H (no hardship)

Family

Family

GS7

General Service

Reason

Regular > Regular Assignment

No

2024-07-01

June 18, 2024

Senior Administrative Associate

Organizational Setting and Work Relationships
The Senior Administrative Associate is responsible for assisting the concerned manager in the implementation of general administrative and resource management tasks. The incumbent will work quite independently on regular assignments with an oversight from the supervisor, who will provide general guidance and work plans for identifying work priorities and appropriate approaches; work is controlled for meeting expected results and conformity to policy and procedures. S/he is normally supervised by a (Senior) Administrative Officer or a National Administrative Officer.

The incumbent may directly supervises some support staff. Contacts on administrative related issues are mainly with Sections/Units/Offices within the organization both at HQ and in the Field and with local suppliers/services/partners/national authorities on routine subject matters as well as on matters of importance to the Organization.

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
– Assist the supervisor in the provision of resources (human, material and services) necessary to support the day-to-day activities of the staff in the office.
– Assist the supervisor in ensuring the UNHCR Office premises provide a healthy, safe and respectful working environment.
– Analyses and maintains an overview of the work of the office to ensure that timely administrative support is provided in general and specialized areas.
– Participates in the recruitment and training of General Service staff for specialized and non-specialized work and assigns General Service staff to meet work requirements.
– Reviews and evaluates work of subordinates directly or through lower-level supervisors.
– In addition to general administration responsibilities, may also supervise, directly and indirectly, activities concerned with office and grounds maintenance, security, transport and similar services.
– Briefs international personnel on general administrative matters, provides advice and ensures administrative support as required.
– Advises and assists senior staff in the area of office management.
– Arranges for and/or attends meetings on day-to-day administrative matters, participates in discussions of new or revised procedures and practices, interprets and assesses the impact of changes and makes recommendations for follow-up action.
– Prepares correspondence, special reports, evaluations and justifications as required on general administrative or specialized tasks that may be of a confidential nature within the assigned area of responsibility.

– Support the identification and management of risks and seek to seize opportunities impacting objectives in the area of responsibility. Ensure decision making in risk based in the functional area of work. Raise risks, issues and concerns to a supervisor or to relevant functional colleague(s).
– Perform other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Professional Work Experience
Years of Experience / Degree Level
For G7 – 4 years relevant experience with High School Diploma; or 2 years relevant work experience with Bachelor or equivalent or higher

Field(s) of Education
Not applicable.

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:
Completion of UNHCR learning programmes or specific training relevant to functions of the position.

Functional Skills
*IT-Computer Literacy
BU-PeopleSoft EPM/Budget
*CO-Drafting and Documentation
*UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures
SC-UN/UNHCR Procurement Rules and Procedures
(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.

*Colleagues who have already submitted an application do not need to re-apply.

Due to the fast-changing environment and the wide breadth of tasks of the Senior Administrative Associate, the ideal candidate will be proactive, flexible, adaptable, comfortable with working in a fast-paced environment, and work well with other team members, especially under pressure.
• Experience in accounting/bookkeeping, including using Enterprise Resource Planning packages such as Oracle Cloud ERP.
• Experience in human resource management, including using digital HR solutions such as Workday.
• Technological awareness and proficiency in a range of online platforms, SharePoint, MS Teams, Microsoft Office365 suite, and video conferencing software.
• Strong administrative, organisational and time management skills, with a high level of attention to detail and confidentiality.
• Flexibility, adaptability and ability to work autonomously and to collaborate with other team members. Proactive in problem-solving.
• Experience implementing records management policies and systems.
• Sound understanding of UNHCR’s mandate and its role as a United Nations agency and humanitarian protection organization.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• A certificate in business administration, finance, and/or human resources or related field.

Remuneration:
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances, and benefits, please visit the portal of the International Civil Service Commission at: http://icsc.un.org
No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Shortlisted candidates may be required to sit for a written test and/or oral interview. UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, processing, or any other fees).
UNHCR strongly encourages qualified female applicants for this position. UNHCR seeks to ensure that male and female employees are given equal career opportunities. UNHCR is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, and culture. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
UNHCR has a zero-tolerance policy against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). SEA is unacceptable behavior and prohibited conduct for UNHCR personnel. It constitutes acts of serious misconduct and is therefore grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal. Any concerns or suspicions about a possible case of SEA should be reported immediately to the Inspector General’s Office (IGO) at inspector@unhcr.org through the online complain form at https://www.unhcr.org/php/complaints.php or by confidential fax: +41 22 739 73 80.

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Operational context

Occupational Safety and Health Considerations:

Nature of Position:

UNHCR’s Multi-Country Office (MCO) in Canberra is responsible for the promotion of refugee protection and solutions in Australia, New Zealand and the wider Pacific (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu). The office also works on statelessness and engages a wide range of actors including government officials, civil society, other UN agencies and the international community, private sector and other donors, and refugees and refugee-led organizations. The Office comprises some 18-25 personnel, currently located in two offices in Canberra and 1 staff member in Papua New Guinea.

The Senior Administrative Associate reports to the Representative or Deputy Representative and supervises and is supported by a Senior Administrative Assistant. It is a senior position within the Office, responsible for the smooth, effective and efficient administration of the Office (admin, finance and budget, facilities management, and some human resources). Among other things, the position is responsible for overseeing the processing of financial transactions and reconciliations in line with relevant policies and procedures; reviewing and approving international and domestic travel bookings; reviewing and advising on resource management and expenditure rates; records management; and managing service providers and activities concerned with office maintenance, security, transport and similar services. The Senior Administrative Associate is also the designated HR focal point for the MCO with responsibilities to advise management in regard to HR policies, liaise with the regional Bureau on HR matters, keep up to date with new policies or policy changes, and support hiring managers in appointments/assignments and contract administration.

Living and Working Conditions:

Additional Qualifications

Skills

BU-PeopleSoft EPM/Budget, CO-Drafting and Documentation, IT-Computer Literacy, SC-UN/UNHCR Procurement Rules and Procedures, UN-UN/UNHCR Administrative Rules, Regulations and Procedures

Certifications

Business Administration – Other, Finance – Other, Human Resources – Other, Office Management – Other

Competencies

Accountability, Analytical thinking, Change capability & adaptability, Client & results orientation, Commitment to continuous learning, Communication, Managing performance, Organizational awareness, Planning & organizing, Teamwork & collaboration

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

Compendium

Additional Information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance