Categories: Vacancies, June 2026

PROTOCOL ASSISTANT

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Department/Office : Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

Deadline: Apr 30, 2025

Job Description

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa;informed by the 2030 SDGs and Agenda 2063. The mission is guided by ECA’s five new strategic directions which are: advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent’s problems and take local solutions to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and transboundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

This position is in the Publications & Conference Management Section (PCMS) within the Publications Conference and Knowledge Management Division (PCKMD) in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Responsibilities

Under the general guidance of the Chief of Publication and Conference Management Section (PCMS) and the direct supervision of the Chief of Protocol and Liaison Services Unit, the Protocol Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

• Provide support to the Chief of the Unit in organizing meetings for major events, liaising with government officials, delegation representatives, and briefings on accreditation and access issues. This includes arranging and coordinating special needs and requests for visiting dignitaries.

• Provide support to the Chief of the Unit in organizing visits for high-level delegations.

• Coordinate with the Conference team to obtain participant lists and assist in seating arrangements for major events, ensuring all protocol requirements are met.

• Schedules conference rooms; prepares invitations; prepares the list of participants; coordinates seating arrangements; arranges security/entry passes; handles other arrangements as required.

• Assemble, copy, and distribute background papers and agendas.

• Inspect conference room to ensure preparation before the meeting and after, working with relevant sections/units to ensure satisfactory preparation of facilities.

• Collaborate with other UNECA offices to ensure that necessary logistical and administrative support is provided for all events.

• Supervise and oversee the daily operations of the Protocol Unit, ensuring all tasks are completed efficiently and in accordance with protocol standards.

• Assist in day-to-day protocol activities by coordinating with government offices to handle services for staff members and visiting dignitaries.

• Distribute daily tasks to Protocol Assistants, ensuring clear delegation of responsibilities and timely execution.

• Report any protocol-related issues to the Chief of the Unit, alerting them to any concerns or potential disruptions.

• Assist in liaising with specialized agencies and inter-governmental organizations, providing information on accreditation procedures, access requirements, and Host Country guidelines.

• Update relevant host country offices on protocol norms, procedures, and any changes to local customs.

• Participate in briefings for newly arrived Protocol personnel, offering guidance on protocol matters and local customs; draft routine correspondence (e.g., congratulations, condolences, invitations) for signatures.

• Review and maintain the Commission’s Protocol and VIP lists, ensuring all information is accurate and up-to-date.

• 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.

• Undertake any additional assignments as requested by the Chief of the Unit.

Competencies

Professionalism: Knowledge of travel related processing requirements; ability to recognize and act in the face of conflicting priorities. 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. Able to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making.

Planning & 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.

Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

Job – Specific Qualification

Not available.

Work Experience

A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in providing administrative and logistical support to foreign diplomats and expatriates within the context of the United Nations or international organizations is required.
Experience in logistical support includes, but is not limited to, handling resident visa, visa extension, immigration formalities, benefits & privileges, protocol services, accommodation and housing, security services, and more is required.
Knowledge of administrative and operational support in the context of logistical and protocol services is desirable.
Familiarities with the process, systems, and best practices.
Handling detailed planning, coordination, and execution of tasks such as, diplomatic events, ceremonial duties within the context of United Nations or International Organizations is desirable.
One year or more of experience in data analytics or related areas 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 an advantage.

Assessment

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

Special Notice

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. 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 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 online as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. Online applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgment 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. 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.

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.