UNDP: Administrative Assistant (Open to all applicants) – Dhaka

Job Description

Please note the appropriate Tier indicated in the vacancy title and ensure that you are holding the applicable contract as defined below:

• Tier 1: UNDP/ UNCDF/ UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed term (FTA) appointments (defined as “internal” candidates)
• Tier 2: Staff holding UNDP temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts and Expert and Specialist UNVs with host entity UNDP
• Tier 3: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Background

With a total gross domestic product (GDP) of over USD 430 billion, Bangladesh is the second-largest economy in South Asia. Between 2000 and 2019, Bangladesh’s economy registered high GDP growth, averaging around 6% per annum. During this period, there were several notable improvements across different socioeconomic indicators, putting the country on track for a formal graduation from the group of least developed countries (LDCs) in 2026. Bangladesh’s score on the human development index (HDI) increased from 0.49 in 2000 to 0.68, placing it among countries categorized as medium human development. The national poverty rate fell from over 48% in 2000 to less than 19% in 2022.

Despite the progress, Bangladesh faces several development challenges, and with the current trend, the country is unlikely to meet several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Even before the political crisis in 2024, Bangladesh was grappling with double-digit inflation. According to the latest estimate, GDP is expected to grow by 3.7% in 2025, much slower than the GDP growth in the past. Without an uptick in private investment, the economy cannot diversify, a necessary condition for creating decent jobs. With low social spending and weak capacities, the government is constrained from providing quality services to the people. Bangladesh is also one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change and is prone to natural hazards, including climate-induced disasters.

As the UN’s development agency, UNDP has been in Bangladesh since 1972, promoting democratic governance, climate adaptation, environmental protection and inclusive growth and, helping the country to achieve equitable and sustainable development. UNDP has been a close partner of Bangladesh in co-designing policy solutions, building national capacities, and promoting innovations to help meet its developmental aspirations.

The Operations Team in UNDP Bangladesh supports the achievement of UNDP strategic objectives to create a world where people and planet thrive together. It enables the Country Office to operate at scale, managing programmes that reach over 50 million people across the country, addressing urgent national challenges and contributing to global development priorities. Operations staff provide guidance and support in implementing operational strategies, ensuring smooth coordination, resource management, and service delivery not only within UNDP but also to partner agencies as required. Led by the Operations Advisor, the Operations Team manages and strengthens core operational functions, including administrative support, procurement, finance, human resources, ICT, and security. The team ensures that operational processes are effective, compliant, and responsive, enabling programme teams across Bangladesh to deliver results efficiently and sustain impact at a national level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of Administrative Analyst, the Administrative Assistant will perform the above-mentioned responsibilities in coordination with relevant Country Office teams and the Clusters.

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Administrative Analyst, the Administrative Assistant provides support to office operations performing a variety of standard administrative processes ensuring high quality and accuracy of work. The Administrative Assistant may coordinate and supervise drivers. The Administrative Assistant promotes a client, quality and results-oriented approach.

The Administrative Assistant works in close collaboration with the Operations, Programme and projects staff in the CO

and other UN agencies staff to exchange information and ensure consistent service delivery.

UNDP adopts a portfolio approach to accommodate changing business needs and leverage linkages across interventions to achieve its strategic goals. Therefore, UNDP personnel are expected to work across units, functions, teams, and projects in multidisciplinary teams in order to enhance and enable horizontal collaboration.

The Administrative Assistant will carry out the following key responsibilities:

Implement operational strategies in alignment with governing rules and regulations and with a focus on consistency and quality.

• Full compliance of administrative activities with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies.
• Provision of inputs to preparation of administrative team results-oriented workplans.
• Provision of assistance in drafting correspondence, filing for General Admin Services; arranging meetings
• Provision of support in organizing conferences, workshops, retreats.
• Provision of support in raising e-requisitions, and processing vendor payments for Admin services.

Provides administrative and logistical support, focusing on achievement of the following results.

• Provision of support in managing administrative Issues of UNDP Transport Pool (drafting monthly work plan, vehicle servicing and maintenance plan, maintaining up-to-date Vehicle Inventory, Vehicle Insurance, Fitness, Registration & Revalidation, Servicing; assisting in rotation of field mission duties)
• Provision of support in preparation of payments (driver’s uniform, safe driving bonus, fuel bills, rent-a-car and misc admin related bills)
• Maintaining Drivers Database (Digital Log Sheet, Drivers Task data, Drivers DSA and OT data, Leave Data etc.)
• Provision of support in administration of Auto Vehicle Tracking System (AVTS) for cost effective transport pool operation.
• Provision of assistance in outsourcing Rent-A-Car Services for UNDP CO, Projects and UNDP Supported Agencies (keeping record of valid LTA with Rent-a-Car services; coordinating requests/SRFs; issuance of Work Order; ’ for ‘Rent-a-Car’ services for UNDP CO, UNDP Projects and UNDP supported agencies; arranging meetings with clients; Support in preparing cost recovery for official vehicle usage; provision of admin services to the agencies.
• Provide support to the Programme unit by maintaining internal expenditure system and performing quality assurance review of financial reports and payments that includes following up with other units and taking timely corrective actions.
• Track and report on programme finance.
• Review of disbursement forecasts and monitoring of programme/cluster project portfolio delivery.
• Serve as custodian for management of office stationery supplies, including maintenance of stock list of stationery, distribution of stationery as required by staff, and keeping a log of distribution.
• Provide support to organization of procurement processes, including preparation of RFQs, ITBs or RFPs documents, and receipt of quotations, bids or proposals and their preliminary evaluation.
• Organize shipments and customs clearance arrangements.
• Prepare documents/documentation for UNDP shipments (received/sent) and implement follow-up actions.
• Arrange travel and hotel reservations, review POs for travel activities, and prepare travel authorizations.
• Provide support to staff members and their dependents by processing requests for visas, identity cards and other documents in accordance with requirements of the United Nations and national government.
• When requested, collect information for DSA, travel agencies, and other administrative surveys

Provides support in issuance of Customs Passbook for the eligible international staff and obtaining customs clearance, focusing on achievement of the following results.

• Assisting in issuance; renewal, cancellation of Custom Pass Book (CPB) for the eligible international staff contracted by UNDP and on behalf of other UN Agencies
• Assisting in obtaining NBR permission on Private Vehicle Sale/Purchase, registration, fitness and revalidation of vehicles from BRTA etc.
• Processing duty-free declarations and follow ups
• Assisting eligible staff in obtaining Customs Clearance upon separation
• Maintenance of files and records relevant to rental houses, apartments and assisting international staff upon arrival.
• Support managing official phone connections with service provider and processing payments.

Facilitate knowledge building and knowledge sharing in the Country Office.

• Help organize and participate in training for the operations/projects staff on administration.
• Provide sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Competencies

Core 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:

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.

Communication:

• 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 plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals

Ethics

• UN Policy knowledge-ethics – Knowledge and understanding of the UN staff Regulations and rules and other policies relating to ethics and integrity.

Administration & Operations

• UN travel documents – Knowledge of regulatory frameworks and processes related to UN travel documents; ability to facilitate the insurance of UN travel documents for UNDP and UN agencies; processing of visas, and ensure oversight and endorsement.
• Entitlement travel – Knowledge of policy and procedures related to entitlement travel, including the identification of entitlement for lump sum for UNDP as well as other UN agencies
• Asset Management – Knowledge of policy & procedures on PP&E; ability to prepare financial statements on PP&E; maintain Asset Management Module in ERP, perform analytical review of AM reports and asset information to ensure completeness and accuracy of asset information
• Vehicle management – Knowledge of policy and procedures on fleet management

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Secondary education is required, or.
• University degree (Bachelor’s degree) in Business Administration, Public Administration; Social Science; Management and Finance or any other related field from any recognized University will be given due consideration, but it is not a requirement.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years (with secondary education) or 2 years (with bachelor’s degree) of relevant administrative experience.

Required skills

• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and experience in handling of web-based management systems.
• Experience in transport management and customs clearance.

Desired additional skills

• Experience working with UN or other international organizations.
• Experience in supporting Transport pool operations.
• Experience in handling Passbook issues, vehicle Registration and familiar with MOFA, NBR and Customs requirements.
• Substantial experience in overall general administrative support.
• Experience in supporting Customs clearance process.
• Experience organizing events (meetings, workshops, etc.)
• Experience with payment processes, financial processes and providing services using enlisted suppliers.
• Demonstrated experience with innovative problem-solving and organizational skills.

Required Languages

• Fluency in English and Bangla is required.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP 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.

UNDP 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

UNDP 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.

Right to select multiple candidates

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.

Scam alert

UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. For further information, please see www.undp.org/scam-alert.