3. Provides support to the administration of travel of staff, focusing on the achievement of the following results:
- Perform travel administrator role in Umoja (UN Secretariat’s ERP).
- Create and submit official trips, submit expense reports, and create and submit stand-alone expense reports.
- Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries, as requested for budgeting purposes for programme managers.
- Contacts service providers either at the regional level or at HQ to make reservations, initiates issuance of tickets, discusses discrepancies and problems.
- Arranges for changes or cancellations requested by travelers and has tickets reissued, including obtaining reimbursement, where applicable.
- Examines and pre-audits the official itineraries of staff members, as stated in the travel authorization, to determine air travel cost entitlement of the proposed official travel of the mission personnel and ensure conformity with established rules, regulations and relevant directives.
- Reviews travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy and validity, prior to submitting the travel request and expense report in the ERP system (UMOJA); ensures that entitlements are in conformity with Staff Rules. Refers discrepancies back to Administrative and /or Certifying Officers for clarification and possible correction.
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- Arrange for hotel reservations for UN OCHA officials.
- Arrange bookings for domestic and UNHAS flights.
- Coordinate with the office logistics assistant to organize transportation for travellers.
- Carry out other related duties as required.
- Support in knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Travel and UMOJA systems
4. Provides effective procurement support and assistance, with a focus on achieving the following results:
- Liaise with the Head of Administration regarding procurement requests and requirements, to consolidate overall procurement requirements and optimize purchasing power.
- Prepare and update the OCHA Syria list of all contracts.
- Liaise and provide the OCHA HQ Requestioning and Buyer Groups with the requirements document (checklist) for the establishment of new contract, RFQ, Piggyback, Extend, Lease Agreement.
- Perform Requestioning Role in UMOJA.
- Register local vendors through UMOJA MDM.
- Enrich suppliers bank account and data in UMOJA in coordination with HQ Requestioning team and Treasury Unit.
- Assist in collecting quotations, preparing analysis, reviewing samples whenever applicable, processing purchase requisitions and purchase orders through UMOJA for low value acquisition.
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- Arrangements of workshops, conferences, retreats
- Support in knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the procurement and UMOJA system
- Support capacity-building initiatives and promote knowledge exchange within the office by documenting and disseminating lessons learned and best practices.
5. Provides effective asset management support and assistance, with a focus on achieving the following results:
- Maintain control of the office Property and Equipment: support the inventory of serialized and fixed assets, ensuring that OCHA assets are properly assigned and tracked (all vouchers signed, filed and recorded).
- Coordination of assets management in the CO, timely preparation and submission of periodic inventory reports, and coordination of physical verification of inventory items.
- Facilitate the verification of the physical inventory (Vehicles, ICT, PPEs, and furniture) by checking the accuracy of records and the location of property – make physical checking by close of the year.
- Assist in the preparation and submission of lists of non-recorded equipment to HQ Asset Management for proper registration in Umoja.
- Update the status of each serialized item in UMOJA.
- Prepare request for items disposal to HQ, follow up on the physical disposal of the items, and arrange for the certificate of disposal and share it with HQ to close the case and clear the items from the OCHA Syria inventory and system
Functional Competencies :
- Professionalism: Knowledge of travel related processing requirements; plans, manages and resolves conflicting priorities. 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. Able to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making.
- 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.
- Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
- Planning& 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.
- Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
- Secondary education. Certification in administration, logistics, business, procurement, admin or related areas with a combination of six (6) years of relevant experience is required.
- Or University (bachelor’s degree) Degree in administration, logistics, business, procurement, admin, or an equivalent field will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.
Experience, Knowledge, and Skills:
- A minimum of 6 years (with a high school diploma) or 3 years (with a bachelor’s degree) of progressively responsible experience in administration, logistics, travel, asset management, and procurement with an international organization is required.
- Experience in the use of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) is desirable.
- Experience dealing with international procurement is desirable.
- Experience in liaising and providing HQ Requisitioning and Buyer Groups with the documents required for establishing new contracts, RFP, Piggyback, Extend, and Lease Agreement are an asset.
- Familiarity with using automated spreadsheets, database packages, and/or web-based ERP management systems (preferably PeopleSoft, UMOJA, etc.), is an asset.
- Relevant experience in the UN Common System or comparable international organization is desirable.
- Experience in providing logistical travel support is an asset.
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- Experience in coordinating office flight bookings is an asset.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in oral and written Arabic and English is required
Equal opportunity
As an equal opportunity employer, UNOCHA values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate, and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination.
UNOCHA is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.
Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority
UNOCHA does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination, and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles.
Probation
For all new UNOCHA fixed-term appointments (FTA), including for staff members being transferred or seconded to UNOCHA under the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff, on an appointment of more than one year, continuation of the appointment beyond the initial 12 months is contingent upon the successful completion of a probationary period.
Right to select multiple candidates
UNOCHA 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 UNOCHA at the same grade level and with a similar job description, experience and educational requirements.
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