Org. Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. Established in April 2012, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has a membership of over 140 Governments (see www.IPBES.net) and seeks to respond to the needs of governments and other stakeholders to strengthen the science-policy interface on biodiversity and ecosystem services. This post is located at the UNEP/ IPBES secretariat at the Bonn duty station. Under the overall supervision of the Administrative Officer/ Head of Administration, the incumbent assists in providing to the IPBES secretariat administrative support in the areas of travel and general procurement. The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:
Responsibilities
1.TRAVEL • Coordinates the travel of IPBES personnel, sponsored participants, and experts, traveling to and from a wide range of member states in connection with mission duties. • Calculates and initiates entitlements for all such travel and submits to the Unit Supervisor for approval, e.g., airfare, excess baggage entitlements, terminal expenses, airfreight entitlements, daily subsistence allowance for staff and dependents on traveling on missions. • Provides information to staff and consultants on the most direct and economical route, collects information, checks availability of funds, and drafts travel plan for the approval of the Executive Secretary; Provides information on rates and travel schedules for specific itineraries, as requested for budgeting purposes for programme managers. • Contacts airlines to make reservations, negotiates least expensive fares e.g., discusses with management of travel agency and with senior airline sales management for space on flights, reduced airfares, group discounts, and reduced excess baggage charges, initiates issuance of tickets; discusses discrepancies and problems. • Calculates the residual values of partially used tickets when there is a rerouting. • Computes and determines the revised amounts of per diem where there is deviation from original travel plans. • Arranges for changes or cancellations requested by travelers and has tickets reissued, including obtaining reimbursement, where applicable. • Converts departure and arrival times, as needed, and identifies class of accommodation corresponding to the nature of the travel. • Examines and pre-audits the official itineraries of IPBES personnel, sponsored participants and experts, as stated in the travel authorization, in order to determine air travel cost entitlement of the proposed official travel of the mission personnel and ensures conformity with established rules, regulations, and relevant directives. • Reviews travel claims and supporting documentation for completeness, accuracy, and validity, prior to forwarding to the Accounts Division; ensures that entitlements are in conformity with Staff Rules. Refers discrepancies back to Administrative and /or Certifying Officers for clarification and possible correction. Review and process travel requests and expense reports in Umoja for all travel categories for staff members and non-staff categories. • Advises the Administrative Office of more efficient and cost-effective routings with regard to more complicated staff itineraries and assists them in making travel plans in order to take advantage of the benefits to be derived from advance purchases or special promotional fares. • Verifies and prepares payment requests to third parties, and commercial entities, with respect to settlement of invoices. • Maintains records of all travel authorizations processed and records savings accrued to the organization as a result of the cost savings techniques employed. Prepares subsistence payment rosters, related cost estimates, and miscellaneous obligating documents (MODs) for travel related to meetings and conferences; arranges subsistence payment to participants during IPBES meetings and prepares related financial reports. Drafts communications related to above duties, maintains chronological travel and other files and performs other administration services. • Checks travel authorizations and cables and correct where necessary, • Maintains a unified, efficient filing system both paper and electronic in connection to the work given. 2. PROCUREMENT • Functions as IPBES’ Buyer and creates Purchase Orders for Low-value and High-value procurement. • Obtains information/documentation as required; to process procurement requests outside of low value arrangements. • Gathers information to produce tender documents (e.g., Invitations to Bids, Requests for Proposals, and Requests for Quotation) based on the nature of requirements and cost of procurement involved; 3. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION • 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. • Performs other related duties, as assigned.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of travel related processing requirements; plans, manages and resolves 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. 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. The ability to perform analysis, modeling and interpretation of data in support of decision-making. 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. 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 is required.
Job – Specific Qualification
Completion of CIPS procurement training (at least level 4) is required. A technical or vocational certificate in the field of travel, procurement, office management, or related fields is desirable. Supplementary and commercial training in general office support or related areas is required.
Work Experience
A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in travel management in the United Nations or other similar international organizations is required. The minimum years of relevant experience is reduced to five (5) for candidates with a first-level university degree or higher. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in procurement management is required. Experience working with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems such as Systems Applications and Products (SAP), e.g. UN Umoja, with at least three (3) years of experience in using the travel and procurement-related functions of SAP ERP systems is required. Experience in Microsoft Office specifically in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel is required. Experience with travel reservation systems, such as Amadeus, is desirable. One (1) year or more of experience in data analytics or related area 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 desirable. Knowledge of German is desirable. “NOTE: “fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand), and ” Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.
Assessment
Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.
Special Notice
Appointment against this post is for an initial period of one (1) year and may be subject to extension. This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. Applicants for positions in the General Service and related categories must be authorized to work for the United Nations in the duty station where the position is located. Eligible applicants selected from outside the duty station are responsible for any expenses in connection with their relocation to the duty station. Staff members subject to local recruitment are not eligible for 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. 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. 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 and geographical diversity 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 on-line as soon as possible after the job opening has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the job opening. On-line applications will be acknowledged where an email address has been provided. If you do not receive an e-mail acknowledgement 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. Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.
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.