Administrative Assistant

Under the overall authority of the Director of the Office and the immediate supervision of the Senior Finance and Administrative Officer or his/her delegated authority, as applicable, the incumbent provides a series of administrative support services in compliance with UNESCO Rules and Regulations, practices, standards and procedures. Essential responsibilities include:

GENERAL

• Act as certifying officer up to the authorized level delegated by the CFO;
• Draft and prepare routine correspondence, memoranda and non-substantive reports;
• Maintain confidential and general files and establish reference systems;
• Assist in the preparation of budgetary and financial reports, statistics or projections for managers’ use;
• Review draft reports, verify overall accuracy and consistency, cross-check consistency of figures;
• May assist in overseeing activities related to office maintenance, security, transport and similar services;
• Provide guidance and interpretation on non-complex administrative rules, regulations and procedures.

Finance

• Assist and inform the supervisor on financial status, by using management information systems and reporting;
• Code, record and reconcile accounting transactions;
• Verify and process payments;
• Maintain specific accounts, calculate and compile financial data, prepare routine reports;
• Generate expenditure reports from the automated systems;
• Provide assistance and guidance to staff on basic financial procedures, requirements related to payments, and on banking and currency provisions.

Budget

• Monitor and control commitments and expenditures;
• Prepare detailed cost estimates and other data for use in budget analysis and proposals;
• Keep track of budget levels and alert the supervisor and concerned managers to avoid potential shortfalls in funds (validating information and identifies any errors or irregularities);
• Generate expenditure reports from automated information system databases; compile budget data;
• Assist in the preparation, cost estimation and finalization of budget reports, carry out preliminary analysis of variances between budgets and actual expenditures; cross check consistency of figures;
• Review overall accuracy and consistency of draft reports; cross-check consistency of figures.
• Identify any other anomalies and errors; alert the supervisor and undertake transactions to correct errors/omissions.

Human Resources

• Assist in HR administrative matters;
• Draft correspondence and other documents for personnel actions, follow up on coming HR actions, maintain database;
• Retrieve and analyse HR-related data from automated systems; alert the supervisor of inconsistencies/ errors and propose corrective action;
• Process salaries, entitlements, claims, non-staff contracts etc. as per to established guidelines and procedures;
• Provide assistance, advice and briefings to newly arrived staff, experts and consultants on basic procedures; assist and support in issues related to visas, identity cards, driving licences and other necessary personnel-related documentation in accordance with requirements by the Organization and host country (liaise, as required, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs);
• Assist in pre-recruitment formalities and provide support on the conduct of the recruitment process; coordinate interview schedules, prepare agenda and documentation.

Logistics and Travel

• Shipment: make arrangements, assist and advise on shipping; liaise with customs;
• Procurement: assist in initiating procurement action, in the preparation of purchase orders and contracts, monitor status of requisitions and maintain contact with suppliers;
• Travel: assist and provide guidance in preparation of travel plans, review travel claims, prepare travel orders; issue travel advances;
• Assist in all security related matters. May liaise and cooperate with UNDSS on matters related to safety and security.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Completed secondary, technical or vocational school diploma.

WORK EXPERIENCE 

• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience in administration, accounting and/or procurement.

Skills/Competencies

• Good interpersonal and communication skills; strong service orientation and ability to deal efficiently with partners at different levels;
• Good organizational and coordination skills, ability to take initiatives, establish priorities and monitor own work plans;
• Discretion, good sense of judgement and capacity to deal efficiently and tactfully with people of different cultural backgrounds;
• Sense of integrity and confidentiality;
• Ability to work as part of a team, and provide efficient, quality and timely support and capacity to work efficiently under pressure;
• Flexibility to adjust work schedules and priorities;
• Good knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc).

Languages

• Excellent knowledge (spoken and written) of English.

Source: https://careers.unesco.org/job/Brasilia-Administrative-Assistant/800514402/