Programme Assistant (GS-5), FT, Programm Group – WASH, New York # 00007199

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

Under the Strategic Plan 2022-2025, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is an integral part of Goal 4 ensuring that “every child lives in a safe and clean environment”. UNICEF supports WASH programming across a range of countries, from stable to fragile contexts, and with emphasis on technical support to strengthening the quality and sustainability of WASH services and systems for families and communities. Our interventions range from policy and planning, though leadership, evidence and advocacy to service delivery and we work at sub-national to global levels.

Key priorities for UNICEF WASH under this strategic plan include a shift in how we work with service delivery across households and institutions (humanitarian and development), systems strengthening including a focus on financing WASH, climate resilience and how we work in the WASH development – humanitarian– peace nexus.  Organization wide Indicators for WASH systems strengthening are monitored for the first time under Result Area 2 of Goal 4.

For every child, an opportunity……

This post will provide support to the WASH in emergency team in Water and Sanitation Section in New York.

Under the overall supervision of the Senior Adviser WASH, the Programme Assistant will provide support in a range of procedural, administrative, budget and operational tasks, to help develop, implement and monitor the functions of the unit, ensuring timely and effective delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations.

How can you make a difference?

• Facilitating the processing of contracts for consultants, vendors and external partners that support the office in programme delivery. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates, uploading TOR’s in VISION, and making necessary logistical arrangements. Keeps vendor lists, partners, and consultant rosters up-to-date.
• Collecting invoices and filing documents for approval and thereafter processing in VISION
• Preparing and maintaining records, documents and control plans for the monitoring of project/programme implementation and financial expenditures.
• Supporting the management of administrative supplies and office equipment.
• Maintaining office calendar and arranging meetings. Taking minutes of meetings and keeping the correspondence of the team well organized.
• Providing travel assistance to staff members in section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies. Liaising with relevant travel focal points to ensure that the organization obtains the best service and price for all travel.
• Maintaining and updating a system which monitors the absence of staff.
• Preparing and maintaining records pertaining to programme planning and development for his/her respective section.
• Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs) and makes amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary.
• Supporting capacity development activities, meetings and conferences by making the logistical arrangements, through engaging with facilitators, caterers and hosts; arranging times through liaising with participants over availability; liaising with budget focal points and section over costs and needs; and preparing background materials for participants.
• Monitors budgets and financial expenditures of section, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision/follow up and provide oversight on grant allocation to salaries
• Provides support on budget revision/preparation, implementation status, determination position of funding utilization, operational, and financial closure.
• Carries out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants for his/her Unit such as registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants.
• Guides managers in the process of PCA/SSAs in line with the policies and guidance issued by FRG, supply division and DHR.
• Facilitates the processing of contracts for consultants and external partners that provide a service to the section. This includes preparing and filing documents, completing necessary forms and templates and making necessary logistical arrangements.
• Facilitates the communications and workflow of the organizational unit to enhance the efficiency and timeliness of operations and outputs.
• Establishes and maintains the section’s digital filing and reference systems (where relevant).
• Maintains section/unit calendar and arranges meetings. Takes minutes of meetings and keeps the correspondence of the team well organized.
• Supports administrative and protocol issues in consultation with the Operations team as part of staff onboarding and settling-in processes.
• Provides travel assistance to staff members in section for travel arrangements and entitlements based on the organization’s rules and policies.
• Supports management of administrative supplies, office equipment, and updating inventory of items.

To qualify as a champion for every child, the candidate must have…

• Completion of secondary education in public administration, finance, international relations, political science, or another relevant technical field is required.
• A minimum of five years of administrative or clerical work experience is required.
• General Service Staff are recruited locally therefore candidates MUST be US permanent resident/citizen.
• Prior experience in programme support functions is an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Ability to work effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to effectively manage the section’s material resources and monitor its budget.
• Experience using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other UNICEF software such as SharePoint. VSION is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per 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.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.