Programme Management Assistant (multiple positions)

Org. Setting and Reporting

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) is a global intergovernmental treaty aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of migratory species and their habitats. Numerous additional intergovernmental instruments on migratory species conservation have been adopted under the broad umbrella of CMS which are supported by the CMS Secretariat. In addition, two regional agreements on migratory species adopted under CMS have their own Secretariats which are co-located with the CMS Secretariat in Bonn – the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the Agreement on the Conservation of European Populations of Bats (EUROBATS). The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action. In the present context, UNEP provides the administrative functions for the CMS, AEWA and EUROBATS Secretariats. This post is located in the CMS Secretariat at the Bonn duty station in Germany. Under the supervision of the Legal Officer and Head of Conference Services, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

1. Assists in the coordination of CMS projects and programmes by: • Assisting in project planning and preparation work; monitoring status of programme/project proposals and receipt of relevant documentation for review and approval. • Creating and processing grants and partners’ information, including due diligence and agreements, in the Partnership Portal, as necessary. • Reviewing project documents, especially budgets and agreements, for completeness and compliance with relevant rules and procedures prior to submission for final approval and signature; identifying inconsistencies; distributing project documents to relevant parties upon approval. • Serving as the focal point for administrative coordination of programme/project implementation activities, involving extensive liaison with the units to initiate requests, obtain necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services. • Compiling, summarizing and entering data on projects; drafts related status reports, identifying shortfalls in delivery, budget overruns, and bringing them to the attention of management. 2. Assists in the planning, operational organization and logistics of CMS Secretariat meetings by: • Organizing meetings and workshops, including travel and logistics arrangements. • Serving as the focal point for administrative coordination of meetings, involving extensive liaison with the units to initiate requests, obtain necessary clearances, process and follow-up on administrative actions, e.g. recruitment and appointment of personnel, travel arrangements, payments, disbursement of funds, procurement of equipment and services. • Preparing the meeting webpage and registration form and managing registrations; preparing participants lists. • Supporting the translation of documents and making documents available for interpreters and chairs. • Ensuring documents and reports meet the UN document standards, including formatting, translating short texts and posting documents online. • Supports podium, Secretariat Staff and participants during meetings 3. Provides general Secretariat office support by: • Reviewing, logging and routing incoming and outgoing mailing and correspondence; managing the organization’s e-mail account, formatting and sending notifications and correspondence. • Drafting meeting invitations and correspondence on a range of issues for clearance and preparing and updating periodic reports, briefing notes, graphic and statistical summaries, accounting spreadsheets. • Assisting 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. • Assisting with visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures. • Responding to complex information requests and inquiries. • Setting up and maintaining contacts, files and records. • Utilizes and maintains various document databases and systems. • Prepares files for meetings and missions. • Providing guidance to new staff. • Performing other duties as assigned.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of the organization’s conference policies, procedures and practices. Ability to research, select, organize and summarize information required for the preparation of meetings. 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. Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work. Planning and 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. 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 the audience. Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Job – Specific Qualification

Supplementary training in administration is desirable.

Work Experience

A minimum of five (5) years of experience in programme or project administration, meeting organization or related area is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to three (3) years for candidates who possess a first level university degree or higher. Experience in using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system e.g., Umoja is required. At least two (2) years of experience working in the secretariat of a multilateral environmental agreement is desirable. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

English, French and Spanish are the working languages of the Convention. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Good working knowledge of German, Spanish or French are highly desirable. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand), and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension. 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. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him or her. In this context, all staff are expected to move periodically to new functions in their careers in accordance with established rules and procedures. Internal Applicants – when completing the Candidate Profile form, ensure ALL fields, ALL professional experience and contact information are completed and up to date. This information is the basis for the hiring manager to assess your eligibility and suitability for the position and to contact you. The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs. The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application. All applicants are strongly encouraged to apply on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement within 24 hours of submission, your application may not have been received. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Contact Us” link.

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. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.