Senior Administrative Assistant

Org. Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa (ROA) supports environmental governance institutions, processes, and engages a broad range of partners that include governmental, nongovernmental, academic, and private sector entities on multilateral environmental agreements and sustainability programs and projects in response to national, sub regional and regional needs and priorities. UNEP’s support to regions and countries is guided by reforms of the UN Development System including the UN Resident Coordinator and UN Country Team systems. This post is located in UNEP/ROA at the Nairobi duty station. Under the guidance of the Director and Regional Representative Africa Office, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

Responsibilities

Administrative Support

• Manages the Office of the Director in the planning, organization, and administration of the workflow in the Director’s Office.
• Provides both substantive and administrative support in managing the Director’s priorities and workflow and ensures that management directives and decisions are properly carried out within the set deadlines.
• Serves as a communication link between the Director and staff members and on behalf of the Director keeps staff members informed by conveying directives, reports, status updates and other relevant information, and brings sensitive and urgent matters to the Director’s attention.
• Communicates with member States, external partners and clients as directed by the Regional Director.
• Organizes the Director’s calendar by scheduling and proposing timeframes for delivery of various commitments and ensuring proper time management by setting up, coordinating and scheduling meetings to ensure the efficient functioning of the office.
• Assists the Director by coordinating and following-up on tasks assigned to other staff members.
• Coordinate with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field on a wide range of administrative-related issues and/or instructions
• Provides advice and clarification to General Service staff members on office management and improvement of administrative procedures.
• Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., operational travel programme, meeting scheduling and support to workshops, conferences).
• Ensures adequate background is available to inform the Director’s decision.
• Constantly monitors emails to bring to the attention of the Director urgent actions and drafts/responds to emails on behalf of the Director.
• Supports the drafting, proof-reading and finalizing of formal communication such as memos, note verbales, letters.
• Acts as the Regional office focal point for Executive Office correspondences as well as those of other partners.
• Prepares background documents, minutes; coordinates preparation of briefing notes and speaking points as requested
• Assists in the preparation and development of the unit’s work programme and budget.
• Coordinates the engagement of staff either individually or collectively with the Regional Director.
• 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 visualizations and updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

Human Resources Management

• Coordinates various actions related to the administration of the unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, performance appraisal, separation of staff members, training, ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.
• Provides advice and answers general queries on classification procedures and processes.
• Provides information and advice to staff/consultants with respect to conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.

Budget and Finance

• Assists the Director in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
• Monitors budget implementation/expenditures and recommends reallocation of funds as necessary.
• Assists in finalization of budget performance reports, analyzing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.

Work Experience

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in administrative services, human resources or related areas is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to eight (8) years for candidates who possess a first-level university degree or higher. Experience working in a busy director’s office at an international organization equivalent to UN is required. Working experience of Umoja ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) for travel, procurement and HR functions is desirable. A minimum of one (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area is desirable.

Languages

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

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/233969?language=en