SPECIAL ASSISTANT, ADMINISTRATION

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA’s five 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 located in the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Programme Support, at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in Addis Ababa. The incumbent reports directly to the Senior Programme Officer (Programme Support) under the overall orientation of the Deputy Executive Secretary (Programme Support).

• Conducts and coordinates the day-to-day work of the Deputy Executive Secretary by providing liaison services with a variety of clients, especially Divisions, IDEP, and Subregional Offices under the programme support pillar.

• Prepares aide memoirs, memoranda, and other substantive documents of a broad and complex nature, in coordination with Divisions, IDEP, and Subregional Offices to support the work of the Deputy Executive Secretary at meetings on missions, and as required.

• Respond to relevant substantive correspondences. Arrange audiences, and protocolar arrangements, receive visitors, and organize visits of external senior officials as required.

• Contributes to the preparation and reviews of the work programme and budget of the office.

• Accompany the Deputy Executive Secretary to meetings and conferences and acts as a note-taker.

• Monitors and manages the timely implementation of follow-up actions with Divisions, IDEP, and Subregional Offices under the purview of the Deputy Executive Secretary.

• Provides guidance and leadership to junior staff

• Performs other duties as required. Human Resource Management

• Effectively coordinates actions relative to the administration of human resource activities, e.g., recruitment, placement, promotion, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training, etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.

• Defines conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and privileges and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations. Budget and Finance

• Takes the lead with respect to the preparation and implementation of the work programme, ensuring that financial resources are utilized to implement activities in accordance with the Programme Budget and allotments issued.

• Monitors and reviews the work programme and budget by conducting regular and special reviews to assess the progress of actual work versus the programme plan. Coordinates the production of programme reports.

• Defines requirements and works with systems units with respect to improving budget reporting systems and cost-effective utilization of program resources.

• Develops procedures and implement same to ensure that accounting and financial management controls are consistent with UN policy and practice.

• Supervises and/or provides guidance on financial administration and management information issues and practices to colleagues.

• Provides guidance and leadership to more junior staff. General Administration

• Oversees work related to procurement, billing, and receipt of income from various services, operational travel programme, procurement monitoring, and evaluation of vendor contracts/payment to vendors and individual contractors for services.

• Review adequacy of departmental space requirements.

• Oversees the identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software, and systems, coordinating enhancements as necessary.

• Collects and analyses data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables, and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation, and reporting.

• Performs other related work as required.

Professionalism – Knowledge of administrative, budgetary, financial, and human resources policies and procedures. Ability to apply various United Nations administrative rules and regulations in work situations. Conceptual analytical and evaluative skills to conduct independent research and analysis. Ability to identify issues, formulate opinions, and make conclusions and recommendations. 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. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work. Able to analyse and interpret data in support of decision-making and convey resulting information to management.

Communication: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others, and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style, and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

Accountability: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within the prescribed time, cost, and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight, and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable.

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.

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving a 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position. This position is temporarily available until the position holder returns. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment. While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.

This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or a staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15. Pursuant to section 7.11 of ST/AI/2012/2/Rev.1, candidates recruited through the young professionals’ programme who have not served for a minimum of two years in the position of their initial assignment are not eligible to apply to this position. Staff members of the United Nations Common System organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.

Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service. 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.

For this position, applicants from the following Member States, which are unrepresented or under-represented in the UN Secretariat as of 28 February 2025, are strongly encouraged to apply: Brunei Darussalam, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Grenada, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Sao Tome and Principe, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Belize, China, Cuba, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Turkmenistan, United States of America.

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.

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.