Operations Associate

How can you make a difference? 

• Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the Administrative Associate is responsible for executing a broad variety of procedural and specialized administrative tasks for the respective section requiring in-depth knowledge of UNICEF administrative procedures, processes and policies.

Key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Office Planning & Project Management (specialized):

• Ensures the availability of timely, complete and accurate information and data for preparing section work plans and project management plans.
• Undertakes basic research and performs comparative analysis of project/programme related data.
• Monitors project implementation against established milestones and makes recommendations to improve performance.
• Helps ensure timely compliance with agreed deadlines.
• Acts as focal point in the review of the completeness of data reports with key monitoring and evaluation information.

Procurement:

• Facilitates the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Maintains up-to-date vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters.

Communications & Workflow:

• Facilitates the communications and workflow of the organizational unit to enhance the efficiency and timeliness of operations and outputs.
• Manages incoming and outgoing correspondence, e-mails and telephone calls.
• Communicates routine and some non-routine information pertaining to the work of the team.
• Establishes and maintains the office filing and reference systems, both traditional and digital; and ensures the inter/intra-net websites are up to date and accurate.

Calendar/Meetings/Correspondence Management:

• Maintains office calendar and arranges meetings
• Takes minutes of meetings, ensuring accuracy, attention to detail and coherence.

Events/Logistics:

• Supports capacity development activities and conferences by making the logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, caterers and hosts.
• Arranges times through liaising with participants over availability.
• Liaises with budget focal points and section over costs and needs.
• Prepares background materials for participants and uploads cleared materials on the intranet.
• Prepares and maintains agendas on meetings and events related to the work group commitments.

Travel:

• Provides travel assistance to staff members in section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaises with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Briefs/de-briefs staff members on issues relating to related administrative matters such as visas, security clearance, and documentation procedures.
• Extracts, inputs, maintains, and verifies correctness of travel records in the organization’s travel system to ensure accurate transactions related to travel costs and staff travel.
• Assists in the preparation of budgets on travel costs and maintain travel plan and budgetary control records.
• Monitors travel certification and report back to the team.

Invoice Processing:

• Responsible for collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in VISION.
• Uploads electronic files and verifies results to destination system.
• Responds to client transaction status and other inquiries.

Supplies/Equipment:

• Supports management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating inventory of items for the unit
• Monitors and supervises adequate and appropriate use of supplies. Ensures that services and maintenance of premises are in accordance with organizational standards.
• Arranges for the purchase and timely distribution of office supplies.

Attendance:

• Maintains and updates a system which monitors the absence of staff.

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the field of work.
• Work Experience: A minimum of 6 years of relevant administrative or clerical work experience is required.

Skills: 

• Training and experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint; knowledge of integrated management information systems required.
• In-depth knowledge of UNICEF organizational structure, administrative policies and procedures.
• Organizational, planning and prioritizing skills and abilities.
• Ability to deal patiently and tactfully with visitors.
• High sense of confidentiality, initiative, and good judgment.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural background.
• Ability to work in a team environment to achieve common goals and to provide guidance to more junior support staff.
• Language Requirements:  Solid working knowledge of English and Spanish is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian) or a local language is an asset.

Source: https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/577698