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Qualifications

Objectives:

The WHO Country Office in Tonga is part of the Division of Pacific Technical Support (DPS), a decentralized division of the Western Pacific Region established to coordinate the provision of technical support for the countries and areas of the Pacific islands. The WHO Country Liaison Office for Tonga is the centre of the Secretariat’s mechanism for delivering its technical cooperation. The goal of WHO’s country presence is to enable the entire organization to support Tonga in reaching its health goals and contributing to global and regional public health action.

Organizational context:

General instructions are provided in the form of correspondence standards, administrative rules, computer operating standards, filing systems and accepted administrative practices. The incumbent works within the framework of WHO and the department rules and procedures, and/or specific instructions.  Other staff and/or the Assistant to the CLO provide specific instructions and guidance as necessary, particularly in relation to technical correspondence and unusual procedures/requests.

The work is reviewed by supervisors for meeting expectations and overall quality; correspondence is signed or cleared by originator.

The incumbent may be called upon to brief temporary secretarial and clerical staff, or provide information on procedures to professional staff on an occasional basis.

Summary of Assigned Duties:

1.  Receive, screen, track and distribute incoming correspondence, attaching background information or related file, and forwarding to the staff concerned, drawing their attention to specific issues/problems as necessary.

2.  Draft replies to general and administrative correspondence on the basis of instructions or on own initiative, and finalize such correspondence.

3.  Using GSM, prepare travel requests for official WHO travel. Make flight and hotel reservations, prepare travel files and deal with other related matters as requested or on own initiative.

4. Initiate, through Oracle/GSM procurement module, contracts for consultants, Agreements for Performance of Work (APW), Technical Services Agreements (TSA), and General External Services requests (GES).  Monitor and record receipt of deliverables and initiate and monitor payments as needed.  Initiate, through Oracle/GSM procurement module, requisitions for goods procurement, and monitor and receipt of deliverables.

5.  In collaboration with senior administrative support staff, monitor deadlines, reminding staff members of such and ensuring that correspondence and queries are responded to in a timely manner.

6.  Type, edit for language and grammar, correct and format, in accordance with WHO and departmental styles, technical reports and documents, tabular materials and assist in preparing presentations.

7. Obtain documents and information from in-house and external sources as required; perform information searches (library, internet) as requested.

8.  Maintain filing systems, ensuring that all activities supported are traceable and accessible as required.

9.  Screen and receive visitors and telephone calls with tact, discretion, making appointments, answering queries and/or redirecting visitors and callers with diplomacy and courtesy, obtaining background information on the purpose of appointments.

10.  Support the organization of team and departmental meetings, workshops, seminars, etc, including the typing of lists of participants, preparation of travel requests, letters of invitation, files, presentations and slides, reservation of meeting rooms and hotel accommodation.

11.  Replace other support staff as required.

12. Perform other related duties as required or instructed, including provision of support to other areas of work and teams within the department, as required.

Recruitment Profile

Competencies:

•         Knowing and managing yourself 
•         Producing results 
•         Fosters integration and teamwork 
•         Communication 
•         Moving forward in a changing environment. 

Functional Knowledge and Skills:

The incumbent maintains and updates proficiency in the use of modern office technology through in-house courses, on-the-job training and/or self-training.  He/she keeps abreast of changes in procedures and practices, rules and regulations, organizational structure, in the department, the cluster and WHO.

Education Qualifications

Essential

• Completion of secondary school education or equivalent. 

Experience

Essential:

• At least 3 years of relevant experience in administrative / clerical funcions. 

Desirable:

Relevant experience in WHO or another UN agency an asset. Experience in Oracle-based or other ERP systems an asset.

Use of Language Skills:

Expert knowledge of English.

Other Considerations:

Work requires the use of word processing or other software packages, and standard office equipment. Formal or self-training in the use of standard office software. Training in Oracle-based or other ERP systems an asset. Work requires the use of word processing facilities to create, edit, format and print correspondence and documents; spreadsheet and visual presentation software; extensive use of e-mail and scheduling software to improve communications both internally and externally; Oracle/GSM for administrative matters.