Administrative Assistant -UNOAU

The United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) was created in 2010 to strengthen the United Nations’ interaction with the African Union. UNOAU is mandated to contribute to enhancing the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in the area of peace and security, provide coordinated and consistent United Nations advice to the African Union on both long-term capacity-building and short-term operational support, and streamline the United Nations presence in Addis Ababa to be more cost-effective and efficient in delivering United Nations assistance to the African Union. UNOAU plays a key role in the implementation of the Joint UN-AU Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, signed by the United Nations Secretary-General and Chairperson of the African Union Commission on 19 April 2017. This position is located at the Administrative Support Section at UNOAU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Within delegated authority, the incumbent of the post reports to the Administrative Officer/Head of Administrative Support Section (ASS).

• Assists the AO in performance of various actions related to the administration of the work unit’s human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, placement, promotion, relocation, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training, etc., consistently applying UN rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Liaises with central administration/executive services as required;

• Assists the AO in coordination with HR to maintain vacancy announcement files and updates track vacancy announcements.

• Advises staff on visa matters and hotel bookings for newly recruited staff;

• May assist the AO to provide 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 in coordination with HR;

• May assist the AO to monitor assigned staffing tables for a variety of human resource activities, e.g., appointments, retirement, expiration of appointments, reassignments, transfer and movement of staff as required.

• Assists the AO in coordination with respective Units in the preparation and development of the office’s work Programme and budget;

• Assists the AO in monitoring the budget/work Programme with respect to various budgets, trust funds, grant and other funds on a regular basis, and monitors with Finance Unit records of reallocations of resources as appropriate and follow up on behalf of the AO on implementations and reallocations by Finance Unit as necessary;

• May assist AO in the process of provision of the review, and preparation of the medium-term plan and its revisions.

• Assist AO in reviews and the finalization of cost estimates and budget proposals, in terms of staff and non-staff requirements for the mission including programmatic aspects;

• May assist managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.

• Assist AO in following up reviews of requisitions for goods and services to confirm with General Services (a) that correct objects code of expenditure have been charged, and (b) availability of funds as necessary with Finance Unit.

• May assist AO to monitor extra-budgetary resources, in line with agreements and cost plans with special attention given to regulations and rules and established policies and procedures in coordination with Finance Unit.

• Receive and screen correspondence and other documents addressed to the Office of the Head of Administrative Support Section and draft/send appropriate response, ensuring accuracy and completeness of information and institute follow-up action.

• Drafting a wide variety of correspondence such as interoffice memoranda, facsimile messages, note verbale, code cables, broadcast messages, briefing notes, etc., as required.

• Prepare and monitor the ASS personnel leave plans to ensure full coverage of the Office at all times.

• Coordinate and/or event management in liaison with General Services.

• Consolidate monthly requests for section’s office supplies

• Provides guidance to Office staff.

• May assist the AO in reviewing host country agreements, MoUs, exchange of notes, budget agreements, or contributions for grants or other activities within assigned areas;

• Identifies and reports issues/problems as they arise, and recommends appropriate actions;

• Coordinates regularly with service units and liaises as needed with internal team members;

• Performs other related administrative duties, as required (eg., travel in coordination with RSCE, monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services in coordination with General Services and Finance, assists the AO in reviewing physical space plans and assists in the identification of office technology needs, maintenance of equipment / printers, software and systems, assist AO to organizes and coordinate events, seminars, conferences, translations and logistical support for visiting delegations and the office, arrangements for transportation with the Transport Assistant, including coordinating with the Protocol Assistant on Visa, aircraft clearance, customs clearance and consular matters.

• 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 the AO with visualizations and coordinate with Public information Section on updating information material such as web pages or brochures.

• Any other duties as may be required.

Professionalism: Familiarity with function-related provisions of United Nations Rules,

Regulations, Manuals and Policies. The ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. 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.

Teamwork: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals. Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others. Places team agenda before personal agenda. Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position. Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

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.

• Appointment or assignment against this position is for an initial period of one year.

• The selection process for this job opening will be conducted pursuant to ST/AI/2010/3 on the “Staff Selection System” and include the compliance review process by a review body described in staff rule 4.15. In case of selection, a staff member of the United Nations Secretariat who meets the definition of “internal candidate” in staff rule 4.10 will be placed on a temporary assignment if he or she holds the same grade as the job opening; and a temporary promotion if he or she holds a lower grade than the job opening. If the regular incumbent vacates the position during such temporary assignment or promotion, the selected staff member will be laterally assigned, promoted or transferred to the position without further selection process under ST/AI/2010/3.

• This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

• 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.

• 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.

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. By accepting a letter of appointment, staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). Further, staff members in the Professional and higher category up to and including the D-2 level and the Field Service category are normally required to move periodically to discharge functions in different duty stations under conditions established in ST/AI/2023/3 on Mobility, as may be amended or revised. This condition of service applies to all position specific job openings and does not apply to temporary positions.

Applicants are urged to carefully follow all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira, and to refer to the Applicant Guide by clicking on “Manuals” in the “Help” tile 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.

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.