Administrative Assistant

​Requisition ID: 4336 
Grade: SB3 – Local support 
Country: Ghana 
Duty Station: Accra 
Category: Local Support Personnel 
Type of Job Posting: Internal and External
Employment Type: NonStaff-Regular
Contract Duration: 6 months
Application deadline: 3-Sept-2024, 11:59 PM (CEST)  

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
 

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Divisions/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, ensures the Organization’s application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to environment, energy, Micro, Small and Medium-Enterprises (MSMEs), and digitalization. The Directorate also oversees the Organization’s normative contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through industrial policy advice and capacity development. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute to effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results, scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

Under the supervision of the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), and in close coordination with other organizational entities within UNIDO, the Division of Circular Economy and Green Industry (TCS/CEG) contributes to greener and more circular industries and products by minimizing both resource use along value chains and the emission of pollutants to the environment.

The Division promotes just transitions to circular economies, reduced release of pollutants into the environment and other green industrial and economic approaches to help Member States to grow economically while simultaneously addressing the three planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It promotes circular economy policies, programmes and practices including circular business models that improve the profitability of industries while creating social and environmental benefits. It does so by supporting resource efficiency increases in the manufacturing and use of products along value chains and during the life cycle of the product; by reducing or eliminating the emission of non-fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions; and by assisting in achieving the objectives of and compliance with multilateral environmental agreements. In doing so, its activities further improve competitiveness, as well as the development of and access to markets, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. This contributes to climate-neutral, resilient, pollution-free industrial development, supporting co-existence that is in harmony with nature.

This position is located under the Circular Resource Efficiency Unit (TCS/CEG/CRE) which is responsible for supporting capacity development to promote the adoption of circular and resource-efficient consumption and production patterns across value chains. It fosters circular economy solutions including policies, programmes, practices, and business models that enhance industry profitability while generating social and environmental benefits. Furthermore, it facilitates design for circularity emphasizing reduced or alternative materials inputs, greater durability, reusability, reparability, and ultimately recyclability. The Unit promotes nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based approaches that support the coexistence of industries and nature.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Project 210154 “Ghana Circular Economy Centre” will create a Circular Economy Centre that will serve as the hub to enable an effective environment for the circular economy in Ghana, by bringing together actors to coordinate and mobilize support to scale up successful circular economy business and technology concepts. The Centre will assist Ghanaian organizations and small-scale entrepreneurs, to develop and deploy innovative circular economy technology solutions in their businesses and social enterprises while generating environmentally sustainable employment in Ghana. It will also mobilize financing from the private sector for the commercialization of successful piloted technologies. Capacity building and training activities will specifically focus on the needs of women and youth to encourage their full participation in the circular economy. The Centre will ensure that workers within key industries, such as waste management, agro-processing, agriculture and plastics, and particularly the informal sector, can take advantage of new circular economy opportunities. Through policy briefs and advocacy materials, the Project will provide evidence to policymakers to enable a just transition to a circular economy in Ghana.

Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, the Centre will be based in an established tertiary education institution to be determined during the course of the project. The host institution will provide the requisite local expertise, quality testing, prototyping and laboratory facilities and a core focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and technical skills.

The Project will develop locally designed circular economy technologies and models that can be scaled within the country and West African region, and increase Ghana’s industrial competitiveness from material productivity and resource efficiency. Beyond its contributions to Ghana’s economic growth and climate action, the initiative will reinforce Ghana’s leadership in West Africa. Ghana is one of the fastest growing economies on the continent, currently chairing the ECOWAS, hosting the African Continental Free Trade Agreement Secretariat, and positioning itself to become a regional leader in waste and plastic pollution management. Private sector resources and expertise will be leveraged through investment and collaboration on high-impact solutions, to stimulate sustainable economic growth in support of development.

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the supervision of the Project Manager and in close cooperation with the project team in the HQ and field location, the Administrative Assistant provides administrative support and is responsible for the following key functions:

• Perform general administrative and logistical tasks such as arrangements for meetings, events, trainings and workshops.
• Monitor disbursements, commitments and budget allocations and availability for the projects.
• Keep track of project budget expenditures; follow-up on status of contracts for the local project team, provide information on the project, draw the supervisor’s attention to problems encountered.
• Interpret or consult to clarify the application of new financial and procurement rules and procedures, TC guidelines and other instructions.
• Provide logistical support to international consultants, national consultants, and visiting UNIDO staff members and in organizing meetings, study tours and workshops at the field level and travel requests and expense reports, when required.
• Prepare/compile relevant documents and when applicable using SAP, initiate and follow up on actions related to trainings and study tours, purchase of equipment/goods and services, travel requests/claims, recruitment, visa applications, and deal with all related inquiries in coordination with the project team at HQ.
• Assist with the preparation of the work and budget planning for the project.
• Assist in maintaining effective communication, coordination and working relations with the relevant counterparts, beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Assist with the preparation for the Steering Committee meetings, including providing support in drafting papers, statistics, reports and presentations by extracting/summarizing statistics; undertake computer based searches, compile background information.
• Maintain project equipment inventories (both paper and electronic asset management) and ensure appropriate use.
• Assist with on boarding of new project personnel.
• Assist in drafting regular and/or ad-hoc reports on project activities.
• Carry out ad-hoc assignments and research activities, as required.
• Maintain files (both paper and electronic) and databases related to work.

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education:

Completed higher secondary education (high school diploma or equivalent), is required. Formal administrative/secretarial/clerical training or equivalent, is desirable.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of work experience in the related fields of the post, is required.
• Experience in office procedures and practices, preferably within the UN system or in a multicultural environment, is desirable.
• Experience in project administration, accounting and finance, providing support to managerial/professional staff and using administrative skills to assist in the execution of project development and implementation of work, is required.
• Experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), internet, is required.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP software is desirable.

Credit towards total working experience may be considered on a year-by-year basis, up to maximum of four years, for a higher degree education (including first university degree or equivalent diploma and/or master’s degree), in a relevant field to the post.

Languages:

Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of local languages, including Akan (Fante/Twi), Ewe, Ga, and/or Dagbani, is desirable.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core Values

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Key Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

This appointment is limited to the specified project(s) only and does not carry any expectation of renewal.
Employees of UNIDO are expected at all times to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity, both at work and outside. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for jobs at UNIDO.

All applications must be submitted online through the Online Recruitment System. Correspondence will be undertaken only with candidates who are being considered at an advanced phase of the selection process. Selected candidate(s) may be required to disclose to the Director General the nature and scope of financial and other personal interests and assets in respect of themselves, their spouses and dependents, under the procedures established by the Director General.

Visit the UNIDO website for details on how to apply: www.unido.org

NOTE: The Director General retains the discretion to make an appointment to this post at a lower level.

Notice to applicants:
UNIDO does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process. If you have received a solicitation for the payment of a fee, please disregard it. Vacant positions within UNIDO are advertised on the official UNIDO website. Should you have any questions concerning persons or companies claiming to be recruiting on behalf of UNIDO and requesting payment of a fee, please contact: [email protected]