Administrative Assistant -Jijiga, Ethiopia

Job Description

Standard Job Description

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships

The Administrative Assistant will provide administrative assistance to the immediate supervisor and/or Head of the Office, and/or to the Unit as a whole to ensure that routine services and activities within the administrative domain are properly implemented. As per specific instructions, the incumbent may require liaising with other internal or external entities, to ensure effective delivery of services and achievement of objectives.

The assignments are mostly standard tasks including limited interpretation of subject matter and information exchange between staff in the office, at the duty station and external officials of other institutions to ensure mutual understanding. The incumbent¿s workload and the assignments will remain under constant guidance and direction of the supervisor.

The Administrative Assistant is a position within an office/Division/Bureau that requires basic knowledge of administrative rules, procedures as well as operational standards of a UNHCR office. The nature of certain administrative/personnel functions require discretion and confidentiality.

All UNHCR staff members are accountable to perform their duties as reflected in their job description. They do so within their delegated authorities, in line with the regulatory framework of UNHCR which includes the UN Charter, UN Staff Regulations and Rules, UNHCR Policies and Administrative Instructions as well as relevant accountability frameworks.

In addition, staff members are required to discharge their responsibilities in a manner consistent with the core, functional, cross-functional and managerial competencies and UNHCR’s core values of professionalism, integrity and respect for diversity.

Duties Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties: (These duties are generic and may not be carried out by all Administrative Assistant: please refer to the organizational context).

– Arrange appointments/meetings both internal and external, some involving high ranking officials.

– Receive visitors, place and screen telephone calls, respond to routine requests for information and take notes at meetings as and when required.

– Maintain hard and electronic office files and records; classify and code material relating to a variety of topics;

– Receive, review, sort and distribute all incoming and outgoing correspondence, office pouch and material, highlight priority items and attach necessary background information. Maintain a follow up system.

– May be required to maintain/update confidential files.

– Draft routine correspondence, memoranda and reports. Format more complex documents by using the appropriate technology.

– Facilitate implementation of Personnel administrative formalities and processing of documents in relation to official travels, leaves and movements of staff. Support staff members with processing personnel-related documentation.

– Maintain office inventory and stocks of office supplies. Monitor the asset management track to ensure all admin procurements and disposal of UNHCR property are done and recorded accurately.

– Assist the supervisor to monitor and record expenditure/disbursement of funds.

– Following instructions from the supervisor make logistic and administrative arrangements for seminars, workshops, and briefings that may be required by the Office/Division.

– May regulate and monitor routine provision of services and/or shifts from providers, as and when applicable;

– Monitor office/compound facilities and equipment and in consultation with the supervisor take appropriate action to ensure proper functioning at all time.

– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications Education & Professional Work Experience Years of Experience / Degree Level

• G4 – 1 year relevant experience with High School Diploma;
• or Bachelor or equivalent or higher.

Field(s) of Education

• N / A

Certificates and/or Licenses

• Business Administration, Finance,
• Office Management,
• Human Resources or other related field (Certificates and Licenses marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Relevant Job Experience

Essential

• Not specified

Desirable

• Not specified

Functional Skills

• *IT-Computer Literacy UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
• IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) (Functional Skills marked with an asterisk* are essential)

Language Requirements

For International Professional and Field Service jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English.

For National Professional jobs: Knowledge of English and UN working language of the duty station if not English and local language.

For General Service jobs: Knowledge of English and/or UN working language of the duty station if not English.

All UNHCR workforce members must individually and collectively, contribute towards a working environment where each person feels safe, and empowered to perform their duties. This includes by demonstrating no tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment including sexual harassment, sexism, gender inequality, discrimination and abuse of power. As individuals and as managers, all must be proactive in preventing and responding to inappropriate conduct, support ongoing dialogue on these matters and speaking up and seeking guidance and support from relevant UNHCR resources when these issues arise.

This is a Standard Job Description for all UNHCR jobs with this job title and grade level. The Operational Context may contain additional essential and/or desirable qualifications relating to the specific operation and/or position. Any such requirements are incorporated by reference in this Job Description and will be considered for the screening, shortlisting and selection of candidates.

• Location of Assignment: Wadher
• The incumbent of the position will be based in Wadher not in Jijiga, which is the exact location of the contractual assignment of this position.
• Additional language skills in Somali are a desirable.
• Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.Living and Working Conditions:

  Wadher is a regional town of Doolo zone of the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia. It is situated about 535 kms away from Jijiga City. The office in Wadher will be a satellite office that provides support to the office in Bokh. UNHCR is expected to have a sizeable number of staff and because there are less services in Bokh as compared to Wadher, the purpose of the satellite office will be act as a liaison office for the office in Bokh, Jijiga and Addis Ababa. The office will carry out administrative roles close in collaboration with the other offices. A number of staff both international and national staff are expected to work in Bokh.

  English is the working language in this operation. Amharic and Somali are the local languages with Somali being the predominant language for both locals and refugees in the area. In terms of religion, Islam is the predominant religion in the area.

  Travelling to Wadher can either be by Air from Addis or by road through Jijiga. There is an airport in Kebridehar the nearest town to Wadher to the Southwest. Flights provided by Ethiopian Airlines are available twice a week to and from Assis-Kebridehar-Addis every Friday and Monday and 6-7 times per week from Jijiga-Kebridehar-Jijiga and vice versa. When road transport for official travel, use of UN vehicles is preferred. Travel to Wadher from Jijiga-Wadher may take 8-12 hours and a break at Kebridehar is advisable if journey from Jijiga is not started early enough. It is advisable for vehicles to move in convoy due to the nature of the roads especially beyond Kebridehah.

  Doolo zone is generally arid part of the country. Common food available includes rice, goat and camel meat with limited varieties of other food stuffs. Seasonal vegetables found in the area include tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and bananas. It is advisable that persons travelling to the area should carry enough personal supplies like coffee, specific fruits and vegetables, cereals, small snacks, cookies, chocolates, a flashlight to be used at night, mosquito net, mosquito swatter to cover duration of their stay.

  There are medical facilities but attend to minor medical cases. Specialized medical services can be obtained through referrals to Jijiga or Addis. Visitors are strongly recommended to bring their own personal medication and at least a two-month supply stock, especially if in need of treatment that cannot be provided in the area. Specialized medical services for UN staff can only be offered through the United Nations Health Care Centre (UNHCC) in Addis Ababa that provides 24/7 health care services for eligible UN staff and their dependents in different specialized Medical Units.

  Prior to deployment, staff members are encouraged to avail themselves for group Psychological Preparation (PP) sessions offered by the Staff Counsellor based in UNHCR Country Office in Addis Ababa. The PP group sessions will provide up to date briefing to staff members on matters relating to available accommodation, welfare and generally working conditions and facilities limitations to fine tune their expectations. This would be significant for staff members’ mental preparedness, resilience building and prevention of distress throughout their stay.

  The currency used in Doolo zone is the Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Commercial Bank of Ethiopia is present in Wadher.

• This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Skills

• IT-Computer Literacy,
• IT-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP),
• UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

Education

Certifications

• Business Administration – Other,
• Finance – Other,
• HCR Learning Program – UNHCR,
• Human Resources – Other,
• Office Management – Other

https://icsc.un.org/Home/SalaryScales