United Nations Hiring for Administrative Assistant at Manama, Bahrain Full Time

The UN Secretary-General launched on 1 January 2019 a bold and new global reform which repositioned the UN Development System to deliver more effectively and efficiently with the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. As part of this reform, UN Resident Coordinator Offices (UN RCO), under the leadership of an empowered and independent UN Resident Coordinator – the highest-ranking official of the UN Development System and Representative of the UN Secretary-General at country level – support countries in the achievement of their development priorities and the attainment of the SDGs.

The position is located in the UN RCO in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Administrative Assistant works under the overall guidance of and reports directly to the RCO Strategic Planner and Team Leader and coordinates closely with the Executive Associate. The working environment entails working collaboratively with the UN RCO team and Agencies staff and external counterparts for the successful achievement of the responsibilities and assigned tasks. Responsibilities Within delegated authority, the Administrative Assistant will be responsible for the following duties:

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT:

• Initiates, reviews, processes and follows-up on actions related to the administration of the Resident Coordinator Offices (RCO) human resource activities, e.g., recruitment of staff and consultants, placement, promotion, relocation, performance appraisal, job classification reviews, separation of staff members, training, visas and residency etc., ensuring consistency in the application of UN rules and procedures.
• Responds to enquiries and provides information and advice to staff regarding their entitlements, administrative procedures, processes and practices, conditions of service, duties and responsibilities, and entitlements under the Staff Rules and Regulations.
• Oversees the maintenance of vacancy announcement files and keeps track of status of vacancy announcements.
• Monitors staffing table and prepare relevant statistical data/charts, including for UNDSS staff lists. Acts as security warden for the RCO.
  BUDGET AND FINANCE:
  • Assists in the preparation and review of financial and human resource proposals/requirements. Consolidates budget/work programme with respect to RCO’s budget and procurement.
  • Monitors expenditures and compares with approved budget; prepares adjustments as necessary.
  • Assists managers in the elaboration of resource requirements for budget submissions.
  • Assists in preparation of budget performance submissions and finalization of budget performance reports, analysing variances between approved budgets and actual expenditures
  • Assists in the management and reporting of the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) petty cash.
  • Co-ordinates with Headquarters and Regional finance and budget staff on related issues during preparation of budget reports.
    GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND IT SUPPORT:
    • Drafts routine correspondence to respond to enquiries in respect to relevant administrative, financial audit, personnel matters.
    • Coordinates extensively with service units and liaises frequently with internal team members both at Headquarters and in the field.
    • Manage the Resident Coordinator Offices (RCO) IT requirements, including identification of office technology needs and maintenance of equipment, software and systems.
    • Performs other related administrative duties, as required (e.g., asset management, operational travel programme; monitoring accounts and payment to vendors and individual contractors for services; physical space planning; organizing and coordinating seminars, conferences and translations).
    • Acts as a focal point for Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP – known as Umoja in the UN) requisitioner and petty cash custodian for the Country Office
    • May be responsible for guiding, training, and supervising the work of more junior General Service staff.
      CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION/PROCUREMENT:
      • Provides operational coordination and administrative services in Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP – known as Umoja in the UN), to support procurement projects and activities, following standard processes; raise requests for goods, services, and hiring of consultants/individual contractors.
      • Reviews and prepares requirements and scope of work and specifications of goods and services and necessary documentations in consultation with relevant stakeholders
      • Coordinates with day-to-day administration of contracts between the UN and external contractors for goods and services
      • Maintains internal files and relevant documentations for procurement activities.
      • Inspects and receipts goods/services received against the purchase order, invoices provided by the contractor and perform asset management activities
      • Processes the payment of contractors’ invoices and monitor payments upon satisfactory receipt and performance
      • Prepares and processes all UN forms and permissions for contractual and work Unit, Section or Service UN staff, including: UN grounds passes, property passes, UN parking permits, swipe-card access and door keys. Competencies PROFESSIONALISM: Ability to perform a broad range of administrative functions, e.g., budget/work programme, human resources, database management, etc. Ability to apply knowledge of various United Nations administrative, financial and human resources rules and regulations in work situations. 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.

        COMMUNICATION: Speaks and writes clearly and effectively; listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.

        ACCOUNTABILITY: Takes ownership of all responsibilities and honours commitments; delivers outputs for which one has responsibility within prescribed time, cost and quality standards; operates in compliance with organizational regulations and rules; supports subordinates, provides oversight and takes responsibility for delegated assignments; takes personal responsibility for his/her own shortcomings and those of the work unit, where applicable. Education High school diploma or equivalent is required. Passing the Global General Service Test (GGST) is a prerequisite for recruitment consideration in the General Services and related categories in the United Nations Secretariat. Applicants who have not passed the GGST at the time of application may be invited for the test after submitting an application. Work Experience A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in administrative services, IT, finance, accounting, audit, human resources or related area is required.

        Work experience with an Enterprise Resources Planning system, such as Umoja or similar, is desirable.

        Work experience with the United Nations or similar international organization is desirable.

        Work experience with Information Technology systems is desirable. Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

        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 for this position may include a substantive assessment, such as a written test, which will be followed by a competency-based interview by phone or teleconference. Special Notice Appointment against this post is on a local basis and is open for an initial period of one year and may be subject to extension subject to legislative body funding availability.

        This position is subject to local recruitment pursuant to staff rule 4.4 of the United Nations Staff Rules. All staff in the General Service and related categories shall be recruited in the country or within commuting distance of each office, irrespective of their nationality and of the length of time they may have been in the country. A staff member subject to local recruitment shall not be eligible for the allowances or benefits exclusively applicable to international recruitment.

        The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

        Internal Applicants: When completing the 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.

        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.

        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. Online 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. In such cases, please resubmit the application, if necessary. If the problem persists, please seek technical assistance through the Inspira “Need Help?” 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.

        The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

        Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side 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.